The National Portrait Gallery, London

Art galleries are my thing. Squeezing in museums will check “I’ve Been There” boxes but I don’t really enjoy most of them. Paintings and sculptures hold my attention indefinitely. There are such incredible stories behind the subject matter. Many times, the artist tucks in political statements or an opinion of some happenings of the day. I could look at the shades of blue, and every other color, the brush strokes, the expressions, all of it, for hours. My mind runs through the processes of creation knowing full well I don’t know a tiny bit of what it actually takes.

The Portrait Gallery of London has an incredible collection with a bonus of the sense of humor displayed by whomever did the positioning and the descriptions of people in the painting. It was easily the most entertaining gallery I visited.

For instance, Queen Charlotte (by studio of Allan Ramsay) is standing next to George III (by studio of Allan Ramsay).

Very regal, very proper. With the popular shows "Bridgerton" and "Queen Charlotte" there are likely few left in the civilized world who aren't a least somewhat familiar with the tale of The Mad King and his bride of fifty seven years.

Next is George IV.  You can almost hear the parental sigh as you move to his portrait. The artist of his portrait, Sir Thomas Lawrence, was known to accentuate his subject’s finest points endearing him to those most vain.

Young George fell in love with Maria Fitzherbert, whose painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds, is hung above him, enjoying a more prominent position than his wife. Ms. Fitzherbert was a Catholic and an actress making the match unacceptable but, in a full dramatic performance of his own, George threatened to commit suicide if she wouldn’t marry him.  She did in secret even though it was illegal and never recognized.

There is a crisp explanation of how he loved the woman not his wife, but married Queen Caroline, whose portrait was done by Sir Thomas Lawrence, because the court agreed to pay off his gambling debts. He fathered exactly one child. After being cast aside and not allowed much contact with her daughter, Queen Caroline set up her own court in her own house and defiantly lived a flamboyant life of travel seasoned with her choice of lovers. There is a continuing array of portraits of others in this royal consortium with equally scandalous stories. It is very entertaining. Somewhat like sitting with your old aunt, the one who knows everything about everyone, at the third wedding of your second cousin who chose to wear white anyway making it an invitation to quietly spill all the family secrets in the corner of the church rec hall in the discourse of a normal conversation.

It was surprising that many of the most amazing pieces were by unknown artists. The Tudors were those with whom I was most familiar, including the beginning, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Mary I, Edward VI, and finally, Elizabeth I. These are all dated during the sixteenth century.  It is hard to believe the artists left no reference to themselves.

Another fascinating painting on display is of the Bronte sisters. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne were beautifully portrayed by their brother Branwell. It is the only surviving portrait of the three women having once included their brother’s self portrait which was covered up with the addition of a column. The story of it coming to the gallery is so “everyday” nuanced one is left in awe of the luck. Charlotte Bronte’s widower’s second wife was cleaning out the attic and found the folded up painting on top of an armoire. We are all incredibly lucky that the second Mrs. Nicholls was not the jealous sort.  Due to the folding, the painting shows creases plus the damage one would expect after sitting on top of attic furniture for forty years. The gallery decided that this condition was an alluring part of the appeal and left it unrepaired. It is accompanied by a torn scrap of painting of Emily which was taken from another one of all the siblings. Her portion was the part Rev. Nicholl’s thought worthwhile, so he tore it off and disposed of the rest.

I spent two full days in The National Gallery of London but must admit that I enjoyed The National Portrait Gallery more and would thoroughly enjoy returning. Both are free of charge and right in the middle of tourist central: between Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square.