Menoggling; Eyeing Up Art, Part The First

I landed up in Edinburgh last week. Had three days with Mac1, on and off. Lunch and a long natter in The Grey on day one. A day between when she had other commitments, and I did van chores. Then, two days of visual culture. We wanted to view three exhibitions at the National Gallery. We managed to fit that into one day, but I will make two posts from the visit, or you'll be here until your next meal...

Day One, First Half.

The No. 31 bus stop is halfway between Mac1's house and the street where Grey is parked. We meet there for the 11 a.m. bus. We alight by the Scott Monument on Princes Street, close to the gallery. We note the damage caused by the recently departed German Market stalls. By summer, the grass will be back.

The first exhibition is on the basement level and is a loan from the Chatsworth House collection of drawings by Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein the Younger, Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Rembrandt and others. We first sit for a brief video showing Chatsworth and the permanent home of the drawings collection. 

Non-flash photography is acceptable, so naturally, the YAMarazzi clicked like crazy. Several images will appear in the Menonday Art Vibe series, so hold your horses for those. Some tasters here, though...

Landscape With Peasants by Hendrick Goltzius

Anyone interested in art must know that the fundamental basis of it all is simply making marks upon a surface with a friable medium. It began centuries ago in caves, with powdered rock being applied to rock walls. By the 16th century, when most of these works were created, there was sophistication and a variety of tools and pigments. Both dry and wet mediums were used, here displayed in two cases.

Also, anyone who has ever had a go at drawing will know its challenges. Much of the challenge is mental, overcoming one's inhibitions and thoughts of judgment. Skill is another thing - and having the determination to develop it. Yes, there are a few gifted people for whom the skill comes easily, but not without practice and continual exploration.

To stand before these works, to be so up close and personal with the skill of these masters, was - in every sense of the word - awesome! Many were quite large, being sketches and studies for full-size paintings that would follow. Some were complete in themselves and relatively small. Even miniature...

As you can see by my thumb, this was tiny, but it was also a perfect image—by one of the lesser-known artists, Hendrick Goudt, Salome Receiving the Head of John the Baptist.

Mac1 and I lingered long, drooling over the mark-making and sheer brilliance on show.

To say that we were both thrilled and enthralled would not be overstating matters. The cherry on top came when we had completed the circuit of the exhibition and returned to the reception/shop area, where we found tables and supplies to put our own marks down... Mac1 opted to use the photo above that she took of me as her subject, whilst I used the photo I took as I entered the gallery...

We then hung them on the wall at the side—not too shabby for a ten-minute scratch. I'll leave this part with another angle on my effort. Back next Thursday with part two of this visit.