Day 20: Dunfermline (British Studies LIS)

Above the door at the Carnegie Public Library

As our last full day in Edinburgh, our class had a free and empty schedule. Several of us decided to join Dr. Welsh and Dr. Griffis on their visit to Dunfermline, Scotland. This is the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish American who led the America’s steel industry during the 19th century. As influential as he was in America, and the world, we were interested in something more specific: his libraries. During the last half of his life, Carnegie funded the building of thousands of libraries throughout the world, and today, we had the privilege of visiting his very first. Also, as I previously stated, this is the city Carnegie was born in, so after our library visit we got to see the house his family lived in, which is now a museum.

We had a brief bus ride from Edinburgh to Dunfermline, grabbed some coffee and breakfast, then explored Dunfermline Abbey. The Abbey, which opened in 1250, is the burial place of Robert I, or as he is commonly known, Robert the Bruce. A popular Scottish hero, Robert fought against the English during his life and helped Scotland regain its independence, eventually taking the Scottish throne. After the Abbey and a quick lunch, we headed towards the library. We were told prior to our trip that the library was actually closed and currently being emptied. In fact, it will be closed for at least two years for renovations; the newly modeled building will serve as a community hub, and play host to many activities and audiences. In a way, it will be more like a community center, where members of the community can enjoy library services, and in the case of Dunfermline, a museum and culturally educational experience too.

This was my first visit to an empty library, and I found it eerie and heartbreaking. What can I say, I’m a bibliophile at heart! But luckily in this case, the books had not been destroyed or permanently removed, only temporarily stored. The exciting part of a visit to an empty library is how much attention you can give the actual physical space. We took our time as a group looking through every room, hallway, door, nook, cranny, and everything in between, and it was all so wonderful! Our guides Janice, Sharron, and Anne knew anything and everything we could possibly want to know about the building, its history, and its future! The library first opened in 1883, so seeing the antique and historical features of the building intermixed with the modern and renovated was very neat. I really enjoyed spending time speaking with the current caretaker of the building; it was quite obvious that he truly cared for the building, and despite the upcoming inevitable changes and progress, I believe he will miss the old. In this aspect, I think I agree with him. But how are libraries to survive if they do not progress? I believe Carnegie would insist upon progress!

Our group was featured in the local news!: 

http://www.fifedirect.org.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.display&objectid=5D32E0FD-EB10-5735-76DB83703D382A5A 

After a break for afternoon tea with our lovely guides, we bid them farewell and visited Andrew Carnegie’s birthplace. I stayed with some friends in Dunfermline to do some shopping before we caught the bus back to Edinburgh for our last night. Tonight is the last night our group will be together in the same place until next week. As we all prepare for our mini-breaks, I’m realizing just how hard it will be to say our (somewhat) final goodbyes at the end of the month!

Inside the Carnegie Public Library

Day 19: New College Library & Edinburgh Central Library (British Studies LIS)

The Courtyard at New College Library

For our second full day in Scotland we again, had a packed schedule! The day started at the New College Library, then our afternoon was spent visiting the Edinburgh Central Library, which is ironically just across the street from the National Library of Scotland which we visited yesterday. The view from New College Library was amazing, as it is in a very high spot in the city. But if I am completely honest, everything about New College Library is beautiful! It is the library for the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity, though the building was originally a church. The library has gorgeous stained glass windows that allow a substantial amount of natural light to shine through. The library is open to all University of Edinburgh students, though it is mostly used by students within the School of Divinity. For this reason, the majority of the almost two hundred and fifty thousand works in the collection are focused on religious studies, though not all. During our tour we were given access to the rare books collection, which consists of a variety of religious books that date from as early as the 16th century.

New College Library

After a nice lunch break at the famous Greyfriar’s Bobby pub (whose back story can be read here: http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Greyfriars-Bobby/ ) our class met back up on the steps of the Edinburgh Central Library. The historic building was beautiful, and our physical tour held a surprise around every corner: their recently redecorated children’s library was fun and inviting, their main study area is located in a section of the library that has been best preserved, they have a completely separate library for art and design. And my awe and inspiration only grew the longer we stayed. We were treated to afternoon tea and snacks while the staff spoke to us about what the library is currently involved in and working towards. My jaw still drops thinking about it. As the Central Library, they provide for over seventy book clubs throughout the city. Their program Libraries 4U is aimed at helping troubled young adults, aged up to 25, hopefully aiding them with life skills and eventually job acquirement. They have a prison library program. They have a program aimed at helping displaced children called Reading Champion. They currently partner with Dyslexia of Scotland, and are working on creating more programs that aid dyslexic people find better jobs and more understanding and educated supervisors. They already host dyslexic educational groups to spread knowledge on dyslexia to employers, employees, teachers, dyslexic individuals, and their families. With around four hundred thousand visitors per year, this library has both amazed and inspired me.

