Cathy's Art Diary

Small free exhibition at Somerset House looking at how London is reinventing itself for the 21st Century. Organised by Design for London the exhibition looked at the forces affecting London and encourages visitors to interact and leave notes on their views for the city. It reminded me of exhibits at the architectural biennale as there were lots of things to read and take away, sheets on each topics to tear off and read and postcards of 41 areas which are scheduled to be developed into open spaces.

Small exhibition of nineteenth century French drawings in the Courtauld Institute’s own collection showing how strong drawing was at this time despite the changes in art. The works included pictures ranging from Ingres to Gauguin. There was a wonderfully erotic sketch by Rodin of a female nude which reminded me of the Sickert Camden town nudes but my favourite was a jockey on a horse by Degas which was full of movement and tension.

Small exhibition at the Courtauld Institute focusing on Renoir’s ‘La Loge’ which they own. The exhibition looks at the loge of box as a subject for painting in the 1870’s, which was a new subject looking at modern life. Up till then boxes had been used in caricatures and fashion plates and the exhibition looks at both of these. It also brought together paintings by the Impressionists of this subject four by Renoir, two by Cassatt and one by Degas. The setting seems to give the opportunity to paint portraits of people, framed by the box and concentrating on what’s going on around them, seeing and being seen. Reviews Times Time Out