The Courtauld Institute is located in Somerset House in The Strand, just a short walk east of Trafalgar Square. In these rooms during the Regency period, from 1780 to 1837, the Royal Academy of Art had their meeting and classrooms and held the annual competitive exhibition each summer.
George III & Father Thames, by sculptor John Bacon
Above, the Strand Facade of Somerset House, the entrance to the Courtauld Gallery. The Courtauld has occupied this location since 1989 and is undergoing renovation, expected to continue until 2020.
The famous circular staircase leading from the ground to the exhibition space at the top of the building. Today, there is an elevator, but in years past, the steep stairs led to some congestion, as satirized by Thomas Rowlandson in his caricature The Exhibition Stare Case, 1800, now in the collection of the British Museum.
Reader, I took the lift! The Courtauld Institute is known for its excellent collection, particularly its French impressionist and post-impressionist works, as well as its studies in art history, curatorial, and conservation programs. Founded in 1932 by Samuel Courtauld, textile magnate and philanthropist, the academic program is part of the University of London.
On the Ground Floor, stunning medieval works are displayed.
This is one of their most famous canvases, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere by Edouard Manet, 1881-82. Below, Renoir's La Loge, 1874. These photos look so crooked, I wonder if I was tipsy? Or just jet-lagged?
Among the embarrassment of riches here is Two Dancers on a Stage, 1874, by Degas, and Cezanne's Route Touranante, c. 1904.
And, of course, that most famous of all the VanGoghs:
Self Portrait with a Bandaged Ear, 1889.
Self Portrait with a Bandaged Ear, 1889.
In my next blog post, I will share with you plans for the Gallery's future, a few of the 18th-early 19th C. works, and the stunning decoration of many of the rooms. The Courtauld trains many curators, conservators and others who help us all enjoy art. Long may they reign!
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