J M W Turner : ‘Ploughing up Turnips near Slough’ : exh 1809  : Tate Britain. The recent film ‘Mr Turner’ gave an intriguing glimpse into the complex nature and life of J M W Turner – an artist whose work is far more than  the usual illustrated works such as ‘Rain, Steam, and […]

   Jan Steen (attrib) : ‘The Fat Kitchen : c1650        Jan Steen (attrib) : The Lean Kitchen : c1650 This pair of paintings, attributed to the seventeenth century Dutch artist Jan Steen, are part of the important collection of paintings at Cheltenham Art Gallery. They have intrigued me for years – from […]

Samuel de Wilde : Mr Suett as Dicky Gossip in ‘My Grandmother’ : 1797 : Ashmolean Every now and again I come across a painting which I have never really stopped to look at before – however well I may think I know the gallery. The painting may not be  large, or colourful, or dramatic – and […]

The importance of Provincial Art Galleries. Britain is fortunate in having a huge number of public art galleries spread throughout the country – a richness and availability which is the envy of the world. Foreign visitors invariably make such places a first port of call which often puts us Britain’s to shame! There is more […]