Table Of Contents

1. Visitor Information
2. Ground Floor: Cabinet de Réception
3. Moreau's Chimeras
4. The Study & Reception Room
5. Dining Room
6. Bedroom
7. Boudoir
8. Hercules Among the Daughters of Thespius
9. Tyrtée chantant pendant le combat
10. The Muses Leaving Their Father Apollo to Go Out and Light the World
11. The Chimeras
12. Leda and Jupiter
13. Jupiter and Semele
14. The Life of Humanity
15. The Unicorns

Who Was Gustave Moreau?

Born in Paris in 1826, Gustave Moreau was a pivotal figure in the Symbolist movement. Raised in a cultured household, his father an architect, his mother a musician, Moreau’s childhood was embedded with classical literature and the visual arts. After studying at the École des Beaux-Arts, he developed a distinctive style that fused biblical, mythological, and literary themes with intricate details and jewel-toned palettes. His work, often described as dreamlike and esoteric, influenced a generation of artists, including Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault.

Symbolist Style

Gustave Moreau’s art style is best described as Symbolist, though his work transcends easy categorization. At its heart, Symbolism was a reaction against realism and naturalism, aiming instead to express the intangible: dreams, emotions, spiritual truths, and the mysteries of myth and religion. Moreau embodied this movement with an almost obsessive intensity.

His paintings are lush, fantastical, and densely layered with allegorical meaning. You’ll often find figures from Greek, Biblical, or literary sources, Orpheus, Salome, Oedipus, and others, placed in otherworldly settings teeming with jewel-toned detail. Rather than narrate myths straightforwardly, Moreau reimagines them through his own psychological and spiritual lens. His compositions are ornate and sometimes deliberately ambiguous, filled with intricate patterns, golden halos, and surreal architecture that blurs the line between the divine and the dreamlike.

A Museum Born from a Vision

In 1895, Moreau began converting his family home at 14 Rue de La Rochefoucauld into a museum dedicated to his life’s work. He meticulously designed the space to showcase his paintings, drawings, and personal artifacts, ensuring that future generations could experience his art in its intended context. Upon his death in 1898, he bequeathed the house and its contents to the French state, stipulating that the collection remain intact.

Ground Floor: Cabinet de Réception

Your journey begins on the ground floor, and you enter the various rooms which have been transformed into the Cabinet de Réception, or reception room. Each of the six rooms serves as a modern cabinet of curiosities. But rather than the walls being lined with shelves holding collections of strange, rare, and wondrous objects, the rooms are stacked with over 400 paintings, hundreds of drawings, and an exceptional collection of watercolours.

The paintings spanning his entire career, from dramatic works like Lady Macbeth, inspired by Shakespeare, to more experimental pieces like a delicate, almost abstract Bathsheba. So by now, you might be thinking, how on earth can only six rooms hold so many paintings? Well, the answer is that there are hidden cupboards, pivoting display panels, and even doorways that open to reveal more paintings inside. It’s like discovering a secret archive within the museum walls.

Moreau’s Chimeras

One of the most recurring figures in Moreau’s work is the chimera, a creature reimagined far beyond its classical origins. Rather than the traditional lion-goat-serpent hybrid, Moreau’s chimeras often have the hindquarters of a horse and broad, shadowy wings, combining elements from various animals into something fantastical and wholly his own. In French, the word chimère also suggests an unattainable dream or illusion, adding another layer of meaning. Moreau often used these beings to symbolize woman as the embodiment of unconscious desire and the magnetic pull of the unknown. In Les Chimères, the women aren’t passive muses but active participants in their own fantasies and illusions. Through his layered symbolism and exquisite detail, Moreau invites us to reflect on the dualities at the heart of human experience: beauty and danger, illusion and truth, desire and destruction.

First Floor; The Sentimental Museum

The Study & Reception Room

After taking in the treasures of the ground floor, make your way upstairs to discover the rooms preserved just as they were when Gustave Moreau lived here, his former apartment, frozen in time. The study or library is a testament to Moreau’s intellectual pursuits. Lined with bookshelves filled with volumes on art, mythology, and literature, the room also houses a substantial desk where the artist would have engaged in reading and writing. Personal artifacts, including sketches and correspondence, are displayed, offering a deeper understanding of Moreau’s scholarly interests and artistic inspirations.

A standout is the glass case with brass doors, home to ancient ceramics and two striking kraters from the tomb of an Apulian princess, part of a collection once owned by his father, Louis. Scattered among these are small bronzes, plaster casts, and intaglio reproductions that Moreau often referenced in his work. The adjoining library shelves are stacked with 16th- and 17th-century architectural treatises, Vitruvius, Serlio, Vignola, many from his architect father’s collection. One highlight is a beautifully illustrated 1836 edition of Flaxman’s work, a major influence on Moreau’s style.

Dining Room

Continue into the house, you stop by the dining room, which stands out with its distinctive sea-green and red walls, a colour choice that adds a serene yet sophisticated ambiance. The room is furnished with a polished wooden dining table surrounded by matching chairs, and the walls are embellished with decorative mouldings and framed artworks.

Bedroom

Moreau’s bedroom is small, featuring a modest bed with an ornate headboard, a writing desk, and various personal items. The room is illuminated by natural light filtering through lace-curtained windows, casting a gentle glow on the patterned wallpaper and antique furnishings. One the wall are paintings of his family, many of his mother and family, and one beautiful self-portrait.

Boudoir

Adjacent to the bedroom is the boudoir, a small yet elegant room designed for relaxation and contemplation. Furnished with a comfortable armchair, a delicate writing table, and adorned with decorative objects and artworks, the boudoir reflects Moreau’s penchant for creating spaces that inspire creativity and introspection.

The Second-floor workshop

Climbing to the second floor, I stepped into the first of Moreau’s grand studios, purpose-built in 1895 by architect Albert Lafon at the artist’s request, specifically to display his monumental canvases. The scale of the room alone is breathtaking, made to house Moreau’s most ambitious and deeply symbolic works. This studio is where you feel Moreau pushing the limits of painting, not just in scale, but in the emotional and mythological weight of every image.

Hercules Among the Daughters of Thespius

Moreau likely began Hercules Among the Daughters of Thespius around 1853 and though he enlarged the painting in 1882, Moreau never fully completed it, calling it a work still in progress. The composition draws heavily from Théodore Chassériau’s Tepidarium, which Moreau admired. But his version of this rarely depicted myth, too risqué for many, is deeply personal. Here, the young Hercules, fresh from slaying the lion of Cithaeron, prepares to father children with all 50 daughters of King Thespius, offered to him in gratitude.

Moreau freezes the moment before this mythic act of generation. Hercules sits contemplative, echoing Michelangelo in form and mood. Behind him rise two pedestals bearing sun and moon symbols, bulls and sphinxes, representing the dual forces of life and creation. The daughters drift around him, some asleep, others lost in reverie. For Moreau, this isn’t just a sensual episode, it’s spiritual, almost sacrificial. Hercules, he writes, is “filled with immense sadness… and the solemn exultation of one who gives life, bound by destiny to acts of creation and sacrifice alike.”

Tyrtée chantant pendant le combat

As I turned the corner into the studio, I found myself face to face with something monumental, Tyrtée chantant pendant le combat. The sheer scale of it stopped me in my tracks. Stretching nearly two stories tall, it felt less like a painting and more like a portal into an ancient world, where poetry and battle collide in a moment of raw, mythic power.

The scene centres on Tyrtaeus, the semi-legendary Spartan poet-soldier, raised above the chaos of war, singing amidst the clash of spears and shields. Though his body is dwarfed by the canvas, his presence is magnetic. With arms outstretched and face lifted skyward, he becomes a conduit for divine inspiration—his voice both battle cry and hymn.

What struck me most was the stillness around him. In a swirl of movement, soldiers frozen mid-charge, horses rearing, limbs tangled, Tyrtaeus stands serenely unshaken. Moreau captures not just the violence of war, but its spiritual theatre: this isn’t just combat, it’s a stage where art uplifts the soul and lends purpose to struggle.

The Muses Leaving Their Father Apollo to Go Out and Light the World

The Muses Leaving Their Father Apollo to Go Out and Light the World captures the moment when the nine Muses depart from their father, Apollo, to fulfill their divine mission of inspiring and enlightening humanity through the arts and sciences. In this composition, Apollo is portrayed with a serene yet commanding presence, seated at an elevated position as he oversees his daughters’ departure. The Muses, depicted as graceful and ethereal figures, embody various artistic and scholarly domains. Some of them look back to Apollo, fearful of departing, while others look down as if resigned to their fate. Moreau captures a wonderfully human moment of emotion from the gods here in this painting.

The Chimeras

To the left of the staircase stands one of the unfinished masterpieces of the collection, Les Chimeras. Gustave Moreau’s Les Chimères (The Chimaeras), was painted in 1884, a painting that deptcts a mythic, dreamlike forest teeming with nude female figures and fantastical hybrid creatures, centaurs, winged beasts, fauns, and minotaurs. It’s a visual tapestry of illusion, desire, and the untamed recesses of the human psyche.

At the centre, Lust rides a goat; nearby, a mysterious Eve-like figure embraces a serpent with a human face. On the right, women appear with mythic creatures: Europa astride a winged bull, another caressing a unicorn, reminiscent of The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. One woman pauses to listen as an angel whispers music into her ear.

The composition is both lyrical and chaotic, with women dispersed across a shadowy, enchanted landscape. Unlike passive muses, these women are active participants in their own surreal visions, locked in silent communion with their mythological companions. Some embrace their chimera-like counterparts, others appear lost in reverie, their expressions unreadable. The setting, part wilderness, part stage, evokes a world that is both ancient and psychological, where every figure and form is charged with symbolic weight.

Leda and Jupiter

The myth of Leda and Jupiter, who seduced her in the form of a swan, has long captivated artists seeking a poetic excuse to explore this salacious tale. Moreau, too, was drawn to its sensual and symbolic layers. For his 1865 version, he recalled a lost Michelangelo Leda, known through a sculpture by Ammannati, of which Moreau owned a plaster cast. But his Leda is more than mythic seduction; she’s rendered with a spiritual ambiguity, evoking both the Virgin of the Annunciation and the Queen in a Coronation. Earthly Love flutters away in triumph, while two winged spirits lift Jupiter’s thunderbolt and diadem, symbols of divine authority, beside his eagle. Below, fauns, dryads, and nymphs kneel in reverence. Even Pan, the embodiment of nature itself, gestures solemnly, summoning all life to witness this cosmic union, a mystery at once erotic, sacred, and eternal.

Third Floor Studio

Make your way up the winding spiral staircase to the third floor which features another grouping of some of Moreau’s best and most sprawling works of art.

Jupiter and Semele

The third-floor studio begins with a showstopper: Jupiter and Semele, painted in 1895 for Léopold Goldschmidt and later gifted to the museum. This towering, radiant canvas commands the room with its electric palette of deep blues, fiery reds, and gleaming greens. At its heart is the myth of Semele, who, tricked by the jealous goddess Juno, asks to see Jupiter in his divine form, an overwhelming vision that destroys her. Semele is shown obliterated in a blaze of divine splendour, while a winged figure, possibly the goat-footed spirit of earthly love, or Bacchus, her unborn son, shields his eyes. Moreau reimagines Jupiter as a youthful, beardless poet-god, cradling a lyre like Apollo.

Beneath the throne, Death wields a bloody sword and Pain wears a crown of thorns, holding a lily, symbols of suffering at the root of human experience. Nearby, Pan, half-goat, stirs with tiny beings struggling to break free, bridging the mortal world with the shadowy depths below. At the base, Night emerges crowned by a crescent moon, surrounded by monsters of Erebus, enigmas still waiting for the light. Twin sphinxes flank the scene, guardians of past and future. From darkness to divine radiance, the painting unfolds vertically like a spiritual ascent, a journey of the soul through myth, mystery, and transcendence.

The Life of Humanity

The Life of Humanity was our favourite painting, a towering polyptych composed of nine panels arranged in three tiers, crowned by a lunette depicting a bloodied Christ, an image of suffering and redemption that frames the entire cycle. In the top row, Adam represents the innocence of childhood: morning prayer, midday ecstasy, and evening rest. The middle tier is devoted to youth, with Orpheus at its heart, flanked by Hesiod, who appears at morning (inspiration) and evening (grief), while Orpheus sings at noon, surrounded by listening animals and the guiding muse Melpomene. The final row descends into the iron weight of adulthood: Cain, symbolizing work, fatigue, and death.

Moreau explained this progression as the arc of all human life: purity (Adam), poetic longing (Orpheus), and suffering (Cain), redeemed ultimately through Christ. The lush, pastoral scenes draw on Hesiod’s mountainous homeland, and Orpheus stands as a figure of balance and beauty. In the final panel, Hesiod grieves, abandoned by his muse, perhaps a nod to the poet’s retreat from epic tales to quiet moral reflection.

Interestingly, Moreau included Orpheus, a pagan figure, between two biblical icons. He believed Orpheus better embodied youth and creative genius than any religious counterpart, calling it “far more intelligent” to choose a figure born of art and imagination over one rooted solely in faith.