Edinburgh Central Library

I finished the day by spending time with my friends Stephanie and Jessica. We started out with some souvenir shopping, then headed to The Witchery, a very nice restaurant just down the street from Edinburgh Castle. After a lovely meal we walked through the city, rode the Ferris wheel, and admired Sir Walter Scott’s magnificent monument and statue before heading back to the dorms for the night.

New College Library:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery/using-library/lib-locate/newcoll-lib

Edinburgh Central Library:

http://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/

Day 18: National Library of Scotland & National Archives of Scotland (British Studies LIS)

National Archives of Scotland via http://www.filmedinburgh.org/locations/General-Register-House

For our first full day in beautiful Edinburgh, our class visited two very important institutions: the National Library of Scotland and the National Archives of Scotland. We took a bus from the University of Edinburgh, where we are staying, into the main area of the city. Our bus passes were scratch-offs, like lotto tickets! Walking along the Royal Mile was so neat; the city’s history seemed to seep out of the sides of the buildings, the bricks in the roads, the statues along the streets and churches. But the environment was much different than London. There were street performers every where, whereas in London that seemed to only be the case along the bank of the Thames rather than up and down major streets throughout the city.

The main entrance of the National Library seemed to carry us into a small, modern space that was hardly recognizable as a library. But looks can be deceiving; we later learned that the entrance is on the eleventh of fifteen floors! As it turns out, the National Library was built on a bridge, so the entrance is also on the bridge, yet there are ten floors that extend all the way to the bottom of the bridge! The library has about sixteen million items in its collection, and like the British Library, is a legal deposits library. This means that they have the opportunity to hold a copy of every single book published in the UK. The difference between the British Library and the National Library of Scotland is that the latter does not receive a copy of everything published. Instead, they claim a copy from the publisher if they want one, rather than it automatically being sent to them without question. Their offsite storage facility is not too far away, so anything may be seen within only an hour or two, if need be. I found it very interesting that they will produce anything for a researcher, while only charging him or her if copies need to be made.

For lunch, a large group of students joined our professors and headed to the Elephant House, a local cafe. The food and ambience was great, but we really visited for the literary significance. This is the birthplace of Harry Potter; J. K. Rowling ate there while beginning and developing the story of her famous boy wizard. And after eating there and enjoying the view of Edinburgh Castle right out the back window, I can understand why she chose the place!

After lunch our class visited the National Archives of Scotland, which was established in 1774. Also known as the National Records of Scotland, this is the government’s official archive. The institution holds countless records and materials pertaining to Scottish genealogy and history, such as birth, marriage, and death records, tax records, government documents, maps, and church registers. Currently there are 78 kilometers of historical records from the 12th to 21st centuries in the National Archive. The oldest document is a brieve (a writ ordering trial by jury under specified conditions) from King David I from the 1120’s! To finish our evening some friends and I walked up and down the Royal Mile, taking in the city. We then grabbed a bite to eat at the Deacon Brodie Pub. Deacon Brodie was the notorious furniture maker and nighttime thief that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

National Library of Scotland:

http://www.nls.uk/

National Archives of Scotland:

http://www.nas.gov.uk/

The Elephant House via http://www.couturing.com/the-gothic-charms-of-edinburgh/

Day 16 & 17: Richard III and Expedition to Scotland

Saturday was a nice, relaxing day. I slept in (hooray!), ran a couple of errands, and then had a nice lunch. After lunch my friend Stephanie and I caught the tube over to Trafalgar Square to see a production of Shakespeare’s Richard III. Now, this has never been my favorite Shakespeare play. I really did not like studying it during my undergrad class. But I was completely blown away at the theatre! Martin Freeman played Richard (of course!), and successfully brought his own charm, humor, and manipulation to the already despicable character. Despite being overwhelmed by the fact that Martin Freeman was standing only a few rows away from me for three hours straight, and already disliking the play, I got into it immediately. Within minutes Martin’s Richard had captivated me, and by the end I was wondering if I shouldn’t be supporting his heinous acts. That’s the difference in reading a play and watching it be performed. Everything comes alive, the audience is part of the plot, and the characters speak directly to me. This particular adaptation of Richard was set in England in 1979. Every detail was thought out and planned; the set, wardrobes, even hairstyles were all perfect. The cast was phenomenal, I could watch this performance everyday! It was obvious by Martin’s playfulness in certain scenes (like when he paused between lines to stick his tongue out at his character’s mother) that he was having a good time and enjoying himself and his work. And why shouldn’t he?

http://trafalgartransformed.com/whats-on/richard-iii

Sunday was mostly spent on a coach bus en route to Edinburgh, Scotland. While the landscape was beautiful, it was a long trip! Plus, the coach was two hours late, and most of the students were tired and a bit cranky. Thankfully we all arrived safely, just in time to catch the FIFA World Cup final match! After checking into our rooms at the dorms in Edinburgh, we all promptly filled the local pub and crowded around the TVs, which will be a great memory for years to come, I’m sure.

