Rubens and Rembrandt

Interesting display and new gallery at the National Gallery showcasing their collection of work by Rubens and Rembrandt, two of the great masters of the 17th century.

While the Michelangelo and Sebastiano exhibition is on upstairs the gallery has had to have a move around and has taken the opportunity to show the work they have by these two artists together in a refurbished gallery downstairs Gallery B.

It feels a slightly odd space for this work as it’s a white box with quite a low ceiling however, although this is not ideal for these works, it does give an opportunity to see them hung fairly low and to get a close look at the detail. Some of the grander works, such as the Ruben’s Samson and Delilah, lose their iconic feeling and you look at their more carefully and with a fresh eye.

I enjoyed the chance to look the Rembrandt portraits in the eye and to get up close to study the detail in the brush strokes. I love the way the closer you get the surface of the work takes on an abstract feeling of marks and touches of colour, then as you move out the picture emerges.

Closes on 16 July 2017

 

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