Soutine's Portraits: Cooks, Waiters and Bellboys

 This fabulous exhibition, held at The Courtauld Gallery from 19 October 2017 to 21 January 2018, brings together an outstanding group of portraits by Chaïm Soutine (1893-1943). Soutine was one of the leading painters in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s and was seen by many as the heir to Vincent van Gogh. This major exhibition is the first time he has been exhibited in the United Kingdom in 35 years.

 

 I didn't know what to expect before going, but loved the portraits, Matthew Collings has given the exhibition 5 starts and written a great review of it. Photography isn't allowed in the exhibition, but clicking on the links will show you the paintings on display.

The Courtauld Gallery’s collection of paintings ranges from the Renaissance to the 20th century. It includes one of the richest holdings of early Italian art in Britain, as well as masterpieces by Lucas Cranach and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The Northern Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens is especially well-represented in the collection.
The Courtauld is best known for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including iconic works by Manet, Degas, Monet, van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne. The displays extend into the 20th century with works by Modigliani, Matisse, Kandinsky and the Bloomsbury group, alongside masterpieces of German Expressionism and modern British art.
These are some of the paintings I loved:

 Starting with 'Adam and Eve' 1526 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, it's painted in oil on a panel which is bowing  a bit, but nevertheless is fantastic.

 Edouard Manet's 'A bar at the Folies-Bergere' painted in 1881-1882 is a really well known painting, but so much better in real life.

 Above Paul Gaugin's 'Nevermore' painted in 1897, according to the notes Gaugin suggests the loss of innocence. He was apparently deeply disappointed by Tahiti, he found a corrupted society instead of the primitive paradise he had imagined.
Having been round the Soutine exhibition, I was able to recognise this painting straightaway as a Soutine. It's called 'Young Woman in a White Blouse', it was painted in 1923.

 Below 'Yellow Irises' painted by Pablo Picasso in 1901 when he was 20!! He was apparently producing 3 paintings a day when he did this one.

 Below 'Girl with Roses' by Lucain Freud 1947-8. The woman depicted is Kitty Garman whom he married in 1948, the notes comment on the fact one would expect the painting to express traditional themes of love and affection, whereas Freud conveys a sense of nervous energy and disquiet.

 Below 'Head of Seedo' by Leon Kossoff 1964, as one would expect there are many layers of paint on this portrait, the notes comment that they look as if the paint is still moving.

 From the Courtauld Gallery we walked to Tate Britain, passing this fabulous statue among others

 and the beautiful Buxton Memorial seen above which was erected to commemorate the abolition of slavery in 1833. From there it was just a short walk to Tate Britain where we looked at the Walk through British art section enjoying the masses of fabulous paintings and sculpture. I include a poor photograph of John William Waterhouse's 'Lady of Shalott painted in 1888.

I was also very pleased to see this bronze by Michael Sandle, Der Trommier, 1985, cast in 1987. We were very fortunate to hear him speak at one of our Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery events, please click here for the link to the Friends' blog.

Michael Sandle RA (born 18 May 1936) is a British sculptor and artist, "widely recognised as one of the finest sculptors in the world". His works include several public sculptures, many relating to themes of war, death or destruction. His work has been critical of what he describes as the "heroic decadence" of capitalism and its involvement in global conflict.