The Unicorns

“I saw one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen!” wrote collector Émile Straus on July 14, 1887, after stepping out of Gustave Moreau’s studio and laying eyes on The Unicorns. I can only imagine the spell it must have cast when it was first on display. The painting itself is a luminous dream, clearly inspired by The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, which had recently been acquired by the Cluny Museum in 1882. In pursuit of what he called “necessary richness,” Moreau blends medieval and Renaissance motifs, sometimes even borrowing from illustrated journals like Le Magasin pittoresque. He once described the setting as “an enchanted island, inhabited only by women, a perfect excuse for every ornamental flourish imaginable.”

In this strange, sumptuous realm, princesses draped in lavish robes embrace unicorns that remain calm and aloof. One woman clutches a lily and a gleaming sword; another’s dress is embroidered with mythical creatures and scenes of epic combat, including Saint George slaying the dragon. A chalice sits quietly in the corner, perhaps the Grail, adding yet another layer of mystery. What strikes me most is the tension Moreau creates between line and colour. The drawing feels delicate and restrained, while the colours shimmer with life, creating a visual rhythm that’s both intricate and elusive. The Unicorns is one of Moreau’s most spellbinding works, a painting that doesn’t reveal itself easily, but stays with you, lingering like a half-remembered dream.

Every inch of this museum reflects Moreau’s singular world, obsessively symbolic, richly detailed, and deeply personal. For those seeking something off the typical museum path, a visit to the Musée Gustave Moreau feels less like a tour and more like stepping into the dreamscape of a forgotten genius!

The post The Ultimate Self-Guided Tour of the Musée Gustave Moreau first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

You see all those tired people on the benches? Some of them are there simply because they are overstimulated. Instead, with this National Gallery self-guided tour, I’ve curated the most important works and a few of my personal favourites. By following along, you can ensure you have a guide around the museum, but take things at your own pace and don’t get overwhelmed.

Table Of Contents

1. Why Take a National Gallery Self-guided Tour?
2. Admission to the National Gallery of London
3. Map of Self-Guided Tour of the National Gallery of London
4. Room 12: Hans Holbein the Younger, 'The Ambassadors'
5. Room 14: Venus and Mars by Sandro Botticelli
6. Room 9: Leonardo da Vinci, 'The Virgin of the Rocks'
7. Room 15: Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil by Bartolomé Bermejo
8. Room 18: Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens
9. Room 22: Rembrandt's A Woman Bathing in a Stream 
10. Room 25: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus
11. Room 28: The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck
12. Room 27: The Ugly Duchess by Quinten Massys
13. Room 29: Titian's Bacchus and Ariadne
14. Room 30: The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velázquez
15. Room 32: The Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio
16. Room 34: The Fighting Temeraire by Joseph Mallord William Turner
17. Room 41: The Water-Lily Pond by Claude Monet
18. Room 41:  The Umbrellas by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
19. Room 43: A Wheatfield with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh
20. Room 43:  Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat
21. Room 45: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche

Why Take a National Gallery Self-guided Tour?

Even if you’re not in a rush, a self-guided highlights tour of the National Gallery allows you to efficiently explore the vast collection of over 2,300 pieces without feeling overwhelmed.  A phenomenon called ‘museum fatigue‘  happens when we become mentally and physically exhausted due to the overwhelming number of exhibits and information in museums and galleries. This often leads to mental overload and a decreased ability to appreciate the art when we feel overstimulated and disengaged. However, a self-guided tour is short enough not to lose your interest, and being guided means you don’t need to make decisions after making decisions on where to go and what to see.

By focusing on the most notable and significant works, you can enjoy a personalized experience that allows you to spend more time with the art that captivates you. Plus, with the flexibility to control your pace and take breaks as needed, so you’ll avoid feeling lost or overstimulated. This tour will also provide insightful commentary to deepen your understanding while ensuring you maximize your visit. So, whether you’re an art enthusiast or just curious, a self-guided tour lets you explore the National Gallery!

How Long Is This Tour?

This tour is designed to get you through the most important works inside the gallery in under two hours. This is the perfect amount of time and leaves enough wiggle room for you to branch off if you feel like exploring other works that catch your eye.

Do not be discouraged if any paintings are not on display during your visit. There is SO MUCH to see here, and if your favourite is missing, make it your mission to discover another new favourite!

Admission to the National Gallery of London

Admission to the National Gallery in London is free, allowing visitors to explore over 2,300 paintings. Some special exhibitions may require paid tickets, but we won’t cover anything from those on our tour. My self-guided tours are always free, but you are more than welcome to buy me a coffee if you want to support this blog’s free content!

Despite the fact that entry is free, it is always recommended you still book your tickets in advance. You can still select the free option but by doing this, you can skip the long queue and guarantee your entry to the museum as some days frequently fully-book up in advance and you will not be able to get inside. 

Map of Self-Guided Tour of the National Gallery of London

Enter via the Portico Entrance

Currently, visitors to the National Gallery in London enter primarily through the Portico Entrance, at the centre of the Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square. As you step inside, you’ll be greeted by a stunning, sunfilled atrium that leads to a series of rooms, each filled with beautiful works of art. To start our tour, we will head into Room 12, just off to the left of the Central Hall. Inside this room, you’ll find one of the most enchanting and intriguing paintings of the 16th century, the ‘The Ambassadors’ by Hans Holbein the Younger, painted in 1533.

Room 12: Hans Holbein the Younger, ‘The Ambassadors’

The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger is a fascinating double portrait with intricate details and hidden meanings. In a room adorned with luxurious fabrics, two men stand side by side, exuding the confidence and wealth of the Renaissance elite. On the left is Jean de Dinteville, a French ambassador dressed in opulent furs and a striking pink satin doublet. On the right is his companion, Georges de Selve, a bishop and ambassador who wears a more sombre yet elegant robe.

In front of them is a meticulously arranged table showcasing their intellectual interests and items popular in the Renaissance era. The upper shelf displays instruments related to astronomy and timekeeping, symbolizing their quest for knowledge and the celestial realm. Below, the lower shelf holds musical instruments, a lute with a broken string, and an open hymn book, hinting at the fragility of harmony in music and life.

But wait, there’s a twist! At the bottom of the painting lies an odd, elongated shape that is difficult to discern. But when viewed from the right angle, it reveals itself as a skull—a stark reminder of mortality cleverly hidden through anamorphosis. This skull, along with a crucifix partially obscured in the upper left corner, contrasts the opulence of the scene and reminds viewers of the transient nature of earthly pleasures.

Holbein masterfully uses perspective and symbolism to infuse the painting with layers of meaning. The globe in the painting is so detailed that it reveals Jean de Dinteville’s estate in Polisy, France, and the lute’s broken string is often interpreted as a symbol of religious discord during the Reformation.

Room 14: Venus and Mars by Sandro Botticelli

Make a quick stop inside Room 14, where you can find the stunning sensuous Venus and Mars by Sandro Botticelli. Venus, the goddess of love, reclines languidly on a grassy bank, her serene expression radiating tranquillity as she gazes across at Mars, the god of war. Mars, overcome by sleep, lies opposite her with his armour carelessly discarded around him, exposing his muscular body. He is utterly at peace, a stark contrast to his usual fierce demeanour, subdued by the power of love.

Venus is elegantly draped in flowing white fabric that cascades around her, accentuating her graceful form. Her long, golden hair tumbles down her shoulders, catching the soft light and adding a touch of warmth to the composition. Her gaze is calm yet commanding, suggesting her mastery over Mars, depicted in a dreamy vulnerability.

In the foreground, a group of mischievous satyrs plays with Mars’s armour, one trying on his helmet while another blows into his conch shell like a trumpet, amusing themselves in the god’s slumbering presence. These playful figures add a whimsical touch to the scene, symbolizing the folly of war and the triumph of love.

Venus and Mars were likely commissioned to celebrate a wedding, and the theme of love conquering all would have resonated with newlyweds of the time. The laurel tree in the background and the myrtle plants near Venus are symbols of fidelity and everlasting love, while the satyrs’ playful antics suggest the joys and challenges of marital life.

Room 9: Leonardo da Vinci, ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’

Continue walking west towards Room #9, where, during the closure of the Sainsbury Wing, you’ll find Leonardo da Vinci‘s The Virgin of the Rocks. This painting, completed in the late 15th century, is a masterpiece of Renaissance art. Leonardo da Vinci transports viewers into an enchanting, mystical grotto where the divine and the natural intertwine. A shadowy cave is bathed in a soft, ethereal light. In the center, the Virgin Mary sits gracefully, her serene face framed by cascading waves of auburn hair. She reaches out to embrace an angelic infant, John the Baptist, who gazes up with adoration at the Christ Child beside her. Jesus, with one hand raised in blessing, looks playfully at John while an angel to the right gently gestures toward them.

The rocky backdrop, lush with ferns and flowers, leads your eye to distant peaks that shimmer in the twilight haze. You can almost hear the trickle of water as it cascades down the moss-covered cliffs, adding a touch of magic to the scene. Using sfumato, Leonardo’s signature blending technique gives the painting a dreamy, soft-focus quality that brings the figures to life. And then there’s the symbolism. The cave itself is thought to represent the Virgin Mary’s womb, while the figures’ careful positioning forms a perfect triangular composition, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. The angel, identified as Uriel, serves as a celestial guide, his enigmatic smile inviting us into the sacred mystery.

Variations on the Painting

But here’s a fascinating twist: The Virgin of the Rocks has two versions. The one hanging in the National Gallery is thought to be the second version, painted by Leonardo and his assistants after a dispute with the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception over the original, which resides in the Louvre. Despite the controversy, both versions share the same ethereal beauty and attention to detail. In the National Gallery version, the angel Uriel’s right hand initially pointed directly at John the Baptist in a gesture of recognition, but Leonardo later altered this detail to make the composition more subtle and mysterious. 

Room 15: Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil by Bartolomé Bermejo

Walk north into Room 15; I love to bring people to study Bartolomé Bermejo’s Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil. Saint Michael Triumphs over the Devil by Bartolomé Bermejo is a dazzling display of medieval imagination and gothic grandeur that whisks you away to a world of celestial battles and divine triumphs. In a richly detailed scene, Saint Michael stands imposingly atop a writhing, grotesque devil, his polished armour gleaming like molten gold in the sunlight. His wings unfurl behind him, a radiant and shimmering rainbow of colours.

Saint Michael’s expression is one of calm determination as he raises a delicate yet formidable sword, preparing to deliver the final blow to his snarling foe. The Devil beneath him is a terrifying fusion of reptile and demon, with scales, horns, and bulging eyes that dart frantically in all directions. Bermejo’s meticulous brushwork brings this nightmarish creature to life, making you almost feel its desperate struggle against the saint’s unwavering might.

The Tiny Details

Look closely at the saint’s breastplate, and you’ll see exquisite reflections of the holy city of Jerusalem as described in the Book of Revelation. The jewel-like colours and intricate patterns of his garments and armour reveal Bermejo’s unparalleled skill, influenced by Flemish painting but distinctly Spanish in style. The golden brocade glimmers with every movement as if the saint is caught between the material and spiritual worlds.

Bermejo painted Saint Michael’s Triumphs over the Devil for a merchant named Antonio Juan, who appears kneeling at the saint’s feet in prayer. His inclusion as a donor reflects the era’s tradition of combining devotional art with personal commemoration. 

Room 18: Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens

Straight ahead, step into Room 18, where we can find several paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. Samson and Delilah by Peter Paul Rubens is a sumptuous masterpiece that immerses you in the dramatic climax of one of the Bible’s most infamous love stories. A dimly lit room, where the warm glow of a single candle casts dancing shadows on the crimson drapery and richly textured fabrics, is the chamber where lies the mighty Samson, slumped in Delilah’s lap, his muscular body glowing in the soft light as he drifts into a deep, wine-induced sleep. Delilah, draped in a lavish red satin gown that shimmers with golden highlights, looks down at Samson with a sly smile. Her expression is a mix of triumph and tenderness as she strokes his thick curls, signalling to an old woman beside her to cut his hair, the secret of his legendary strength. The old woman watches with a knowing gaze while a furtive barber crouches in the shadows, scissors poised to sever Samson’s fate.

But the scene is far from peaceful. Behind the lovers, hidden in the deep shadows, soldiers armed with spears and helmets wait in anticipation, ready to capture the hero as soon as he is rendered powerless. Rubens brilliantly orchestrates this tense moment, balancing intimacy with looming danger, all within the rich, chiaroscuro palette that evokes the influence of Caravaggio. Rubens was inspired by Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ and often borrowed motifs from the Italian master’s dramatic style. In Samson and Delilah, he paints Samson’s limp hand mirroring the composition of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, suggesting a loss of divine power.

