I visited the Dürer to Holbein exhibition at The Queen's Gallery this morning. The work on display spans a wide range of media, from woodcut (Dürer's Apocalypse) to engraving and etching, as well ad drawings shown along side the paintings they were studies for.
The quality of the work is astounding. In his drawings and paintings, Holbein manipulated his medium (oil paint or chalk) in such a way as to breathe life into his sitters, creating works with profound presence and intense feeling that defy both logic or rational analysis.
I drew a bronze statue by Adriaen de Vries that caught my eye. The vertical thrust and spiral-like movement make it a very exciting object to behold from many different angles.
Adriaen de Vries, Theseus and Antiope (c. 1600)
After a couple of hours (I'd only got as far as the third room!) I felt so overwhelmed I had to leave. I look forward to returning to look again and again at these wonderful, mysterious works. The exhibition is on until 14th April.
Albrecht Dürer, A greyhound (c. 1500-1)
