Cathy's Art Diary

Fun online discussion from the National Gallery about the Sharp family who are depicted in a painting by Zoffany from 1779-81. I hadn’t attended one of these book club format events before but it was good fun and lead to a lively discussion between Hestor Grant, author of a book of the same title as the talk, and Matthew Morgan, art historian. Grant outlined the lives of the family and why they appear on a barge on the Thames playing instruments. The answer to the latter being because that’s what they actually did that.   I loved the painting but hadn’t realised before that one of the brothers is Granville Sharp who I had learnt about in school as one of the early slavery abolitionists in Britain.   What a fascinating character but matched by his siblings who were all philanthropists in different ways. The book has been added to be ‘to be read’ list!  

Beautifully presented exhibition at the Moretti Gallery of a newly discovered painting by Zoffany. This was a stunning picture of the actor Edward Townsend on stage from 1792 which has only been changed hands three times since it was painted having staying in the Zoffany’s family after his death. It was in amazing condition and just glowed on the canvas. I loved his embroidered yellow waistcoat. The picture was shown with an excellent commentary on its ownership and a look at recent technical analysis by the Courtauld. Closed 16 December 2022  

Lovely exhibition at the Royal Academy looking at the life and work of Johann Zoffany. Zoffany settled in London in 1760 and produced a wonderful snapshot of life in England at the time. He became one of the leading portrait painters of the time and almost invented the conversation style group portrait. He had an unique insight on English life at the time as he was an outsider. There was a lovely gallery looking at pictures of theatrical life as one of his early patron had been Garrick and most unusually a group of pictures at the end from him time spent in India. I think my favourite piece was actually his most famous, the study of the Uffizzi gallery complete with lots of well known pictures. A name that tune of a picture. Reviews Daily Telegraph Independent Evening Standard