Room 22: Rembrandt’s A Woman Bathing in a Stream 

The National Gallery features several famous Rembrandt’s, but Rembrandt‘s A Woman Bathing in a Stream is the most enigmatic to me. This quietly captivating painting invites you into an intimate and contemplative moment frozen in time. In the center stands a solitary woman, her head gently bowed as she lifts the hem of her white chemise, delicately dipping her toes into the cool, reflective water. Rembrandt’s mastery of chiaroscuro is on full display, with the woman bathed in a soft, golden light that contrasts beautifully against the dark, earthy tones of the surrounding foliage. Her youthful face is serene, a faint smile playing on her lips as if she’s caught in a moment of quiet reflection. The subtle blush on her cheeks and slightly furrowed brow convey an innocence and vulnerability that make her seem almost tangible.

The textures are mesmerizing: the delicate folds of her chemise ripple in the soft breeze, her loosely bound hair catches the evening light, and the water swirls gently around her feet. The way Rembrandt has captured the reflection in the stream and the dappled light on her skin adds to the painting’s lifelike quality. Rembrandt portrays the woman naturally, with a softness and realism that celebrates her humanity rather than idealizing her form. The result is a deeply personal and emotive work that transcends time.

The Mystery Woman

What’s particularly intriguing is the identity of the woman. Many believe she is Hendrickje Stoffels, Rembrandt’s companion and muse, who frequently appeared in his later works. Rembrandt painted this intimate piece around 1654 when he was deeply in love with Hendrickje and exploring new forms of expression. His tender attention to her features and posture reflects his affection and admiration for her. However, her simple attire and modest demeanour suggest she may represent a biblical figure, such as Susanna or Bathsheba. Rembrandt leaves this deliberately ambiguous, allowing viewers to interpret the scene through their own lens. The painting also stands out for its departure from classical ideals of beauty. 

Room 25: Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus

Make your way toward Room 25, which contains a myriad of paintings by Lucas Cranach, the Elder. My favourite from this collection is Cupid complaining to Venus due to the delightful and playful nature of this painting. Venus stands in a sunlit glade with towering trees, the epitome of beauty and grace, her delicate form glowing against the dark foliage. She wears nothing but a red, feathered hat and lavish necklace. Her relaxed pose and enigmatic smile hint at a serene confidence.

Beside her stands Cupid, her mischievous son, looking up at her with a pouty expression as he complains about the bees that have stung him after he tried to steal honey from their hive. He holds one hand up to show Venus his plight while she listens with an amused expression, her gaze slightly averted as if she’s in on a secret joke. The contrast between Cupid’s distress and Venus’s calm demeanour adds a touch of humour to the scene. The scene represents the tempting sweetness of love but reminds us that love often comes with a sting.

Room 28: The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck

Directly below us is Room 28, which contains perhaps one of the most famous paintings in the entire world: The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. This painting is a mesmerizing glimpse into 15th-century life, brimming with symbolism and exquisite detail. We see a dimly lit, opulent room where every surface shimmers with textures and colours. In the center, a couple stands facing each other, frozen in time. 

Giovanni di Nicolao di Arnolfini, a wealthy merchant, reaches out to grasp the delicate hand of his wife, believed to be Giovanna Cenami. His other hand is raised in a gesture of blessing or perhaps an oath.

Giovanni wears a long, fur-lined robe in deep green, while Giovanna is adorned in a vibrant emerald gown, the fabric pooling luxuriously around her feet. Her high-waisted dress accentuates her rounded belly, hinting at pregnancy. Her hair is carefully coiffed under a white headdress, and a delicate gold chain rests around her neck. Both figures exude wealth and status. The painting has sparked countless interpretations, with scholars debating whether it depicts a wedding, a betrothal, or a double portrait. Whatever the meaning, it’s clear that Jan van Eyck wanted to immortalize this couple in a scene that feels almost cinematic in its composition and attention to detail.

Symbolism of the Room

But the room around them truly captivates viewers to this day. The intricately woven Oriental carpet, the brass chandelier, the carved wooden bedposts, and the sumptuous drapery all speak to the couple’s affluence. The convex mirror on the back wall is the pièce de résistance, reflecting the couple and two other figures entering the room, one of whom is thought to be the artist himself. Above the mirror, Jan van Eyck leaves his unmistakable signature in Latin: “Johannes de Eyck fuit hic 1434” (“Jan van Eyck was here 1434”).

The symbolism in the painting is rich and fascinating. The little dog at their feet symbolizes fidelity, while the single candle burning in the chandelier could represent the all-seeing eye of God or the sanctity of marriage. The ripe oranges on the windowsill and table hint at fertility and wealth, as exotic fruits were rare in Northern Europe back then.

Room 27: The Ugly Duchess by Quinten Massys

In Room 27, we find another famous painting, but unlike many others in the gallery that are famed for their beauty, this one is famed for its hideousness. An Old Woman (‘The Ugly Duchess’) by Quinten Massys is a captivating and curious portrait that grabs your attention with its exaggerated features and striking expression. Despite being called ugly, we must marvel at how the picture has been painted. The old woman stands facing slightly to the left, her broad, muscular shoulders covered by a light white, voluminous blouse contrasting sharply with her wrinkled, ruddy face. Her pursed lips give her an almost comical yet somewhat sympathetic expression. Her large headdress, a lavish horned bonnet draped in white linen, gives her a distinctive, nearly mythical appearance. She holds a delicate red rosebud in her right hand between her thumb and forefinger, an ironic symbol of love and beauty that contrasts starkly with her unconventional looks.

Massys exaggerates her features for satirical effect, giving her a prominent chin, wide jawline, and a wrinkled, weather-beaten complexion. Her sagging breasts and bulging eyes lend her an exaggerated, grotesque appearance reminiscent of a caricature. Despite her somewhat humorous portrayal, there’s an underlying melancholy in her eyes, revealing a depth of emotion beyond the surface. Some speculate that she may have been afflicted with Paget’s disease, a condition that affects bone growth, further enhancing the grotesque distortion of her features. 

Inspiration for Alice in Wonderland

Massys originally painted this as part of a double portrait, paired with a companion piece that featured an older man in a matching caricature style. This pairing hinted at a satirical message about love and vanity in old age. The Duchess’s story is also linked to the tale of Alice in Wonderland, where she inspired John Tenniel’s illustrations of the Ugly Duchess character. Her distinct appearance and exaggerated features have made her an iconic figure in art history, representing the intersection of satire, beauty, and societal norms.

Room 29: Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne

Moving back down to Room 29, let’s approach Titian‘s fantastical portrayal of the myth of Bacchus and Ariadne. This vivid and dynamic masterpiece brings the mythological story of love and transformation to life. Bacchus, the god of wine, with his crowned wreath of ivy and leopard skin draped across his body, leaps gracefully toward Ariadne from his golden chariot, his eyes locked on her with unwavering passion.

Ariadne stands on the shore, her gaze fixed in surprise and awe at Bacchus, who has fallen in love with her at first sight. Draped in a flowing azure cloak, she raises one hand in shock while the other clutches her rich red and blue robe. Her golden hair catches the sunlight, and her skin glows against the vivid colours of the sky and sea. 

The frenzy of his retinue follows close behind, creating a swirling vortex of revelry. Satyrs and maenads dance ecstatically, their bodies twisting and turning in celebration. One satyr drags a cow’s head, while another, barely visible in the shadows, holds a writhing snake. A pair of cheetahs pulls Bacchus’s chariot, adding an exotic touch to the scene. The scene is bathed in a warm Mediterranean light, illuminating the turquoise sea and the rugged coastline in the background.

Every inch of the canvas bursts with energy and movement, making you almost feel the thundering hooves and swirling drapery. The composition is carefully balanced, with Ariadne’s figure anchoring the left side while the frenetic procession cascades across the right. The cheetahs pulling Bacchus’s chariot symbolize his exotic and wild nature, while the dancing satyrs and maenads embody the spirit of uninhibited revelry.

Room 30: The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velázquez

Walking towards the east, we step into Room 30, which contains The Toilet of Venus by Diego Velázquez. This is an exquisite exploration of beauty and sensuality, inviting viewers into a serene and intimate moment. The word “toilet” might not seem immediately like something that could evoke sensual tranquillity, but we have to consider the historical context of the painting. During the period in which this was painted, the term “toilet” comes from the French word toilette, which means “little cloth” or “dressing table.” The goddess Venus reclines gracefully on a luxurious bed, her supple, alabaster skin contrasting beautifully with the rich, crimson satin sheets beneath her.  The fabric draped around her waist accentuates her delicate curves, adding a touch of modesty to the otherwise sensual scene.

Cupid, with his rosy cheeks and tousled curls, holds up a mirror for his mother, his wings slightly outstretched as if caught in mid-flutter. The mirror captures Venus’s blurred reflection, her gaze meeting ours through the glass with a serene and enigmatic expression. The subtle twist of her lips and the soft blush on her cheeks suggest a playful yet confident awareness of her beauty.

The composition is beautifully balanced, with the deep reds of the bedspread contrasting against the cool, neutral tones of Venus’s skin. The dark background enhances the luminous quality of her figure, while the delicate interplay of light and shadow gives her an almost ethereal glow. The painting is often called The Rokeby Venus because it once belonged to the Rokeby Park estate in England. It is also one of the few surviving nude paintings by Velázquez, a rarity in Spanish art of the time due to strict moral and religious codes.

Room 32: The Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio

In the next room, framed on the rich red walls, is Caravaggio‘s masterpiece, The Supper at Emmaus. Christ sits at the center of a rustic table just as he reveals his identity to two disciples. Their expressions are a mix of astonishment and disbelief, capturing the moment they recognize him. Christ, dressed in a simple white tunic and deep red robe, raises his right hand in blessing over the bread. His serene yet commanding presence contrasts with the disciples’ startled reactions. 

On the left, one disciple leans back in shock, his mouth open in amazement as he clutches the arm of his chair, while the other disciple, on the right, throws his arms wide in disbelief, almost knocking over a bowl of fruit. Their gestures and expressions are so lifelike that you can practically hear their gasps. In front of Christ sits an innkeeper, who watches the scene with a puzzled expression, oblivious to the miracle unfolding before him. 

The table has simple yet symbolic fare, including a roasted chicken and fruit basket. The latter includes a pomegranate, symbolizing resurrection, and an apple, representing original sin. The fruit teeters precariously on the edge, suggesting the fragile line between the earthly and the divine.

Caravaggio Process

Caravaggio’s mastery of chiaroscuro—the dramatic contrast between light and shadow—creates a powerful sense of depth and immediacy. The figures are illuminated by a soft, focused light that highlights their expressions and gestures while the background remains shrouded in shadow. This technique draws viewers into the scene, making them feel like participants in the miraculous moment.

Caravaggio used real-life models for his paintings, a practice that added a striking naturalism to his work. In The Supper at Emmaus, he paints Christ without a beard, which is unusual and adds to the disciples’ surprise at his identity. The realism and immediacy of the painting caused quite a stir when it was first unveiled.

Room 34: The Fighting Temeraire by Joseph Mallord William Turner

Walking into Room 34, we are surrounded by stunning British landscapes. Joseph Mallord William Turner, commonly known as J.M.W. Turner, is one of Britain’s greatest painters who revolutionized landscape painting by elevating it to the level of historical and religious painting through his innovative use of light and colour. In masterpieces such as The Fighting Temeraire, Turner explored themes like the sublime forces of nature, maritime history, and the Industrial Revolution.

In this painting, the sun sets over the tranquil waters of the Thames, and the mighty HMS Temeraire, once a symbol of British naval power, is towed to her final berth to be broken up for scrap. Looking at the foreground, we can see a small, smoke-belching tugboat dragging the grand old warship, a stark contrast between the modern industrial age and the fading glory of the past. The Temeraire glows with ethereal, ghostly light, her towering masts and rigging silhouetted against the blazing sky. She appears almost spectral, embodying her illustrious past’s pride and sorrow.

Turner’s masterful use of light and colour transforms the scene into a vivid spectacle. The sky is a riot of warm oranges, reds, and yellows, blending seamlessly into twilight’s cool blues and purples. The setting sun’s reflection dances on the water’s surface while the smoke from the tugboat curls into the fading light. The vastness of the sky dwarfs the ships below, emphasizing the grandeur and finality of the Temeraire’s last voyage.

Turner and Temeraire

The HMS Temeraire played a crucial role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where she fought alongside Nelson’s flagship, the HMS Victory. She became a national hero, and her name was synonymous with bravery and valour. Turner’s painting immortalizes her in a dignified farewell, paying homage to her storied past. The symbolism in the painting is rich and layered. The small, dark tugboat represents the relentless march of progress, towing the old warship toward her final fate. The blazing sunset reflects the end of the sailing era, while the rising moon on the left hints at the dawn of a new age.

Turner’s use of light creates a sense of drama and poignancy. The Temeraire is bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun, emphasizing her faded glory. The painting’s composition draws the eye from the tugboat to the Temeraire and finally to the vast expanse of sky, suggesting a journey from the material to the ethereal.

Room 41: The Water-Lily Pond by Claude Monet

Making our way to Room 41, we enter a room surrounded by some of the most mystifying paintings from world-renowned artists. But now, let us draw our attention towards the Water-Lily Pond by Claude Monet. Monet paints his lush garden at his beloved home in Giverny. Claude Monet lived in Giverny for over 40 years, and this was his artist’s sanctuary and creative haven. The lush gardens he meticulously cultivated inspired his later work, particularly the iconic Water Lilies series. Giverny allowed Monet to immerse himself in the beauty of nature and translate his unique vision onto canvas, making it central to his artistic legacy.

