King Cophetua and the joy of art...

[fajrdrako]

I am so excited I am almost bouncing.

auriaephiala just sent me a link with the news that one of my favourite artists of all time, Sir Edward Burne-Jones, is going to be featured at an exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada from Jan. 29 to Apr. 25 2010.

When I first glanced at the item and saw "National Gallery" in the headline I thought it meant the National Gallery in London, and I was practically ready to jump on a plane for England. But no. Our own gallery, just a few kilometres from my apartment. And it's scheduled for a long time. If I get a Gallery membership, maybe I can go see it every day.

And then it gets even better. I see that they'll be having Caravaggio and his Circle 10 June – 11 September 2011. I adore Caravaggio. When I went to Rome I was wandering all over the city trying to get to see his art, which is scattered around in obscure churches and tiny galleries - except for the big ones in the big museums and galleries, like the National Gallery in London. And then there were two more pieces in Malta, where Carvaggio worked for the Knights of St. John for a while, before they too threw him in jail. As artists go, he had the personality of Sabretooth. (Don't mind me, I was reading X-Men this morning.)

I am thrilled, but must expect the exhibit to be a little less than thrilling: a few years ago there was a show with a title something like "Leonardo da Vinci and his Circle", and though it was good, there was only one minor piece by Leonardo da Vinci on display. Yes, I know the Mona Lisa doesn't travel. But it would be nice to have had either more substance to the show, or not to have Leonardo's name on it, raising expectations. "Art of the Time of Leonardo" would have been more acceptable.

Still. Burne-Jones. I bet his stuff does travel, and there'll be a few choice pieces. I used to have a sepia-tone poster of King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid on my bedroom wall when I was a teen. It went nicely with the Tolkien posters. I'd first seen it at aboutthe age of twelve in an illustrated article in my father's copy of The Book of Knowledge from 1926 - a book in which I discovered many treasures. But the pictures in it were black and white. Imagine my shock when I walked into the Tate Gallery in London one day and there was King Cophetua facing me in full colour. Well, actually, it was the Beggar Maid facing me, with King Cophetua looking at her. I could stare at that one for hours, and I'm sure I did... and will again, if they bring it to Ottawa. Dare I hope? Of course, it isn't the only Burne-Jones I love.

So - anyone want to come to the National Gallery with me?