The Courtauld Gallery — Attraction in London

My mother had just died and I had come into London to settle some of her affairs. Tried as I might I could not lift the weight of her loss no matter how often I watched the boats pass on the Thames. Then I decided to pop into the Courtauld Gallery to check out the art. I knew the collection was not as overwhelming as the National Gallery so I felt up to the task. Pleasantly, I was able to enter free after showing them that I was a teacher. Furthermore, they weren't so demanding that I didn't have teaching credentials on me like so many museums are. Struggling teachers appreciate any help they can get. I gratefully took advantage of the free lockers and shoved my bag into one. I took out my camera and visited the three floors of art that awaited me. The first floor had the earlier European art from the 1300's to 1400's. Not everyone likes this stuff but I am a big fan of artists such as Robert Campin or Bernardo Daddi. Just by absorbing the infinite details of the paintings, I felt lighter. The second floor has later, more recognizable works by artists such as Rubens, Goya, or Lucas Cranach. Many nice pieces here. Finally the third floor had the impressionists. This is what most people come to see. No wonder with works from Renoir, Van Gogh, Degas just to name a few.

So after three hours of fun I left the Gallery full of the greens of Cezanne's landscapes in my head and a little happiness in my heart. And I can enjoy the many photos I took there even now.

Thanks to all who were so friendly in the Courtauld. I...

The exhibits are sensibly and conveniently arranged with helpful background info and interpretation. It was a shame that couple of best-known pieces were missing, probably on loan or travelling.

What was disconcerting was the attitude of some of the guards. I went in at around 4 and left at 5.40, and the gallery closes at 6pm. However I could hear some guards ostensibly sighing or stomping loudly starting from 5pm. One of them even stomped towards me all the way across the room for no apparent reason - I was the only visitor in the room and I was keeping enough distance from the artwork. When he approached within about a meter from me he abruptly turned around to move in other way. If he suspected that I was touching the artwork, for example, I am sure there were other well-mannered and gentle ways to communicate to me, as in other galleries and museums. I felt I needed to finish my visit as soon as possible and leave the establishment, after I realised the stomping and sighing. Perhaps they didn't mean to convey any negative meaning in their actions, but at the very least their noises interfered with the experience. If it was one of the visitors making such loud stomping noises I would have at least stared at them, or, if continued, I might have told the staff to warn them...

The Courtauld Gallery is one of the very best art galleries in London and perhaps one of the finest collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist are in the world.

This is where you can find famous paintings like Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait with bandaged ear' (1889) and Manet's 'A bar at the Folies-Bergere (1882). Two of our personal favourites are Cezanne's 'Man with Pipe' and 'The Card Players' (1882-1886), and there much more from the likes or Gauguin, Monet, Renoir and other masters of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist era.

At the Courtauld Gallery, you can also see a few works from the Medieval period as well as paintings from the Renaissance through to the 20th century. While overshadowed by the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, for which the gallery is renowned, there are some very nice pieces to be seen in these collections as well.

The Courtauld Gallery also features impressive exhibitions throughout the year. See the Courtauld Gallery website for special exhibition details.

In the end, The Courtauld Gallery is a gem of a museum and place that art lovers will want to consider visiting when preparing their itineraries for...