In the center of the painting, the curved green bridge is reflected in the calm water, framed by a cascade of willow branches that drape softly from above. The pond is a riot of colour, with water lilies floating like delicate jewels on the surface, their petals catching the sunlight in shades of pink, white, and yellow. The water shimmers with reflections of the sky and surrounding foliage, creating a mesmerizing interplay of blues, greens, and purples.

Monet’s loose, expressive brushstrokes lend a sense of movement and spontaneity to the scene, as if the lilies and leaves are gently swaying in the breeze. The layering of colours and textures adds depth and richness, drawing the viewer’s eye from the vibrant foreground to the dazzling light in the background. The painting exemplifies Monet’s fascination with capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. 

Room 41:  The Umbrellas by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Another painting in this room is The Umbrellas by Pierre-Auguste Renoir,  a bustling, vibrant scene that immerses viewers in the everyday life of 19th-century Paris. We enter a crowded street on a rainy day, where a sea of umbrellas creates a kaleidoscope of grays and blues. The scene is alive with movement, yet Renoir’s deft use of colour and composition brings order and harmony to the chaos.

In the foreground, a stylish young woman in a striking blue dress and a neatly tied hat stands confidently amidst the crowd. She holds her umbrella with one hand while holding her daughter’s hand in the other. The little girl dressed in a matching blue coat and bonnet clings to her mother’s skirt, peering shyly out at the viewer.

In front of her, a woman caught without her umbrella balances a basket of fruit on her hip. Her serene expression and upright posture contrast the hurried, umbrella-clad figures around her. In the background are a group of figures, blurred and faceless in their hurry, each holding an umbrella. A well-dressed man in a bowler hat offers his arm to a lady while another figure raises his umbrella against the rain. The hurried, indistinct crowd creates a sense of depth and movement that draws the eye into the painting.

Colours in Renoir’s Artwork

Renoir’s use of colour is masterful. Cool blues and grays dominate the palette, punctuated by the bright splash of the woman’s blue dress and the warm tones of the child’s bonnet and basket. The umbrellas are painted in broad, loose strokes, creating a rhythmic pattern across the canvas that unifies the composition. The Umbrellas are unique in Renoir’s body of work because they reveal a transition in his style. The right side, with the serene woman and child, reflects his earlier, more Impressionist approach, characterized by softer lines and a luminous palette.

In contrast, the left side, with its crisper outlines and more muted colours, shows the influence of his later “Ingres period,” where he adopted a more classical style. The painting’s composition cleverly divides the scene into two halves, creating a visual dialogue between the Impressionist and classical elements. The crowd’s rhythmic movement, combined with the balanced contrast of colours, gives the painting a sense of unity and harmony despite the chaos of the rainstorm.

Room 43: A Wheatfield with Cypresses by Vincent van Gogh

Room 43, to the west, is one of the best collections of works of art from my favourite artist, Vincent van Gogh. There are so many different paintings from different periods of his life to see here, and while many people float to look at Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, I think there is so much more about the great artist to learn from the A Wheatfield with Cypresses. This painting brings you into Provence, stepping into a golden wheatfield under a swirling summer sky, where cypress trees and rolling hills frame the scene, creating a vivid snapshot of the French countryside where Van Gogh spent the last few years of his life.

In the foreground, the rippling wheat undulates in shades of gold and ochre, leading the viewer’s eye toward a trio of cypress trees that stand tall and dark against the bright sky. The distinctive, flame-like shapes of the cypresses are echoed in the swirling clouds above, creating a rhythmic interplay of movement and colour. The backdrop of the Alpilles mountains adds depth and drama to the composition. 

Van Gogh’s characteristic brushwork is evident in the bold, rhythmic strokes that convey the movement of the wheat and the swirling sky. His use of contrasting colours—bright yellows against deep greens and blues—creates a striking visual impact and captures the intensity of the summer heat. A Wheatfield, with Cypresses, was painted in 1889 while van Gogh lived at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. Despite his troubled mental state, this painting reflects a sense of optimism and vitality, showing his deep connection to the landscape around him.

Room 43:  Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat

Also found in this room is Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat. Seurat was only 24 when he painted Bathers at Asnières, his first central canvas. Despite its groundbreaking technique, the painting was rejected by the Paris Salon and instead exhibited at the Groupe des Artistes Indépendants. Seurat’s technique, known as pointillism, is characterized by applying tiny dots of pure colour, which blend together when viewed from a distance. This creates a luminous, shimmering effect that brings the scene to life. The river glistens with blue, green, and white reflections while the dappled sunlight plays across the grass and the bathers’ skin in delicate shades of yellow, orange, and red. Today, it is considered a masterpiece of early Neo-Impressionism. An important message to everyone is never to accept defeat when faced with rejection. 

In the foreground, a young man sits on the riverbank, his feet dipped into the cool water as he gazes across the river. Beside him, a boy lies on his stomach, idly making noises with a reed. A shirtless man in a straw hat rests his chin on his hands, watching the steamers pass by.

Further to the right, a group of boys wade and swim in the river, their laughter echoing through the warm summer air. In the background, factory chimneys rise against the blue sky, hinting at the industrial activity of Paris just beyond this tranquil scene. The soft silhouettes of boats and bridges blend into the hazy horizon, creating a seamless transition between the natural and urban landscapes.

Room 45: The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche

The last painting we will see today is my favourite: Paul Delaroche’s The Execution of Lady Jane Grey. It is a haunting and poignant portrayal of one of English history’s most tragic events. Lady Jane Grey, known as the “Nine Days’ Queen,” was an English noblewoman who briefly occupied the throne of England in July 1553. Born into a politically influential family, she was manipulated by ambitious relatives and political figures who sought to prevent the Catholic Mary Tudor from ascending the throne. Following the death of Edward VI, she was declared queen under a dubious will, but her reign lasted only nine days before Mary gathered enough support to depose her. Despite her reluctance to claim the crown, Jane was charged with high treason and executed in February 1554 at the age of 16. Becoming a tragic symbol of political intrigue and the turbulent Tudor succession.

In this painting, we enter a dimly lit execution chamber, where Lady Jane Grey, the “Nine Days’ Queen,” prepares to meet her fate. The scene is shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the soft, focused light that falls upon Jane, highlighting her innocence and vulnerability. In the center of the composition, Lady Jane stands blindfolded, her delicate hands groping for the execution block.

She is dressed in a simple white gown that glows against the sombre background, symbolizing her purity and youth. She expresses resignation and fear but maintains quiet dignity as she kneels before the block. Behind Jane, a woman—perhaps her lady-in-waiting—buries her face in her hands, unable to watch the tragic scene unfold. Another attendant faces the wall, unable to face the event. To the right, the executioner waits. His axe rests beside him, partially hidden in shadow, adding to the ominous atmosphere. 

Delaroche’s Approach

The stark simplicity of the setting—a stone floor covered in straw and dark, blurred walls—focuses all attention on the figures and their emotions. Delaroche’s masterful use of light and shadow creates a dramatic chiaroscuro effect, emphasizing the tragic tension of the moment. The soft light that bathes Jane’s figure enhances her ethereal beauty and innocence, while the shadowy surroundings evoke the grim reality of her fate. Paul Delaroche painted The Execution of Lady Jane Grey in 1833, almost 300 years after her death. The painting was considered lost for many years after being removed from public display in the mid-19th century, only to be rediscovered and restored in the 1970s. Today, it remains one of Delaroche’s most famous works.

The National Gallery in London offers a captivating journey through centuries of artistic genius. From the soft, shimmering brushstrokes of Monet’s Water-Lily Pond to the dramatic contrasts in Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus and the poignant tragedy of Delaroche’s The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, each masterpiece tells a story that resonates across time, offering a glimpse into the rich history of art. With this self-guided tour, you’ll discover the gallery’s most iconic works and hidden gems, uncovering a rich tapestry of human creativity that makes the National Gallery such a treasure trove of art.

Happy Travels, Adventurers

The post Ultimate Self-Guided Highlights Tour of London’s National Gallery first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Now that we’ve been in this period of stay-at-home orders for a while, museums and art galleries around the world have all gotten their act together to put together content online for their would-be visitors. Some of the world’s best institutions are now providing guests visual visits to some of the world’s best exhibitions. If you are suffering from wanderlust, these are a great cure. Or maybe you have an older student at home who wants to use this as an at-home learning opportunity! Either way, these virtual galleries are a fantastic way to see the world all from the comfort of your couch! 

Table Of Contents

1. The Uffizi Gallery
2. The State Hermitage Museum
3. Frida Khalo Museum
4. The British Museum
5. Musée d'Orsay
6. Rijksmuseum
7. Vatican Museums
8. Van Gogh Museum
9. The Belvedere
10. MET

The Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery, located in Florence, Italy, is one of the world’s most famous museums. Inside its hallowed walls are some of the most important paintings from the Italian Renaissance. The collection of art was gifted to the city of Florence by the Medici family. The Medici’s were once Italy’s ruling dynasty and amassed some of the world’s greatest artists and artwork in their personal collection. The museum initially opened in 1765 to the general public. Today (or at least pre-covid), it saw more than four million people each year!

Uffizi 360°

Truthfully, visiting the Uffizi can be a bit of a pain. It is one of the most visited museums in the world. Honestly, sometimes I find it to be almost obnoxiously crowded. But for a good reason, I suppose as their collection is so renowned. I just find myself constantly yearning to have the gallery all to myself. Well, 2020 kind of made that happen! 10 of the museum’s most popular galleries are now on display on their website in 360°! You can virtually walk through the gallery and zoom into each painting along the wall.

Uffizi Google Stories

If you are interested in learning more about a specific painting, then head over to Google Art and Culture Galleries. Over here, you can click on any image that catches your eye. It will bring you into a detailed description of the piece and more information about the artists. They also have a few online exhibitions. One of these walks you through every last detail of Piero di Cosimo‘s famous panting “Perseus Freeing Andromeda.”

The State Hermitage Museum

I have long dreamt of visiting the Hermitage Museum, of delving into the dark Russian winter only to wander the halls of this incredible fortress of beauty. The State Hermitage Museum is located in Saint Petersburg, Russia and is the second-largest art museum in the world! The largest museum in the world is, of course, the Louvre. The museum has a deep connection with the Russian empire. The collection was founded by Empress Catherine the Great and contains over three million items! And while you might not be able to view each one of those items in person, they have an AMAZING virtual tour! So you can spend every wake hour exploring this massive treasure trove!

The online tour is at 360°, so you can look up down and all around just as you would if you were really there. The best thing about their online gallery is their information icons. You can click the “i” buttons to get details on the space or various particular objects on display. Many other online galleries make you work a little harder to get information about what you’re seeing. So the fact that this is all right there in the application is fantastic!

Frida Khalo Museum

I have an entire post all about walking (virtually) in the steps of Frida Kahlo. If you’re looking for a quick intro into the life and work of this fantastic artist, then the Frida Khalo Museum has the thing for you! The Casa Azul was Frida’s childhood home where she lived in Mexico City. After going off to school and living independently, she returned to this home in her adulthood. It was there that she would live until her death, inside her beloved Casa Azul. Today, you can explore her family home, which has been transformed into a museum dedicated to the artist. Inside, you can explore her most intimate spaces precisely as they were when she lived there. You can see some of her earliest works of art, sketches and folk creations.

Google Arts and Culture has created a wonderful online gallery of a special exhibit entitled “Appearances Can Be Deceiving“. This exhibit is a collection of Frida’s personal wardrobe, jewllery, prostetics and more. It also contains a series of personal photograph taken by Frida. The exhibition was a travelling collection which was halted in 2020 after the pandemic hit. But now you can explore the entire thing online.

The British Museum

The British Museum, located in London, England was established in 1753! It started off as nothing more than a collection of Irish physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. Sloane has a collection of 71,000 items which he bequeathed to the British people upon his death. The museum opened to the public in 1759 and, over the years, added to its collection. But most of the growth of the collection was a result of expanding British colonization. Which is to this day one of the most contentious parts of the museum’s collection.

A Journey Through Time

The British Museum has one of the most unique online virtual museums. Instead of taking you through the museums, gallery by gallery exploring in 360°, you are taken on a journey through time. A giant timeline is presented in front of you, separated into 5 different areas of the continent. You can even sort the timeline by a thematic elements from art and design to power, identity, religion, and belief.

Throughout the timeline, there are colour-coded dots that you can click to draw you into that point in time and space. From there you are presented with an object from the museum’s collection. The detailed synopsis of the item is present in both text and audio, so you can get a lovely little story told to you as you explore!

