The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square has free lunchtime lectures, 13.00, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Yesterday I settled down in the Sainsbury Wing Theatre with around 200 other people and it was marvellous! I learned about ‘Murillo’s depiction of life in 17thC Seville‘.
We heard about his religious paintings which followed the customary presentations, and how they became more ‘human’, and approachable, while remaining in accord with religious teaching. This beautiful painting also shows how diagonal lines in the painting create an emphasis:
I also learned about the importance of Seville as a trading centre and the extreme poverty of the city when the river silted up and trade transferred to Cadiz. The Louvre houses the picture below:
And then this lovely picture:
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