I often visit the National Gallery when I am in London. There is always something new to see or old favourites to revisit and admire.

When I was younger, I was completely taken by Impressionist artists, like Degas (below), and would generally walk rather briskly through the Old Master galleries, containing Renaissance painters and the like.

I still love the more modern works, but I have become more and more fascinated by the older styles of painting; not just the incredible techniques of Old Masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Rafael – to name just two – but also the wonderful colours and strange compositions of some very early paintings (see below).

Francesco Pesellino

A highlight of the visit was a small, free exhibition of works by the Italian Renaissance painter Francesco Pesellino (c. 1422 – 1457). I had not come across this artist before, and he is, it seems, something of a forgotten master, who died very young (aged only 35). The centrepiece of the exhibition is two panels depicting the Story of David. An extraordinary work of art that apparently took about 10 years to complete.

The panels were only acquired by the NG in 2000 and have only recently been put on display after a lengthy period of conservation.

There was a scrum of people trying to get a good look at the panels, and the gallery had supplied magnifying glasses in order to obseve the details of these paintings, which was incredible. I used my tablet phone to take some pictures, also featured here and here.

Another fascinating painting by Pesselino was called King Melchior Sailing to the Holy Land painted c.1445–1450 in tempera, oil, and gold on panel (below). These early paintings, as well as being gorgeous works of art, also tell us a great deal about what life was like in Medieval times; the boats, the costumes, the different sorts of people.

Again, it is fascinating to look at the details. It is not so long ago that it was strictly forbidden to take photographs in an art museum! Now everyone is snapping away, mostly with mobile phones. It is a great opportunity to look again, more carefully, and more attentively, perhaps, at something one only just glanced at earlier.

The Pistoia Santa Trinità Altarpiece (below) was begun by Pesellino and completed by Fra Filippo Lippi and his workshop.

New acquisition

This lovely painting caught my attention, just by chance. It turns out that it is a recent acquisition (2022) by the Gallery. This Portrait of a Girl (c. 1650) by Isaack Luttichuys (pronounced ‘Lootickhouse’) (1616–1673), was accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by HM Government from the estate of someone called George Pinto, a banker who died in 2018. The painting was used to settle £46,818 worth of tax, according to this press release, which seems very good value to me as it really is an exquiste painting from this Dutch master.

Finally, I came across some paintings I had not noticed before, called The Story of Griselda, Part I, II, and III. It is not known who painted the work, other than he was an Italian artist who specialized in panel painting and worked in Umbria around 1490. He is, therefore, called the Master of the Story of Griselda.

The paintings tell the story of a young peasant woman called Griselda, based on The Decameron, a 14th-century work by Boccaccio. It is a very misogynistic story about a beautiful woman who was put through a series of emotional ordeals by her husband to test her loyalty to him. The tale is also described here. Margaret Atwood did a funny, spoof version of the tale.

I love the little animals and the camp waiters! In fact, everyone seems to be bowing or posing or trying to look cool, with heads turned to one side and hands on hips! All deliciously camp to our eyes, but no doubt, a highly stylised portrait of renaissance men and women.