Musée d’Orsay

Ok, I’m going to say it…I like the Musée d’Orsay better than the Louvre. I know, I know! That’s sacrilege. And for the record, I do love the Louvre, but I’ve never been a great fan of those supersized museums. I find them a bit overwhelming and would much prefer a smaller, more curated collection. And it’s also all about location, location, location. And let me tell you, the Musée d’Orsay certainly has a beautiful location, set inside an old 19th-century train station. In fact, one of the online exhibits that you can explore through Google Arts and Culture is all about the location! An old Beaux-arts style railways station was transformed and saved from demolition in the 1970s to become the great Musée d’Orsay.

Musée d’Orsay Google Collection

Today this impressive building holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including the most extensive collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces. Through the Google online galleries, you can see works from Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Zoom right in to see the tiny textures of the brush strokes. You can study the gentle expressions on even the background characters’ faces! Getting this close to these famous paintings is something you can only experience online, as those velvet ropes always keep you at a little bit of a distance.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum, located in Amsterdam, is the Dutch National Museum. Inside its great walls are pieces dedicated to the arts and history of Amsterdam. The original Rijksmuseum opened in 1798 in the Hague (a neighbouring city to Amsterdam and the seat of the Netherlands’ government). In 1806, Napoleon Bonapart had established the Kingdom of Holland. Under his rule, he had the museum moved from its current home in the Hague to the new metropolis of Amsterdam. When the museum moved to Amsterdam, it was housed inside an existing palace. But this was deemed not large or regal enough to hold all their masterpieces. Eventually, a new design was a commission, and Pierre Cuypers, with his richly decorative gothic and Renaissance, inspired structure, won over the competition.

The museum is home to over 8,000 objects. But the most visited art works are their precious collection of masterpieces by Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer. Today you can see the interiors of their treasured museum online. The beautiful video gallery opens up as you enter the webpage. The video depicts the interior of the museum as the light each come on one by one as if opening up just for you!

Audio Guide

When you click on a painting, you will be entered into a video and audio guide through the details and history of the piece. At the beginning and end of the track, you can hear the sound of whispering echoing throughout the room. This is meant to replicate the quiet rabble of the voice inside the gallery when it would have been filled with people.

Video Series

The Rijksmuseum also has a video series online where you can listen to curators speaking about some of their favourite pieces in the gallery. These experts are so passionate about the works. It’s so exciting to get this opportunity for a 1:1 guide through the Rijksmuseum.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums were founded in the early 16th century by Pope Julius II. He wanted the public to be able to view the immense art collection amassed by the Catholic Church. This included letting visitors enter the incredible Sistine Chapel that is famously decorated with frescoes by Michelangelo. The museum’s collections contain over 70,000 items, but only 20,000 of them are on display for the public. One can only imagine their storage rooms and the hidden treasure you can find in there!

Walking through the halls of the Vatican Museum feels like being allowed to enter a truly holy place. But the hoards of tourists surrounding you kind of ruin the moment. You are only allowed to be inside the Sistine Chapel for a limited amount of time, and they ask you to remain silent (which, of course, too many people ignore). For this reason, getting to explore the galleries in the privacy of your home is a really unique opportunity!

Vatican in VR

Italy was hit the hardest during the first wave of the Coronavirus. Almost immediately their whole country had to be shut down. In order to allow people to continue to experience the wonders of the Vatican Museum, they created an online environment to explore. Inside Vatican 360 you can virtually explore all the great rooms of the museum. Some of the building’s most famous rooms are now yours alone. You can spend as long as you’d like studying the details of the fantastically frescoed walls and ceilings. If you have a VR headset, some of the rooms are also available to be viewed with the headset. I get a little sick using these but honestly it was so beautiful and cool I pushed through it to enjoy the experience.

If you are interested in learning more about the most essential items from the collection, then watch Get Your Guide‘s online tour. This video (embedded below for you) is under 30 minutes long and acts as a primer for your first-time visit. The video explores the most important works of art and architecture locked away inside the museum.

Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is a museum dedicated solely to the works of Vincent van Gogh. Famously, Vincent van Gogh only ever sold one painting during his lifetime, ‘The Red Vineyard.’ Today he is one of the world’s most notable painters, with his works selling for millions upon millions of dollars. But you don’t need to spend a dime to get to stare upon his wonderfully rich and brilliant works of art! The Van Gogh Museum, opened in 1973 and contains more Van Gogh paintings and drawings than anywhere else in the world.

Unravel Van Gogh

The museum has long been at the forefront of digital technology and launched the website ‘Unravel Van Gogh‘ to allow visitors worldwide to experience Van Gogh’s paintings and understand themes in his life that influenced the work. Launching the site, you can explore various of his most famous paintings. Each image has a different interactive experience. Some can be explored from sketch to final artwork. Others have been retouched to appear closer to their original colouring (after years and years of discolouration). The paintings are blended with text and audio, which provide insights into the painting’s smallest details.

Van Gogh exchanged hundreds of letters with his brother, and this correspondence is used in the interactives as clues into the artist’s mind. I spent hours on this site. While not everything is entirely user-friendly, you’ll find the more time you explore, the more things you will uncover. Making the experience more like an investigation. We see Van Gogh’s painting as being some of the most vibrant ones ever made, but getting to see them as they would have appeared when first painted was an absolute shock! I couldn’t believe that they would be even more colourful than they are now, but seeing the digital reconstructions was mesmerizing!

4k Video Tour

If you’d like to see what the museum’s interiors look like, the museum has 4K Video Tours online that you can watch. If you are still clamouring for more Van Gogh, you can also look into the artists’ tragic love life through a little online exhibition through Google Arts and Culture. The exhibit features a series of his paintings and old photographs that tell the story of Vincent’s love affairs.

The Belvedere

The Belvedere was one of the highlights of my trip to Vienna. In the center of town are two ornate Baroque palaces, that play host to a great art gallery and museum. The palaces were once the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 17th century. Today, the Belvedere houses the most extraordinary Austrian art collection dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. The most infamous artists featured inside are undoubtedly Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. 

Augmented Reality

One of the most unique features of Belvedere’s online gallery is its use of augmented reality. You can visit their website and use an app on your phone to study a series of Egon Schiele‘s paintings in greater detail. When you use your phone to scan the image on the screen, it will trigger an audio track that guides you through the work of art. You can also use your phone as a scanner, using infrared technology to uncover hidden secrets beneath the finished painting.

Google’s Arts and Culture website contains Belvedere’s complete collection of digitized artwork for you to view and read about. They also have an excellent digital exhibition on one of the world’s most romantic paintings, Gustav Klimt‘s ‘The Kiss.‘ I was lucky enough to see this work of art in person and was absolutely mesmerized by it. Getting the chance to learn a little bit more about the painting was a great way to recall some of those treasured memories.

MET

The MET or Metropolitan Museum of Art is America’s most famous art gallery. Located in the heart of New York City, the collection is home to over two million works of art! To help organize millions of objects are 17 different curatorial departments. These departments range from everything from the American Wing, Arms and Armour, the Costume Institute, Egyptian Art, European Art, Islamic art, the Medieval Collection at the Cloisters and more.

MET Primer

On the MET’s website, they have a great collection of editorial content called their “Primers.” These ‘Primers’ give you a quick and immersive look at select exhibitions. This fantastically designed website feels like reading an editorial magazine. If you never had the chance to visit the MET Cloisters, which contains the collections of medieval works of art, their online visit is the next best thing!

Their current exhibition features pieces from the newly designed ‘British Galleries’. This reimagined space is meant to provide a fresh perspective on British decorative arts. You can even head over to Soundcloud and listen to the exhibition’s audio guide as you browse the collection online.

Costume Institute Online

The MET’s most famous exhibits are undoubtedly the Costume Institute Collections. The celebrity-rich MET Gala, which raises money for the museum, has brought a ton of new visitors through the doors of the museum over the years. Although this year’s Gala had to be cancelled due to covid, you can view some of their old exhibitions online! I found this access to be amazing as I was only able to make it out there to see a few of them in real life. Getting to go back in time and study some of their older exhibitions is a beautiful opportunity.

Andrew Bolton, the curator of these exhibits, is one of my heroes, and I loved being lead through the displays by his comforting voice. Many of the items on display in the Costume Insitute are so delicately sewn and contain a myriad of complex textures. Getting the chance to zoom in and see these features in such microscopic detail is something you could only experience online.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to my favourite online museums and galleries. I think visiting one of these will really help make you feel like you’ve had a little adventure, even if you never left the house. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my other virtual travel content. Let me know in the comments where you’d want to explore virtually that hasn’t been created just yet!

Happy (Virtual) Travels, Adventurers

The post 10 Best Art Galleries You Can Still Visit Virtually first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. Catalan 'Modernism'
2. Access
3. Concert Tickets or Guided Tour
4. The Facade
5. Palau Square
6. Lluís Millet Grand Staircase
7. Lluís Millet Hall
8. Lluís Millet Balcony
9. Concert Hall
10. Stained-Glass Ceiling
11. The Stage Muses
12. The Doric Column Scenes
13. The Pegasus’
14. Route of the Flowers
15. The Grand Organ

Catalan ‘Modernism‘

Catalan’ modernism‘ was a movement in art and literature that began at the turn of the 20th century. It was a movement that focused on Catalonia separating itself from the rest of Spain. This separation began with art and literature. Although Catalonia is part of the Spanish nation, they have customs and languages that are entirely unique to Spain. Modernism rejected bourgeois values and adopted a bohemian attitude. Many people named the Café Castell dels tres Dragons by Lluís Domènech i Montaner as the first piece design in the modernism style. In other parts of Europe, Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement were also on the rise, which shares similar characteristics with modernism.

They all have historically-derived elements, and all passionately use organic themes, lavish decorations, and a strong sense of asymmetry and unbalance. Their shapes are freer, less restrained and the idea of exploration and imagination are of the utmost importance. This was like Catalan’s Renaissance, which they coined the ‘Renaixença‘ or ‘rebirth.’

Access

To make your way to Palau, take the Metro on the Yellow Line (L4) to Urquinaona station. It’s located near the Gothic Quarter, so it is easily combined with the Gothic Quarter Walking Tour. Unlike many of Gaudi’s designs, Palau is tucked away and not on display. You need to discover it yourself by making your way down these narrow alleyways, away from the main streets.

Concert Tickets or Guided Tour

There are two ways to visit the Palau de la Musica. One of the best ways to see the concert hall as it was meant to be enjoyed is to attend a show or production. Every year the building hosts half a million audience members who’ll come to see over 300 different performances. Seeing a concert here is a unique and powerful experience. But understandably, the cost might be prohibitive for some travellers, or you just might not be interested in any of the types of performances. The other way to see the concert hall is by booking a guided tour. 

Guided Tours

This guided tour will give you the chance to learn all about the architecture, the artists and the history of the building. The guided tour also gives you access to some parts of the buildings which aren’t accessible during the regular performances. It is advisable to buy tickets for these guided tours in advance since often, during peak tourist months, they are difficult to come by. You want to ensure you can book a tour in your preferred language.

A regular guided tour ticket costs €20. A ticket that includes a piano recital costs €25 (if you have the option, this is the one I’d recommend). If you want to save some money, you can purchase a ‘Self Guided Tour Ticket‘ for €15, a new option as of 2019. If you choose this option, you can use this blog as your little helper to understand all the different aspects of this incredible work of art. The guided or self-guided tour option lasts just under an hour.

The Facade

The Palau de la Música is located along a narrow street in the Gothic Quarter. The location of the building is almost claustrophobic, so tightly packed in between the others on the street. But the ingenious designs which Montaner came up with seem to battle this claustrophobic feeling with colour and fun. The exposed red brick exterior is opened up with dozens of arches and columns. Set along the facade, an element inspired by Arabic architecture. The columns are decored in intricate mosaics, which draw your eye up to the roofline. Stained glass windows are used to bring in the natural light from all corners of the building. Ensuring that all throughout the day, there always natural light flowing inside. All of this gives the building a breathy and light quality.

Lluís Bru

On the south side of the building, at the top of the facade, is an opulent mosaic made by artist Lluís Bru. It represents the members of the Orfeó Català dressed in a symbolic scene. The piece is hard to see from the street, and for some reason, that makes it all the more special. It feels like something which was meant more for the creator than for the viewer. And discovering it is like finding a secret just aching to be found out.

La cançó popular Catalana

On the southeast corner of the Palau de la Música, you’ll find an awe-inspiring sculpture that seems to soar off the side of the building. This creation was made by sculptor Miquel Blay, named ‘La cançó popular Catalana’ (the favourite Catalan song). The sculpture takes on a similar shape as the carved figureheads on the bow of a ship. A beautiful woman is the central figure of the sculpture which the other characters surround. The woman, who represents songs, is accompanied by men and women representing Catalan music and art. Atop all the figures is Saint George, the Patron Saint of Catalonia, to protect them all. Symbols of Saint George can be found throughout the building, like hidden Easter eggs around every corner.

Musician Busts

Above various columns on the side of the building are busts of prominent figures from the history of music. You can see the heads of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Richard Wagner all peaking out across the facade.

Taking your eyes from up high, back down to street level, try to see if you can spot the old ticket box. It stands along with one of the pillars near the entrance. The old ticket box is surrounded by lovely floral mosaics blooming all around.

