Art for Art's Sake

31.07.2015

I just spent two days self-indulgently walking around parts of the Czech National art gallery, which is scattered between several buildings in Prague. It was great. and the photos in this blog are only a fraction of those I took. The first day was spent up on the Castle hill where two palaces hold Old world and Baroque art from Czechoslovakian artists and a fair scattering of European Masters. Amongst the Old European Masters that I recognised were Reubens, Van Dyk, Goya, El Greco, Breughel, and Rembrandt. There were some paintings I wanted to take home with me, but they wouldn't let me. There were also many stunning paintings by artists I have never heard of. The most disturbing painting I saw all day was the Tearful Bride painted by Jan Sanders Van Hemessen in 1450. The information about it on the internet is scarce, but it is supposed to be a Parody on the tearful bride who is a virgin and afraid of the coming wedding night. I believe that satire is often a cruel form of humour, and I don't find it funny. However I believe that the raw vivid emotion captured in this painting elevates it above parody, and that once you have seen the painting it becomes one of those that can not be forgotten....

one of two Art Palaces next to the Castle