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| The great burial urn, 3 foot high at least. There is a small print on the right-hand side showing William Cunnington in a horse and cart with his daughter clutching the urn. LS photo |
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| 1960's sign, yes they really do exist! LS photo |
We went to London yesterday, not exactly a big event as it is only up the road, or the rail track at least.
But it was dry and therefore we could pick up a scroll from Bonhams without getting the wooden box wet.
It is so crowded, people, buses and cars, it reminds me of an ant's nest, people bustling around in a haphazard sort of way.
Firstly we went to a Stonehenge exhibition housed in the western gateway arch of Hyde Park, sandwiches in the park watching an adult girl on one of Boris's bike trying to ride it, then the horse guards also came through in the distance. The exhibition was small but good, a rather ugly cork version of the stones, a real JMW Turner of the stones, apparently he manipulated his paintings of Stonehenge with artistic licence so that they are not true representations. The photographs and prints of the area around Stonehenge were also interesting, my favourite was a stage coach riding over a very torturous track into the sunset.
We had to collect the scroll from the basement at the auction rooms and of course LS was asked to give his judgment on the age of a couple of things. One was a six panelled screen which was probably 18th century, in good condition it was painted with a rich palette of minerals. Azurite for the blue, malacite for the green and ground up oyster shell for the white. Gold leaf was of course used. I was informed that LS is the foremost expert on the subject of Japanese artwork in the country, unfortunately it does not pay being an expert! But it is wonderful to see him transformed talking about the papers and silk used and tying the proper knots for scrolls and the great covering for the screen - his precision jars somewhat with my untidy nature!
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| The horse guards riding through |
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| Cork model of Stonehenge |
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| Four horses photographed from the balcony of the gallery |
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| London Street |
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| Loved this living wall, think it was the Athenaeum Hotel |
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| This is the Mall from the other side of the gates |
What an interesting day out. I would have loved the Stonehenge exhibition. As you said, being the foremost expert on something is not necessarily lucrative!! But good to see him "come alive" when speaking about his subject.
ReplyDeleteYes it was a good day out Jennie, and we did get offered lunch but had already eaten our sandwiches in the park!
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