Palau Square

The new entrance to the Palau de la Música is through Palau Square. This square is an outdoor space that faces the new glass-walled exterior. The glass wall, which makes the entirety of the interior visible to the public on the other side, was made by architect Òscar Tusquets. The original architect’s vision for this building was glass and light. And it seems fitting that Tusquets’s renovations continued this theme. These days, the square offers locals a place to relax on the staggered steps and where Palau’s cafe and bar spill out on sunny days. In the summer, some grandstands are brought out to accommodate musical performances and festivals. This makes the Palau feel like more than just a place to see the ticketed event. But as a place for the community to meet.

Cafe Foyer

Upon entering the building, you’ll step right into the Cafe Foyer. If you’re on a super-tight budget and can’t afford to attend a performance or guided tour, you can visit the foyer for free. Inside the Cafe Foyer, you’ll be able to see a surprising amount of imaginative architecture. And stunning ornamentation, which continues throughout the rest of the space. The foyer feels so warm and inviting. The wide arches are complete with beautiful red bricks and emerald-green tiles. They curve towards the rose-decorated ceiling.

At the cafe, you can enjoy Basque-style tapas and Catalan drinks at reasonable prices. Take a seat inside and soak in the ambience if you don’t have a chance to tour the rest of the interior. The bar itself is a work of art. Brilliant stain glass panels in the shape of blooming flowers are suspended between the large brick column with their own budding roses.

Interior Stained Glass

Take a walk around the foyer. Darling geometric pieces of stained glasses surround ornate columns and powerfully carved archways. Each one with a strong focus on the natural environment. Modernism was all about bringing the outside into the interior, making you feel as though you are always surrounded by mother nature.

Lluís Millet Grand Staircase

To being your guide, you’ll be ushed into the Lluís Millet Grand Staircase. If you’re here during a concert, don’t rush up to your seats and instead take a moment to study this entryway. As you walk up the stairs, look up the dazzling ceramic glazed ceiling. The tiles are so shiny they appear to shine like the stars.

The staircase is made of exquisitely carved marble, which also shimmers in the light of day. Huge street lamps are affixed on either side of the stairs. On the ceiling above the stairs, you can study the pale blue painted roof, which is adorned with golden ceramic roses, shaped into the pattern of a giant star.

Lluís Millet Hall

At the top of the stairs, you’ll enter the Lluís Millet Hall. You might be wondering, who is this Lluís Millet that all these rooms are being named after. Lluís Millet was a famous Catalan composer who helped found the Orfeó Català. This hallway is also called the intermission hall since guests will retire during breaks in the performances. The most impressive part of this room is the huge spread of stained glass windows that face ours onto the balcony.

The flowers that bloom at the bottom of the panels open up into clear glass panes to see the incredible musicians’ columns along with the balcony and allow for more light to pour into this room. Throughout the room, there are also various bronze busts of important contributors to Palau. While you might not recognize their names, it’s so lovely to see their faces still looking out at the incredible work of art they helped contribute to.

Lluís Millet Balcony

Standing out on the Lluís Millet Balcony is one of the best parts of the tour. The balcony feels like stepping out into a rainbow garden. The colonnades here are each covered entirely with multicoloured glazed tiles in a variety of floral designs. At the top of the columns are some incredible blooming flowers exploding out of the carved granite. Getting up close and personal to the mosaics, you can really appreciate the artistry the craftsmen put into the colouring of these tiles. They are so vibrant despite their location outdoors for over a hundred years.

Concert Hall

The concert hall is the piece-de-resistance of the entire Palau de la Música Catalana. As soon as you walk in, your eye will be drawn in a thousand different directions. While the dazzling stained glass skylight might be the brightest thing in the entire room, try to take in the whole room as one piece at first. You’ll notice that the entire place looks like it was hewn out of a rocky mountain and not built in the centre of a city from afar. The organic impression of the room helps continue to impress the viewer. With the theme of naturalism which is so important to Catalan Modernism.

While the hall might feel entirely natural and almost like it was created at random, many aspects of the theatre were actually thoughtfully designed to ensure the music sounded as pure and full as possible inside the concert hall. The concert hall features about 2,200 seats, spread out over 3 floors. But despite the large size, the room still manages to feel warm and cozy due to all the natural light which flows in from all sides.

Vaults

This is the only auditorium in Europe to be illuminated entirely in natural light during the daytime! Artificial light, while necessary during the evening, does affect how the room feels. On either side, the walls of the concert hall consist entirely of stained glass panels set beneath fantastic arches. The vaults between the arches and pillars are covered in stunning tile work. In the centre of each vault are many laurel wreaths with the names of famous musicians set inside, essentially crowning them with this distinguished honour.

While natural lighting might have been Domènech I Montaner’s preferred means of illuminating space when creating artificial light, he took the job very seriously. The chandeliers are made of many different shaped bulbs in a variety of different colours. They look like stars or constellations spread out across the starry night.

Along with the right upper balcony, you can make out the flag of Saint George embedded on into the stained glass. Another one of those little details is worth noting.

Stained-Glass Ceiling

The centrepiece of this room is an incredible stained glass ceiling. It is completely breathtaking. Unlike some skylights, this one is an inverted dome, so it feels as though the ceiling is curling in towards the audience below. It was designed by Antoni Rigalt, whose mastery of stained glass is unmatched. The centre of the dome is a luminous geometric sun in a variety of warm hues. Surrounding the sun is a chorus of angels set against a tightly patterned sky.

Depending on the time or weather during your visit, the light which pours in through the skylight is changeable. Sometimes it appears more green, and sometimes it seems bluer. Much like the real sky, which is never merely one distinct colour, this shifting quality of these windows is almost magical.

The Stage Muses

18 depictions of women clad in gorgeous textiles are spread out across the stage wall. While their bodies are designed within the mosaic, their faces jut out from the wall into three-dimensional sculptures. Each of the women carries in their hand an instrument of folk music. These are traditional instruments such as harps and castanets. The women are also representatives of the nine Greek muses of the arts. The lower portion of the bodies made of mosaics was created by Lluís Bru, while the upper sculptural part was made by Eusebi Arnau. In the centre of the stage is a large mosaic featuring the coat of arms of Catalonia.

The Doric Column Scenes

Flanking either side of the stage and creeping up the three-storey-tall Doric columns are another set of astonishing sculptures. On the left side, we see a group of women clustered together; these women are in the middle of singing the famous Catalan song Les Flores de Maig (The Flowers of May). Above the women is a bust of Catalan composer Josep Anselm Clavé. Clavé was instrumental (pardon the pun) in reviving Catalan folk songs. Clavé is nestled under the shade of a large stone tree whose leaves seem eternally just about to fall to the ground. Looking up from this angle also gives you a view of the remarkable ceramic roses that are littered across the ceiling and floral mosaics, which are also found on the underside of the balconies. These little details are some of the things which make this building so incredible.

On the right side of the columns, we see the illustrious composer and musician’s stern face and unruly hair, Beethoven. Atop Beethoven himself are a fury of horses running along with the ceiling in a mighty stampede. They are charging so fast, in fact, that they have created this voluminous gust of wind around them. Riding atop these horses are a set of attractive Valkeries. The Valkyries are from Wagner’s opera ‘Die Walküre,’ one of the most influential and powerful operatic songs in music history.

The Pegasus’

In addition to the horses ridden by the Valkeries are the flying Pegasus’ who leap downwards towards the audience. These can be found on the upper balconies, and if you have seats up here, you can actually get quite close to these sculptures and study every detail of their surging forms.

Route of the Flowers

You may have noticed the repetition of roses throughout the tour, either in the textiles, stone, ceramics, or embedded in stained glass windows. The Palau de la Música Catalana has more than 2,000 roses spread across the building. The rose is the symbol of Saint George, who is the patron saint of Catalonia. As such, the symbol of the rose is of great importance to the nation and in this building which served as a symbol of national pride.

The Grand Organ

If you’re here on tour, you’ll be treated to a performance by a local musician who’ll come in to play the magnificent organ. This is your chance to hear just how intense the sound from this amazing instrument really is. The organ was built custom for space in 1906 by the prestigious German firm Walcker in Ludwigsburg. In 1973 parts of the organ were replaced as the instrument was electrified. But the organ shop ensured the sound remained as full as the previous version.

Getting to hear some Catalan songs being played through this magnificent instrument was definitely a moment I’ll never forget, and some of the songs brought a tear to my eye. It somehow made the entire place come alive, and for a moment, I thought I could see those Valkeries singing along as they flew across the ceiling.

This building is truly one of the most spectacular visions of Catalan Modernism, and if you have the chance to visit it in person, don’t hesitate to make the journey to find this breathtaking vision of mother nature come to life through tiles stone and glass.

Happy Travel Adventurers

The post The Ultimate Guide to Palau de la Música Catalana, the Most Beautiful Concert Hall in the World first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

Table Of Contents

1. The Creation Rose Window
2. Chapel of St. Agnes or the Bartoň-Dobenín Chapel
3. The Schwarzenberg Chapel
4. The New Archbishop Chapel 
5. The Chapel of St. Sigismund
6. The Chapel of St. Anne 
7. The High Altar
8. The Old Archbishop's Chapel
9. The Chapel of St. John the Baptist
10. The Chapel of Our Lady
11. The Reliquary Chapel
12. The Chapel of St. Jan Nepomuk
13. The Mary Magdalene Chapel or The Wallenstein Chapel
14. The Chapel of St. Andrew
15. The Southern Window
16. The Thunov Chapel
17. Chapel of St. Ludmila

We start the tour of Stained Glass by looking back at the rose window on the north-west entrance. From here we will move clockwise throughout the church. A map of each of the piece can be found at the bottom of this post for your reference. For a full guided tour of the Cathedral click here! 

The Creation Rose Window

Starting at the front of the Cathedral, take a look up at the Rose Window set into the western frontispiece. This was created by Frantisek Kysela in 1925 and took over two years to be completed. The inscriptions on the stained glass tell the story of creation as told in the Bible. The outer circle says, “in the beginning, God created the earth and the earth was empty. And deserted, darkness lay above the world, and the divine spirit floated above the world.”

The inner circle says, “initially there was a word. The creation of angels.” From right to left, clockwise, each petal of the rose represents a day of the week and the parts of the earth which were created upon those days. God sits at the top of the rose window. Looking down upon his incredible creation. The shape of the rose window resembles the shape of the earth and the blues and greens caught within the design look like an image of earth from space.

Chapel of St. Agnes or the Bartoň-Dobenín Chapel

Up until 1989, this Chapel was known as the Bartoň-Dobenín Chapel. Josef Bartoň was a nobleman, knighted by the Emperor in 1912 and whose wealthy family of textile merchants were significant donors to the construction of the Cathedral. The window in the chapel depicts the Bartoň family praying. The images represented reflect the psalm from the bible which state, “Blessed are the adversaries who suffer for righteousness; Blessed are you when they curse you, rejoice and rejoice, for the reward is abundant in the heavens.”

All the blessed and repentant figures in the scene are dressed in the most exquisite clothes, and unlike many of the other designs in the church, the clothing here seems to be the focus. Because the patrons were a part of the textile trade, this is no doubt not a coincidence. During the communist regime, the image of the donors were covered by a wallpaper as they were known opposers to the current government. When St. Agnes was sanctified in 1989 the name of the chapel was changed to St. Agnes Chapel.

The Schwarzenberg Chapel

This chapel is named after the Schwarzenbergs family, a noble family who had established themselves in Prague since 1172. Designed by Karel Svolinsky in 1929, the scene depicts two stories regarding the life of Isaac. On the right we see Hagar, the mother of Isaac when they were banished to the wilderness but rescued by God. The scene on the left illustrates God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but seeing a ram, Abraham sacrifices it instead. Both of these stories are about sacrifice for your children. At the bottom of the glass window are the Schwarzenberg wives who kneel, thanking god for their children. In the lower part of window, in the centre, you can make out the Schwarzenberg family crest. 

The New Archbishop Chapel 

The most distinguished of all the stained glass windows in the Cathedral is this piece designed by Alphonse Mucha in 1930. This can be found in the New Archbishop Chapel. It is an allegory of Christ blessing the Slavic Nations. Mucha was born in Ivančice, Moravia (now the Czech Republic) and dedicated his life and art to preserving and teaching people about Slavic history. The piece features the preachers St. Cyril and St. Method. St. Cyril and St. Method were two Byzantine Christian brothers who came to the Slav nation and devised the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe the Bible so the people of Bohemia could read it. Even after their deaths, their pupils continued their missionary and were seminal in creating the Christian world in the Czech Republic. 

St Cyril can be seen in the centre panel on the left holding a large bound bible. On the right St. Method is seen baptising the heathens with holy water. Below them is an old grandmother, this is St. Ludmila with her grandson, St. Wenceslas. On the left and right panels, we can see the story of Christianity being brought to the Slavic people. On the left, scribes work tirelessly to transcribe the bible. Mucha’s influential work of art, The Slav Epic tells this story in even more details and is well worth checking out if you’re in Prague and interested in the history of Bohemia.

