Painting the Modern Garden at the Royal Academy. A Personal View.

Last week my friend Jean and I got the train to London to see Painting the Modern Garden, Monet to Matisse, at the Royal Academy.
It was a bit of a jolly really, nice journey, and out and about in London on a fine spring day.
I've been to many exhibitions at the Royal Academy, and when I come to think of it a lot of them have involved the Impressionists.
This was a big hitting exhibition and it was PACKED. Even at 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

These are my thoughts.

• It was too crowded. I am being selfish here, but it was difficult to get around.
• I never take the audio guide of an exhibition because after all it's a visual experience and I think someone talking about it detracts. I found the signage and explanations on the wall very useful though.
• What a lot of painters I don't know about! I've only just discovered Joaquin Sorolla through his seaside paintings and there he is painting beautifully lit gardens. And I'd never heard of Santiago Rusinol. Why not?
• The images I came away with in my head were of large paintings of flowers and foliage set against walls painted a hot rust colour. Artworks of passion and inaccuracy and colour that just leapt out at you. 
• The obsession that some of these painters had for their gardens was all consuming. Did you know at one time Monet employed 10 full time gardeners at Giverny? 
• I'm glad I bought the book. One visit isn't long enough to see everything. You need two or three visits, but failing that the book will do.
  

We came home after a nice bite of supper in an eatery at St. Pancreas, tired but happy! Great day out.