LONDON Day 2: Natural History Museum etc

 I had the dates mixed up for the NHM and the exhibition on Otherworlds was no longer running.

I didn’t stay long. 

Darwin was surrounded by too many children.

Instead I took a cab to the Royal Academy and grabbed brunch.
Beautiful food and surroundings.

The exhibition was "In the Age of Giorgione".
Good to see.

After dropping my bag at the hotel I went shopping, the Z Hotel Piccadilly is wonderfully central.

2 minutes walk and I was in the middle of Soho, from expensive silks, to mouthwatering street food, to sex shops and viagra heaven.
I love Soho for its wackiness.

The Cloth House on Bewick Street.
Yes, three lots came home with me.
I could have happily squirrelled away loads more. 

Cass Art Shop.

Arts & Crafts Exhibition at Liberty.
I could have purchased almost everything and lived happily ever after with it all.
After returning the the hotel to drop several bags I headed to the National Gallery.

 

Where I wondered around, purposely getting lost.
Spotting (non-virgin) women in paintings.

 There aren’t many around.
Says a lot.

Paolo Veronese, Happy Union, about 1575 

Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1506

Bacchiacca, 1515
Just look at the vibrant colours here. 

 

Its striking to see bright Renaissance colours, followed by dull Georgians and then back to bright Impressionistic paintings.

 George Shaw 
Painting from My back to nature exhibition.
Honestly the only one I liked. 
I’ll stick to the Renaissance.