Cathy's Art Diary

Interesting exhibition at the National Archives of art works commissioned by the Government Art Collection to mark the Coronation of Charles III. The collection commissioned artists from all over the UK to create artworks reflecting the Coronation's significance to them and their communities. They were shown alongside the coronation rolls of Edward II and our current king. I loved Joy Gerrard's complex ink on canvas drawings of crowd scenes on the Mall and at Buckingham Palace based on a series of drawings some of which were included. My favourite piece though was Hew Locke's textile work of layered images of the Gold State Coach. I love Locke's work so was delighted to find a new piece by him. Closed 1 November 2025  

Super opportunity at the National Gallery to see the two new Coronation portraits of the King and Queen on display. It was exciting to see these two works alongside other full-length portraits in the collection and place them in the Grand Manner tradition before they move to the throne room in Buckingham Palace.   I had seen the coverage in the press of their unveiling and felt the picture of Queen Camila was the better work but in the flesh the King Charles was a more painterly work and a better picture if not such a good likeness. I would like to know why they chose different artists. Both work well for their sitters but they might have worked better as a pair if they had used the same artist. Closed 5 June 2025 Reviews Times Telegraph

Beautiful light and sound show after hours at the Tower of London looking at the coronation and history of the British monarchy. The show was held in the courtyards of the castle with the projections on the buildings. I loved the scenes of processions against the long Waterloo Block but my favourite was the montage of the monarchs over the ages against the White Tower as you left. The walls must have found it odd to see them all again. You also got the chance to visit the Crown Jewels while it was quieter which is always a treat. There was quite a feature made of the pieces used for the recent event. I suspect in the past this would have been called a Son et Lumiere and people would have understood what it meant but now everything has to be an immersive event. Closed 25 November 2023  

Topical small exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library of documents and artefacts relating to previous coronations. In the week leading up to the Coronation I needed a related exhibition and this fit the bill perfectly. Although it was small it narrated some good stories from past Archbishops of Canterbury who had presided at the ceremonies. In a room to the side there was the cope and mitre worn by Archbishop Fisher in 1953 and with them were prompt boards made for Archbishop Temple for Edward VII’s coronation as he was 80 and his eyesight was failing. A later commentary told how the king kept muttering, 'I am very anxious about the Archbishop’ though the service. The earliest object was a 13th century copy of Henry I’s Coronation Charter, the earliest surviving one.   I think my favourite object was Archbishop Manners-Sutton at the coronation of George IV, with the signature of the King at the foot of the oath. The manuscript text of the coronation oath was mislaid and George ...