Van Dyck: Transforming British Art

Nice small exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery looking at work by Van Dyck during his time in England.

There were some lovely things in this show but I was left slightly asking why it was there. Looking at the web site I think it is because the self-portrait which the gallery bought recently is touring and his is it’s time in London so the gallery have brought together other works to put it into context.

The show not only looked at the paintings but how the works were reproduced and disseminated so there were small sections on the work of the studio plus on printing. It showed how the works become more popular following the Restoration.

I was fascinated to see a picture of Charles II as a boy which was a pattern for other pictures of him including that picture of the royal children with a big dog which was also shown here. I also liked the fact that the gallery included works by his rivals Mytens and Johnson who seemed to be earning a nice living in London until Van Dyck came and took over!

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