Rubens and Delaroche

The National Gallery

May 31^st

Today I explored one of the greatest collections of art in the world. I knew going in that it was revered in art circles, but I was still pleasantly surprised by the amount of popular works that they showcased. I enjoyed weaving throughout all the interconnecting rooms although it was easy to miss a section. I did not want to take pictures of them but so many art students and children were using clipboards to sketch their favorite paintings. It had a very lively and young atmosphere but still felt spread out. I was glad that it was not as crowded or loud as the Louvre was in Paris. They have so many fantastic pieces that I remember studying in Art Appreciation.

Before I contrast two of my favorite works, I wanted to gush about the Impressionist paintings that the National Gallery exhibits. Musée d’Orsay is my favorite museum, but I was surprised by the amount of fabulous impressionist and post-impressionist artists they displayed. From Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Degas, there were so many breathtaking paintings and I loved viewing them all.

The first painting I was ecstatic to see was The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche who was a French artist. As I mentioned in my previous post, Lady Jane Grey was executed at the Tower of London and the painting captures a devastating, historical moment. It was a painting that I have always wanted to see in person, and it was as spectacular as I hoped it would be. The second painting that I will be contrasting is Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens is one of the greatest Flemish artists and his painting shows a biblical character whose strength is stripped by the cutting of his hair.

Delaroche painted historical pieces and worked in the Romantic era (1800’s) while Rubens illustrated religious masterpieces in the Baroque period (1600’s). Although nearly two centuries separate these two artists, they each focused on particular subjects, whether they were rulers or biblical figures, and created tension with their use of color and lighting. Rubens is portraying a scene of betrayal and moral weakness. Delaroche has captured a scene of tragedy and innocence. Both artists have witnesses in the dark, muted backgrounds with elements of gold in the forefront. They have the executioner and Delilah wearing a deep, scarlet red which starkly stands out from the other characters.

These two paintings are massive and magnificent in scale. I hope that if you every travel to London, you will make time to stop by the National Gallery to see these masterpieces that range hundreds of years.