Dulwich Picture Gallery

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taketwo travelled to Dulwich to visit England's very first public art gallery, the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The Dulwich Picture Gallery was founded by the terms of Sir Francis Bourgeois's will upon his death in 1811. The collection is one of the oldest in Great Britain, subsequently put together in the years 1790 to 1795.

The paintings are housed in the first purpose built art gallery in England, designed by Sir John Sloane in 1811. The gallery also houses a Mausoleum, which is the final resting place of the Dulwich Picture Gallery's founders, Sir Francis Bourgeois, Noel Desanfans and his wife, Margaret Desanfans whom are all buried there.

The Gallery has a fantastic display of pieces that range from the 1600's to the 1700's, including pieces such as Madonna & Child by Rubans, Sir Peter Paul, Portrait of a Woman by Veronese, Paolo, Pietà by Carracci, Annibale and many more fantastic works of art. In the first gallery there is the Basil Samuel Charitable Trust room that showcases a variety of portraits by British artists from as early as Tudor times right up until the 19th Century. The anonymous Judd Marriage, which was bequeathed to the gallery in the 16th Century, is displayed alongside well-known 18th Century portraits such as Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse by Reynolds and Lucy Ebberton by Knapton as well as Denning's adorable portrait of the Queen Victoria aged Four.

The next gallery is The Sainsbury Room, which focuses particularly on one of the great masters of 18th Century painting in Britain, Sir Thomas Gainsborough. He is best known for his portraits despite his passion to devote himself to painting 'landskips' as he called them. After he moved to Bath in 1759, Gainsborough began to paint members of high society, which this room testifies to. Presented by the doorway to Bourgeois and Desanfan's Mausoleum, are two magnificent full scale portraits of the Langley Sisters and Mrs Elizabeth Moody and her two Sons. The room also displays fantastic works by other British artists such as Tilly Kettle and Thomas Hudson, both of whom were working at the same time as Gainsborough.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery offers some great Educational Programmes as well including Public Courses that consist of public art classes, Internships and Work Experience plus Community Outreach programmes that reaches out to people beyond the confines of the Gallery into the community. Remember, taketwo offers London 2 for 1 vouchers for days out in London. Entry costs £5, however you only pay for one when you taketwo with the taketwo 2 for 1 voucher and guidebook. We also have another art gallery in our book so if you fancy something a bit more modern, check out the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art Go to our website: http://www.taketwobooks.com to order now.

Pictures

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