The Chapel of St. Sigismund

This piece of stained glass looks like it belongs on an Alexander McQueen dress. The patterns both on the figures and behind them are stunning in their colours and appearance. We see St. Wenceslas, Wolfgang and Johanna.

The Chapel of St. Anne 

This chapel is named after St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. Anne was married to Joachim of Nazareth, a descendant of David. The couple was childless as they gave all their time and money to the poor. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were rejected by the church because their childlessness was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure. Joachim fled to do his did penance in the desert, and there he fasted. After 40 days, an angel appeared to him and promised him a child. Despite her old age, Anne gave birth to Mary, the soon to be Mother of Jesus. The children of older women, who were thought to be barren, are thought to be destined for greatest, perhaps because of this adage.

In the stained glass window, we see a charming rendering of the royal family tree of David. Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David, is seen at the bottom. From his heart grows a tree whose branches hold his forefathers. At the top is a giant blooming flower from which the Virgin Mary sprouts up from. Above her, are is four petals surrounding a cross. Inside the flower petals are a Winged Man, a Lion, an Ox and an Eagle. These are the symbols for the evangelists of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This stunning work of art was created by Jan Swerts in 1877 and is my favourite piece in the entire cathedral.

The High Altar

Moving down to the Southern transept, we see the enormous stained glass dramatic scene of the Last Judgement. This was designed by famous Prague artist Max Švabinský.

In the central part of the window, we see the regal figures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Adalbert, St. John the Baptist and St. Jacob. The colours in this window are stunning. The emerald greens look like rich grassy fields, shining in the sunlight. In the lower left, you can see the figures of Czech kings who were buried in the royal tomb inside the St. Vitus Cathedral. On the left, we have Ferdinand I and Rolph II. In the centre Ladislav Posthumous and George of Podebrady. And on the right the illustrious St. Wenceslas IV and Charles IV. They are dressed in handsome finery and praying at the feet of Jesus. Below them are the figures of Archbishop Jan Očko of Vlašim and the four wives of Charles IV.

Above is the figure of Christ. A choir of angels holding horns announce the arrival of the Last Judgment. At the very top in the centre, you can see the gleaming St. Wenceslas crown incorporated into the tracery. Below the crown, there is a bright golden bell, representing the giant carillon in the tower. In contrast to the King and Queens on the left, the lower right side of the piece depicts the horrors of the Last Judgement. The Archangel Gabriel stand there selecting who are the sinners and who are the saved. In his hand, he holds a mighty, glimmering sword. The rebrobates are sent to hell and are seen falling to their damnation in the fires of purgatory.

The Old Archbishop’s Chapel

The design of this stained glass was created by Josef Mocker and František Sequens. Mocker worked on the ornamentation and patterning, and Sequens focused on the figures. Two people were needed for this majestic piece of artwork. You could stare at it for hours and constantly be discovering a new hidden scene or favourite embellishment.

The window focuses on Saint John of Nepomuk. Saint John of Nepomuk is one of the most popular saints in Bohemia. He was drowned in the Vltava River because he would not break the seal of the confessional and divulge to him his wife’s confession. Because he was drowned, he is considered a protector from floods and drowning. On either side of him are two angels in robes with mirroring green and red drapery. In the left window, we have the Apostle Thomas and on the right the Apostle St. Jan. All three of the top figures are set against a Gothic architectural backdrop.

The Chapel of St. John the Baptist

The Chapel of St. John the Baptist is a study in architectural drawings and ornamental patterns and less of a focus on figures. In the middle was have the image of the Virgin Mary flanked by St. Antonín Poustevník and St. John the Baptist. The rest of the glass is decorated with delightful geometric flowers and even the image of exquisitely ornamented windows in windows.

The Chapel of Our Lady

This Chapel is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The decoration throughout is fantastical. Flowers, leaves, quatrefoils shapes and highly embellished tracery gives the window outstanding presence even in such a wondrous Cathedral. The Holy Trinity is represented in the center window. God holds his hands open and a white dove flies above. In front is Jesus on the cross, bright white rays of sunlight burst from behind the trio. On the left dressed in azure robes is the Virgin Mary, her gaze looking down in sadness at Jesus on the cross. On the left window, we see St. John the Baptist holding a cross with a scroll which reads, “Repent-you, neared for the Kingdom of the Heavens“.

The Reliquary Chapel

Charles IV considered this chapel to be the most precious. In the central window, we see the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus in her arms. On either side of her are kneeling angels, their wings coloured in all different hues, making them look more like birds than angels. Below the holy family, we can see a choir of Bohemian Saints Vojtech, Dorothy and Beno. On the left window we have Andrew the Apostle, Agnes of Bohemia, Saint Vitus and Jan Sarkander and on the right St. Apostle James the Elder, Saints Alois, St. Alphonsus, and Frantisek of Paula. This is another piece designed by Josef Mocker and František Sequens from 1877.

The Chapel of St. Jan Nepomuk

This window was designed by Josef Kranner, Rudolf Müller and Petr Maixner in 1870. The window is set in front of the precious relic of Saint Adalbert of Prague housed in the alluring gold and silver gilded reliquary. With such an impressive treasure in front, the stained glass windows behind are more restrained. The three windows tell the story of the life of St. John of Nepomuk. In the center we see St. John with Wenceslaus the 4th as a boy. A stirring image since the two were once so close but in the end, it was Wenceslaus the 4th who would put St. John to death. On the right we see St. John giving alms to the poor and on the left, he is seen blessing the Queen Sophia of Bavaria, the spouse of Wenceslaus.

The Mary Magdalene Chapel or The Wallenstein Chapel

The Wallenstein Chapel features a single central pane by Josef Mocker and František Sequens. It centres around the image of Saint Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ. Beneath them are the apostles Bartholomew and Matthew. While a smaller window, take a moment to study the geometric ornaments at the bottom of the window. Although completed in 1877, they have a very art-deco feel about them that significantly pre-dates that period of art history. Perhaps an early influence to what art-deco would become.

The Chapel of St. Andrew

Although Rose Windows only usually appear along the nave, here we see a smaller, yet no less lovely, version. In the center of the curved rosette, we see the figure of Christ, his left hand out in a blessing pose and an open book in the right. Standing amongst a group of columns below are Saints Matthew, Barnabas, Stephen, Lawrence, Luke and Mark.

The Southern Window

The Southern Window, adjacent to the famed St. Wenceslas Chapel, is an incredible tryptic. The colours in this piece seem otherworldly. They are so powerful and intense. A triad of rainbows. In the centre, we see the figure of Jesus, falling into the arms of his maker. This is the depiction of the Holy Trinity: the father, the son and holy spirit, symbolized here in the form of a dove. The dove is surrounded by a glorious ray of light which draws your eye in and doesn’t let it go.  Jesus’ face is surprisingly emotive considering it is made of glass, without the intricacies of paint. Surrounding the figure of Jesus, if you look closely into the traceries, are the tools which were used when he was martyrized. 

To the left, we have the northern window. Here, the Virgin Mary is dressed in Royal purple and honoured with the crown of St. Wenceslas. On either side of her are the kneeling figures of blessed St. Mlada and St. Ludmila. Below Mary is Spytihněv I, the first historically documented Bohemian ruler and husband of St. Ludmila. In his hands, he holds a model of a Roman Basilica, which he built in her honour. On the right, we see St. Wenceslas and St. Vitus on their knees. In the centre is Charles IV who is also holding a model of a Gothic Cathedral.

The Thunov Chapel

The Thunov Chapel features a sparkling blue window with a modern design despite being created in 1929. It represents the Psalm 126-5 which declares, “Who sows in tears, will harvest in joy.” Inside the window frame are different risks which provoke sorrow; floods, hail storms, fire, death and natural disasters. The concept here is to teach the public that tragedy may befall us, but only through sadness can we genuinely appreciate happiness and joy.

At the top of the window, is a clear image of an enormous eye overlooking those below. This is representative of the Lord’s eye looking out over the Justified. Below the eyes are three quatrefoils with different saints inside. On the left is St. Florian, fighting fires with his staff. In the centre, we have St. Krystof, with his cane, breaking the waves of the ocean. On the right, we see St. Barbara proving her valour with a victory against the earth. These saints are seen to be there to help protect the justified against the ills that might befall them.

Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre

Another of Karel Svolinsky’s incredible contemporary pieces is this window design featuring purple, red and pink glass presenting the ‘Works of Mercy‘. There are two main categories of Mercy; corporal and spiritual. The Corporal works of mercy are; To feed the hungry, To give water to the thirsty, To clothe the naked, To shelter the homeless, To visit the sick, To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive and to bury the dead.

Spiritual Works of Mercy is to instruct the ignorant, to counsel the doubtful, to admonish the sinners, to bear patiently those who wrong us, to forgive offences, to comfort the afflicted and to pray for the living and the dead. Each of these acts of mercy is thoughtfully represented in each frame of the window. The flowing natures of glass design adds a sense of movement to the entire piece which gives it that sense of modernity despite being over a hundred years old.

Chapel of St. Ludmila

In the Chapel of St. Ludmila we can see the impressive images of the St. Ludmila, the Holy Spirit and the twelve apostles. The holy spirit is seen as a white dove in the centre, flying up towards the Jesus, dressed in a red habit. The dove is illuminated with yellow, white and red light which reflects off the figures below. The twelve apostles kneel below,. their hands folded in prayer. Their bright flowing robes rippling against the power of the spirit taking off above.

St. Ludmila or Ludmila of Bohemia is frequently seen throughout the Cathedral. Saint Ludmila married the first Duke of Bohemia, and they had a son, Vratislav. She and her husband were one of the first couples who converted to Christianity when it was brought to Bohemia. Vratislav married young and had another son, Saint Wenceslas. Vratislav died soon after his son was born, so Ludmila acted as the regent for Wenceslas until he came of age. Despite being his grandmother, she acted more like a mother to him and brought him up to be a good Christian.

But good deeds did not go unpunished, and when Wenceslas’ mother Drahomíra became jealous of Ludmila’s influence over her son, she has Ludmila murdered by two noblemen. Saint Ludmila was canonized shortly after her death. Wenceslas never forgot his dear grandmother, and as such, she is a very big part of Czech Christian history.

The post The Ultimate Self Guided Tour of St. Vitus Cathedral’s Incredible Stained Glass first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

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Van Gogh was born in Zundert but spent one of the most important years of his life as a painter in Arles, France. Arles and the provincial countryside inspired Van Gogh to create brighter and more exciting landscapes. This walking tour will wind you across the city, through its narrow, quaint and beautiful cobblestone backstreets. Our journey takes us along the Rhone River and into the various picturesque squares that Arles is famous for. The walking tour will show you the various works of art that Van Gogh painted while living in Arles and the buildings he frequented as a resident of this historic city. 

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Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Accommodation
3. Access
4. Walking Tour
5. The Alyscamps
6. Jardin d’Eté 
7. Roman Amphitheatre
8. Rue Voltaire
9. Restaurant Carrel
10. Yellow House
11. Nuit étoilée sure le Rhône
12. Musée Réattu
13. Vincent van Gogh Foundation Arles
14. Place du Forum
15. Le Café Van Gogh
16. Old Arles Hospital
17. The Bridge of Trinquetaille
18. Get the Downloadable PDF of the Van Gogh Arles Walking Tour!

History

Roman Arles

Arles, a large city in the French region of Provence, has a long history that dates back to Roman times. Back then, it was one of the most important cities in the Empire. There are signs of occupations as early as 800 BC. The Romans took over the town in 123 BC and continued to enrich the city with their incredible architecture and infrastructure. Emperor Constantine I built the Roman bathhouses. His son, Constantine II, was born in Arles as the emperor had made it a home away from home. In 408 BC, the new emperor Constantine made Arles the capital city of Rome. Arles became a cultural and religious centre throughout the late Roman Empire.

For hundreds of years, the city of Arles continued to hold absolute authority over those in power. Arles joined the countship of Provence in 1239. Due to its proximity to the river, it was a mighty trade city. But in the 19th century, with the advent of the railroad, its significance began to diminish. The town became stagnant, with little to no modern development.

Van Gogh Comes to Arles

But this relic from the past was precisely why Van Gogh was so drawn to the city. The city was full of memories yet peaceful enough to feel like an escape. Everywhere he looked, it seemed as if something was waiting to be discovered.

Sadly, after years of poverty and suffering from various mental illnesses, Van Gogh committed suicide at age 37. But this was not the end of his story. Despite not being appreciated during his lifetime, his impact in the history books is unmatched. And Van Gogh’s stories from Arles put the city back on the map. After years of almost being forgotten, the city suddenly was a hot spot for visitors trying to follow in his footsteps.

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Accommodation

If you want to spend a night in Arles, the best place to stay is the little B&B, L’aubergine Rouge. This little hotel is tucked away in the southwest corner of Arles on one of the most darling streets you’ll ever wander down. They have several rooms inspired by the painter where you’ll feel like you’re sleeping inside of his paintings.

