Remembering Rembrandt

This weekend I finally visited the 'Rembrandt The Late Works' exhibition at The National Gallery (my favourite place in all of London). Being an Old Master painting enthusiast I have been ants in my pants excited for this exhibition for months, and it was definitely worth the wait. 

The National Gallery, my favourite place in London.

The exhibition is beautifully curated and split between 7 different rooms each focussing on a different aspects and themes of Rembrandt's late works. My favourite painting of the whole exhibition was  Self Portrait at the Age of 63 as it demonstrates that even in the last year of his life, Rembrandt never lost the urge to experiment and and explore with different techniques and compositional elements. 

Rembrandt The Late Works Catalogue. Paper Back version £19.99

The National Gallery also has the most amazing Gift shop with beautiful displays, which are worth a visit in themselves. Warning - for those that love books/ beautiful ornaments/ smelly candles, you will leave having spent a small fortune!

National Gallery shop, items themed around the Rembrandt Exhibition

Outside, Trafalgar Square was a hub of activity. I love watching tourists snapping away pictures and playing on the giant lions beneath Nelson's column. Whilst I normally dislike the big blue cock that currently occupies the Fourth Plinth I couldn't help but photograph it as the colour looked particularly striking against the bright white clouds in the sky. 

Katharina Fritsch's Hahn/Cock, Trafalgar Square

Also present in Trafalgar Square was Paddington Bear, as part of the NSPCC's Paddington Trail. The Paddington outside of the National Gallery was designed by our brilliant Mayor, Boris and is called 'The Bear of London'. I think this is a great campaign to raise awareness whilst filling the streets of London with little pieces of art. 

Boris Johnson's 'The Bear of London' for NSPCC's The Paddington  Trail.

I was also lucky enough to see the moving Every Man Remembered sculpture, which is inspired by a brass bomb shell found by artist Mark Humphrey's Grandfather in the trenches in the Somme 1916. The sculpture will be in Trafalgar Square until 16th November, after which it will go on a four year tour of Briton. 

Mark Humphrey Every Man Remembered 

All in all a pretty cultural Saturday afternoon! The Rembrandt exhibition runs until 18th January. To visit the Rembrandt exhibition it is best to book online here: http://www.nationalgallery.co.uk/products/tickets/rembrandt_the_late_works/p_rembrandt_ticket