Categories: heritage-and-art, glasgow
Date: 20 August 2009 13:04:25
Am now back where I should be but as promised my reflections on the Burrell Collection. This, I am gathering, is somewhere with the marmite effect; you love it or not. Personally I did love most of it, wandering through the ecclectic mix of articles agog. For those not aware this is a collection housed in a building especially designed by Barry Gasson Architects for it. Each area has a theme, reflecting the contents.
You begin with a room housing ancient Egyptian articles including a beautiful vase dating back to the Egyptian Archaic Period, 3100-2780 BC, which strangely looks like it could have come from Habitat.
There were also an interesting collection of pocket size idols including an interesting one of Nefertem, god of the Lotus and Unguents. (See this Wiki definition for a bit more).
Moving on Burrell had collected a facinating amount of Roman massonary amongst other bits of stone. The Roman stuff tended to be depicting Greek gods and were copies of Hellenistic originals.
Then I moved on to the first of the Hutton Rooms to begin discovering the collections beautiful tapestries.
After this it was up a few stairs to look at some pictures. The ones which most caught my attention were Bellini's "Madonna and Child", Lucas Cranach the Elder's "The Stag Hunt" and Edward Manet's "The Beer Drinkers". Each had something different to catch your eye. With the "Madonna and Child" it was the mournful look in Mary's eyes. The vivid colours and exquisite detail were what amazed me about "The Stag Hunt" - my favourite. With "The Beer Drinkers" it was the way the gentile, fashionable young ladies drinking beer reminded me of the rahs on The Bailey out on the lash.
Whilst the oriental pottery stuff leaves me cold, as do suits of armour, I was impressed by the 15th century large Ming dynasty figure of a Luohan.
Amongst this bizarre collection of peculiarities were some religious artifacts including a Eucharist Dove - French, from around 1225-50. Apparently the metal dove, (think Clangers meets Shooting Stars here), was originally suspended over the alter and contained consecrated bread used during mass. The ecclesiastical part of the collection seemed to contain alot of 15th and early 16th century stuff, which one guesses was hidden away from the Puritans destruction of such beauty in the 17th century.
Some interesting Gothic and Islamic art, mainly carpets and masonary, but I was entranced by the moody art of Matthijs Maris work. I can see why Burrell and his wice collected these pictures, mainly in charcol. Within the darkness is intense beauty.
Finally I wandered back to my friends, locals who had sat chatting whilst I explored this place they regularly bring visitors to. Then we became, for a day, ladies who lunch in the very good value and extremely clean cafe.
So much said about the collection Burrell handed to the city in 1944, becoming a freeman in the process. I think my reflections on the Gallery of Modern Art and the infamous sh(out) exhibition will have to wait until tomorrow.