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Access

Most people arriving in Arles arrive either by car or by train. Arles is just an hour from Marseille, 35 minutes from Nimes, and 40 minutes from Avignon if you rent a car. Often you’ll find if you are travelling from either Nimes, Marseille or Avignon, the train is often an even faster journey than driving! So long as the departure and arrival times align with your plans. The train from Nimes is 30 minutes, Marseille takes 45 minutes, and Avignon is only a 20 minutes journey. Most days, trains arrive and depart about every hour from these cities.

If you are driving into Arles for the day, the best place to park your car is in the Parking Garage near the Post Office. This is just on the outskirts of town, meaning you won’t have to drive through too many narrow streets. Since it’s a little outside the centre, you also won’t have to pay a huge mark up for being in the middle of town. This parking lot is very reasonably priced and right beside the first stop on our tour.

Walking Tour

The Alyscamps

The first stop on the walking tour is the Alyscamps Necropolis. The Alyscamps is one of the oldest Roman ruins in Arles. Roman cities didn’t allow burials inside the city limit for fear of dead infecting the living. Therefore, roads into the city were often lined with tombs and mausoleums. And the Alyscamps was THE place to be buried! People had bodies shipped from all over Europe for the honour of being buried here. 

But during the middle ages, when it became more traditional to be buried in a church graveyard, the Alyscamps fell out of fashion. In the Renaissance, old roman sarcophagi were given as gifts to visiting dignitaries. And others were looted by local thieves. All of this contributed to the Alyscamps falling into disrepair, and eventually, it was a forgotten piece of history. The site was wild and overgrown and yet a naturally beautiful environment.

When Van Gogh arrived in Arles, it was still a ruin. He painted four scenes here in 1888, sitting in front of the ancient Roman ruins. Paul Gauguin was staying with Van Gogh during this period. Although their relationship was fraught with hardship, it also inspired the best in both artists. Van Gogh gifted one of his Alyscamps paintings to Gaugin. And even lost past his death, this painting hung in Gaugin’s room for years. Since Van Gogh made it famous once more, the UNESCO World Heritage group has turned it into a heritage site. And restored much of the place to be appreciated by visitors once more.

Jardin d’Eté 

Walk north along the Avenue des Alyscamps and turn left down Avenue Victor Hugo. On the north side of the street, you will begin to see the bright green grass of the Jardin d’Eté starting to peek through. 

The Jardin d’Eté is a relaxing urban park situated against the backdrop of the ancient Roman amphitheatre. There are dozens of fountains and playgrounds, so it’s a great place for kids to have a nice runaround.

For Van Gogh, it was a place he would often come to paint on sunny, summer days. In a letter to his sister, he wrote of the gardens in the park:

I don’t know whether you can understand that one may make a poem by arranging colours…Similarly, the bizarre lines, purposely selected and multiplied, meandering all through the picture may not present a literal image of the garden, but they may present it to our minds as if in a dream.

Van Gogh

Roman Amphitheatre

Walk north along the pathways in the park until you can exit to the east of the Roman Amphitheatre. You’ll walk out onto Rue Porte de Laure. Continue walking along until you reach the imposing Roman Arena. Built in 90 AD, the amphitheatre was capable of seating over 20,000 spectators. People would come from far and wide to watch chariot races and bloody hand-to-hand battles. Unlike the Colosseum in Rome, this amphitheatre is still used for concerts and festivals to this very day.

Vincent went to many bullfights in his time in Arles. He wrote to his friend: 

Have seen bullfights in the arenas. The crowd was magnificent, great multicoloured crowds. One on top of the other on 2, three tiers, with the effect of sun and shade and the shadow cast by the immense circle.

Van Gogh

Van Gogh painted a scene in 1888 entitled Arena in Arles. The painting is more focused on the spectators than the action or environment. It is a rough and tumble painting. Quick brush strokes and unfinished shapes are obscured in the background. The speed of the painting reflects the voracious atmosphere of the bullfights. A small bull can be seen off in the distance. Spectators are excitedly turning to chat with their neighbours and cheering for their favourite fighters.

This jittery motion used throughout the painting was a technique that Van Gogh perfected under Gauguin’s influence. His paintings of dance halls also had the same, almost unfinished approach. This technique conveyed to the viewer the idea that some spaces were filled with such powerful energy they simply couldn’t be captured in a moment of stillness.

Rue Voltaire

From the arena, walk north along Rue Voltaire. Walking down this street is like taking a step back in time. Dozens of vibrant cafes and restaurants pour out onto the street. Dazzling awnings hang off ancient stone buildings. Pastel shutters brighten up the rainiest day. You will see so many little scenes as you walk, which could have stepped right out from one of Van Gogh’s paintings.

Restaurant Carrel

When you reach Rue Léon Blum, turn left and stop on the corner of Rue Amédée Pichot. When Van Gogh first moved to Arles, he stayed in a room above the Restaurant Carrel, owned by Albert Carrel and his wife. Vincent wrote to his brother Theo when he arrived in Arles:

At times it seems to me that my blood is more or less ready to start circulating again, which wasn’t the case lately in Paris, I really couldn’t stand it anymore.

Van Gogh

Shortly after arriving in Arles, the lack of creativity he experienced in Paris disappeared. With his creative spark alight once more, he painted View of a Butcher’s Shop. One can imagine that this butcher shop perhaps was painted from the very room he stayed in. Walking up and down this otherwise ubiquitous street gives you a sense of the area Vincent first called home in Arles.

But Van Gogh didn’t live on this street for long as he often had mighty disagreements with his landlord. While he might not have loved his landlord, he did love the neighbourhood. It wouldn’t be long until Van Gogh would soon move into his iconic Yellow House, which was just up the street.

As you near the end of the Street, Rue Voltaire turns into Rue de less Cavalerie. You will pass through the two giant aged guard towers. These towers are surrounded on either side by the ancient city walls.

Yellow House

Across the roundabout, at the corner of Rue Georges Tinarage and Avenue de Stalingrad, is a simple restaurant. But this was once where you would have found Van Gogh’s beloved home. The same one featured in his painting The Yellow House. 

The original house had four rooms and a small studio. Vincent painted the entire building bright, sunflower yellow. In the painting, you can see a train rushing by in the distance. These trains were Vincent’s way into the countryside, his beloved muse. More than any woman. He loved the city, but the wild sunflower fields, blossoming fruit trees, charming peasants and golden wheat fields were where his brush came alive.

Nuit étoilée sure le Rhône

Turning left, make your way towards the Rhone River. Here you’ll find the scene from painting Nuit étoilée sure le Rhône. Don’t get this mixed up with Starry Night, although they are both very similar and show Van Gogh’s obsession with capturing night effects. In a letter he wrote to his brother Theo, he said:

Often it seems to me the night is even more richly coloured than the day.

Van Gogh

Nuit étoilée sure le Rhône is an explosion of blue; Prussian blue, ultramarine and cobalt. Each one of these colours are contrasted with intense orange and yellow. The firery colours representing the gas lights reflecting in the water. A man and his wife walk along the shore away three boats, bobbing in the water. Whereas Starry Night is a dreamlike fury of brush strokes, Nuit étoilée sure le Rhône is a much calmer scene. The brush strokes are evenly spaced, and even the lights on the water are still. Not a single ripple seems to disturb them.

Musée Réattu

Continue walking down the water’s edge. The fantastic pedestrian promenade is ideal for taking in all the sights along the river. After about five minutes, you’ll reach the Musée Réattu. When Van Gogh lived in Arles the museum was a place he hated. He is quoted as saying:

The women are beautiful here, it’s no joke — on the other hand, the Arles museum is dreadful and a joke.

Van Gogh

Van Gogh was very judgmental of other artists. Perhaps out of jealousy of those who seemed to manage to make the kind of living, he would never. During his lifetime, he only sold one painting. He couldn’t understand how people could see the greatest in these artists and not himself.

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Vincent van Gogh Foundation Arles

As a cosmic coincidence, the Vincent van Gogh Foundation in Arles is located only a few minutes south of the Musée Réattu. In 1983, Yolande Clergue founded the Association for the Creation of the Foundation Van Gogh. He was a long-time resident of Arles and believed there should be an institute to study and educate people on Van Gogh’s influence on modern artists in Provence. In 2010, the city of Arles gave the historic Hôtel Léautaud de Donines to the institute. It was renovated to become an educational space.

The museum features a large collection of Van Gogh’s letters and perhaps one or two original Van Gogh paintings. Don’t come here expecting to see those famous works of art. The museum is meant to highlight modern artists influenced by Van Gogh and the city of Arles.

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Place du Forum

Walking along Rue du Dr Fanton and turning down Rue de la Place, you will come up the Place du Forum. The Place du Forum was once the historic city centre during the Roman ages. You can still see one of the ancient columns embedded into the side of the Nord-Pinus Grand Hotel.

Vincent’s fixation on the appearance of the world at night continues and is highlighted in Café Terrace at Night. He said in a letter:

In the past, they used to draw, and paint the picture from the drawing in the daytime. But I find that it suits me to paint the thing straight away. It’s quite true that I may take a blue for green in the dark, a blue lilac with a pink lilac since you can’t make out the nature of the tone. But it’s the only way of getting away from the conventional black night with a poor, pallid and whitish light, while in fact, a mere candle by itself gives us the richest yellows and oranges.

Van Gogh

Le Café Van Gogh

Despite Vincent’s lack of popularity in his lifetime, Van Gogh is big business these days. Le Café Van Gogh is a recreation of the original cafe from the painting. Although it’s not the authentic spots from the painting, it has been done up to look as much like the real thing as possible. While the square is pretty busy and expensive, it is also a stunning place to sit with a coffee and enjoy the scenery. 

Old Arles Hospital

Walk south from the forum until you reach the Old Arles Hospital. One evening, after Gauguin had made it clear to Vincent that he had made plans to leave, Van Gogh returned home alone. Suffering from hearing voices, especially when left alone, Van Gogh was tormented. In a fit of madness, he cut off his ear. Perhaps as a means to cut out the noise of the voices. Van Gogh bandaged the wound and wrapped the ear in the paper. He delivered it to a cleaning woman who worked at a local brothel that Gaugin and Van Gogh frequented together.

Van Gogh was found unconscious by a policeman and taken directly to the Old Arles Hospital the following day. Félix Rey, a young doctor still in training, treated him inside his hospital. Van Gogh was diagnosed with “acute mania with generalized delirium during his time in hospital.” Vincent would go from being semi-lucid to suffering from hallucinations and delusions. His brother Theo came to visit him in hospital despite getting engaged the day previous. Nothing would keep Theo from being by Vincent’s side.

Hospital in Arles

Dr. Rey felt sorry for Vincent. He would allow Vincent into the courtyard to paint on his more lucid days. And paint he did. Even today, this courtyard manages to bring a sense of peace to even the most scattered mind. The golden walls seem to glow in the sunlight. The garden is full of lustrous flowers which burst open in the afternoon. Van Gogh’s painting, Hospital in Arles, depicted the courtyard in 1888. Looking at it today, you can barely see the passage of time between the two.

Ward in the Hospital in Arles

He also created two other paintings during his stay in the hospital. One was a gift to Dr. Félix Rey. It was a portrait of the beloved doctor who showed Vincent genuine kindness. The second painting is entitled Ward in the Hospital in Arles. The scene is quiet and simple. But Vincent’s slight distortions represent the isolation and confinement while living here. 

Starry Night

In 1889, Van Gogh was committed to the Saint-Paul de Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy de Provence. From there managed to channel his pain into one of the most impactful paintings, Starry Night. This painting is all about dreams versus reality. The natural versus the divine. It brings us into the beautiful madness inside Van Gogh’s mind. In his mind, he lived in the stars, beloved and looked up to by everyone on earth. The swirling, fluid paint in the sky contrasts the rigid city landscape below. Like a window into the heavens, a wonderful dream, unlike our structured reality. 

The Bridge of Trinquetaille

Walking back towards the river, walk up the water’s edge. Here you can see the scene from the painting of The Bridge of Trinquetaille. Van Gogh was in love with bridges. They are frequently featured in his works. In a letter to his brother, he wrote:

I have a View of the Rhône — the Trinquetaille iron bridge, where the sky and the river are the colour of absinthe — the quays a lilac tone, the people leaning on the parapet almost black, the iron bridge an intense blue — with a bright orange note in the blue background and an intense Veronese green note. One more effort that’s far from finished — but one at least where I’m attempting something more heartbroken and therefore more heartbreaking.

Van Gogh

Walk out to the centre of the Pont de Trinquetaille, where you’ll have a beautiful view across the Rhone River. Looking out, see if you can spot all those magnificent colours Van Gogh spoke about in his letter. Van Gogh is an artist whose use of colour is unparalleled. He saw the world in a way that many of us simply miss. Take this time to yourself. Put away your phone or camera for the moment and simply look over the horizon.

While Van Gogh’s depression was something he couldn’t overcome, there is no doubt that, at least for a time, Arles gave him a momentary respite from the overwhelming sadness he felt in his soul. And no matter who you are, I hope that visiting Arles brings you the same sense of peace Van Gogh felt when he was here. You may even see a little bit of that magic Van Gogh etched into history. And bring a little bit of that magic home with you too!

Get the Downloadable PDF of the Van Gogh Arles Walking Tour!

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