National Gallery Scotland

National Gallery of Scotland

On the first day in Edinburgh, i was walking around and stopped by the National Gallery of Scotland. 

This kind of painting isn’t really the type of art that interest me but I was concentrating more on the facial expressions and directions they faced, the angle of the body towards the audience.

Giovanni Busi, called Cariani

(about 1485 – after – 1547)

“St Agatha about 1512-18

Oil on Canvas

The story of this piece was that the King of Sicily ordered her breasts to be cut off. She was then miraculously healed by St Peter, but later dies in prison.

Before I read the description these were my thoughts;

This piece here was interesting because the woman’s head is not facing directly towards us; it is facing the sculpture, which may mean that is what she wanted us to concentrate on.

It has a slight sense of possession in this image, declaring the item is hers. She is looking slightly at a downward direction

Goffredo (Gottfried) Wals

(about 1590/95 – about 1638/40) German

“Landscape with Christ and Saint Peter”

About 1630-38

Oil on canvas

A nice contrast between the two shapes, circle for the image painted on and an octagonal frame.

Ceiling

Nice high ceilings and interesting windows which reminded me of the octagonal piece painting.

Space inside the gallery was comfortable. Very spacious. 

Inside was very spacious, a nice color to the walls and good lighting.

The only thing I would say was that it was rather difficult to really view the paintings on the higher row. If only I was taller...

Rest / View

A mixture of both paintings and sculptures, the lighting actually made it easier to see the details within the sculpture which was good. 

William Hogarth

1697 – 1764

“Portrait of Sarah Malcolm 1733”

Oil on canvas

Sarah Malcolm was executed at the age of 24 for the murder of her mistress Lydia Duncombe and two fellow servants.

She is seen in Newgate Prison where she sat for Hogarth two days before her execution on 7^th March 1733.

This picture is believed to have been bought from the artist by the celebrated writer and collector Horace Walpole.

I liked how there is space on the right hand side, it makes me think several things;

·      What could she be looking at?

·      What is over there, how big is the room/cell?

·      Is she sat there because she wanted to feel the sunlight on her skin, maybe for the last time?

·      Maybe she didn’t want to look at the painter when he was painting her.