Dulwich Art Gallery and Dulwich school are related. A rich actor had the school built and left it his art collection. Along came another wealthy actor. He and his business partner were collecting Rembrandts and other famous paintings for a king who abdicated. They left their art which eventually found its way here.
The building itself is extraordinary. They were running short of money but planned to have the benefactors buried in the building. The wife was to be buried alongside her husband, so she found the money needed to complete the project. In the middle of the art gallery is the mausoleum to the two rich art collectors and the wife. Their pictures are in the gallery outside.
Their friend was architect John Soane (who has his own gallery elsewhere in London, and who left his money to look after orphans). His design for the art gallery, with overhead decorative ceiling windows to provide lighting (a bit like some churches), was novel at the time and is now copied by art galleries and other buildings worldwide.
Practical Details For you
Getting There
Take the train from Victoria station, Southern Line, to West Dulwich station. Walk out of the station following the signposts. Other routes on their information leaflets and website.
The gallery has a well-stocked gift shop full of items to delight anybody the least bit artistic, everything from tying scarves to painting techniques. Outside in a modern building you will find the toilets and a café serving lunch opposite.
Details of the current exhibition on Edward Bawden, running until Sept 9 2018, in the next post.
Check ticket and concession prices. You can book online.
Useful websites
dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Photos will be added shortly.
The building itself is extraordinary. They were running short of money but planned to have the benefactors buried in the building. The wife was to be buried alongside her husband, so she found the money needed to complete the project. In the middle of the art gallery is the mausoleum to the two rich art collectors and the wife. Their pictures are in the gallery outside.
Their friend was architect John Soane (who has his own gallery elsewhere in London, and who left his money to look after orphans). His design for the art gallery, with overhead decorative ceiling windows to provide lighting (a bit like some churches), was novel at the time and is now copied by art galleries and other buildings worldwide.
Practical Details For you
Getting There
Take the train from Victoria station, Southern Line, to West Dulwich station. Walk out of the station following the signposts. Other routes on their information leaflets and website.
The gallery has a well-stocked gift shop full of items to delight anybody the least bit artistic, everything from tying scarves to painting techniques. Outside in a modern building you will find the toilets and a café serving lunch opposite.
Details of the current exhibition on Edward Bawden, running until Sept 9 2018, in the next post.
Check ticket and concession prices. You can book online.
Useful websites
dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Photos will be added shortly.
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