Day 15: Kew Botanic Gardens (British Studies LIS)

One of the many houses at Kew Gardens via http://www.london-attractions.info/kew-gardens.htm

Today we had the privilege of a very special visit to Kew Gardens, one of the world’s most popular gardens. Prior to 1840 the gardens were owned by the Royal Family, and they currently hold one of the largest collection of living plants! Before we spent the afternoon perusing the gardens’ treasures, we visited the library and archives. There are between seven and eight million sheets of paper in the archives, along with over three hundred thousand books in the library. Our guide Fiona was kind enough to pull some of the most important, fascinating, and significant books for our class to look at. The oldest item in the collection is a herbal book written in Latin from 1370! She explained that, due to the many accurate drawings in the books, they are still used by researchers today despite their age and historical significance. We also visited the Herbarium, which is like a library, but holds dried plant specimens rather than books. The room had a very distinct smell…

Fiona also told us some very interesting facts about Beatrix Potter, the famous author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and many other children’s stories. Potter conducted research at Kew Gardens, specifically studying and identifying the reproductive elements of fungi. She wrote up her discoveries and had them presented. Because she was considered a naturalist, meaning she was an amateur rather than a professional botanist, and because she was female, she was not taken seriously and her work was quickly dismissed. This is very unfortunate, because her research findings turned out to be completely correct, and botany would have evolved at a much faster rate than it actually did. But despite her slight, she became one of the best known children’s authors and illustrators of her time.

When finished showing us items from the library and archive’s collections, we met Andrew Wiltshire and listened to his talk on Beatrix Potter’s life and legacy. His message was very interesting, and I learned so much about an author that I barely knew. When Potter was young she began keeping a diary in an attempt to escape the oppressive people in her life. But she only wrote in a code she created. Then, in 1958, a man named Leslie Linder finally broke the code, and deciphered her whole collection of diaries. A whole new chapter in Potter’s life was remarkably discovered due to Linder’s efforts. Mr. Wiltshire not only discussed these discoveries, but also pointed out the similarities between Potter and Linder. Mr. Wiltshire also revealed that he and his family were connected to Linder, and he had grown up in the same town with him! We spent the rest of the day exploring the beautiful gardens!

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew’s website:

http://www.kew.org/

The Waterlily House via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kew_Gardens_Waterlily_House_-_Sept_2008.jpg

Day 14: British Museum Archives, Weiner Library & Titus Andronicus (British Studies LIS)

The Wiener Library via http://divacontemporary.org.uk/2014/03/11/nigel-slight-at-the-wiener-library-london/

This morning we visited the Archives at the British Museum. Now, just to keep the record straight, the British Library eventually split away from the British Museum and became its own institution. But the British Museum has been home to British records as early as 1738, though it didn’t open to the public until 1759. The space that contains the archive was certainly neat; there were nooks and crannies as far as the eye could see. Although the items in the archive are not cataloged, there is a list that researchers are encouraged to explore to gain an idea of the archive’s collection. Also, researchers are always welcome, though visitors are expected to know what they are looking for rather than coming in expectation of research aid. What I found most fascinating about the British Museum and its archive are its methods of defense used during the Second World War. Though a major target for the bombs during the Blitz, the British Museum was determined to stay open for the public. A large portion of the Museum’s collection went to underground storage in Wales. Then the rest was left on display in London. As for the items that needed but protection but could not be moved? They surrounded them with sandbags and hoped for the best!

After a quick lunch, our class met at the Weiner (pronounced Veiner) Library, which is the world’s oldest Holocaust library. The foundation of the library is all due to Alfred Wiener’s steadfast dedication to exposing the truth in regards to what was happening under Nazi control. As a German-Jewish citizen, he began collecting materials from groups like the Nazis, and this collection was the start of the library. In 1939, just before Germany began initiated war, Wiener arranged for a large part of his collection to be moved to London. The library has been in London ever since. Wiener lost so much in the War, including his family, but he did everything in his power throughout and after the War to preserve his collection, making it available for continual education on the Holocaust and World War II in general. The Library currently holds around seventeen thousand photographs and 65 thousand books, all revolving around the Holocaust or genocide. As such a wonderful institution for resources and knowledge, I was happy to hear there are no regulations on who may research a collection or their reasons for research. The library is completely open and free! Our class got to spend time with Jessica Green, a previous British Studies student that currently works at the Wiener Library. She shared plenty of her own experiences and advice in regards to the library and information science world, especially abroad. Her insight was extremely interesting and helpful, and also sparked our class’ imagination to the many opportunities that await us, the information professionals, in the world.

When we were done at the Wiener Library I again rushed back to the Globe Theatre to patiently wait in line for a ticket to see Titus Andronicus. Luckily, my friends Libby and Kim decided to join me, so I had great company and a chance to explain the play to them! After waiting less than an hour I got the ticket I wanted, and at only five pounds! Libby and Kim waited for better seats, so I went to line up for the standing section. As the Globe Theatre has twelve sides, and is practically round, there is a great amount of space between the stage and the walls, which consist of multiple balconies of seats. Libby and Kim were lucky and got seats in the bottom balcony, while I crammed in with the other six hundred standing viewers to have the best view! The play is one of my favorites of Shakespeare’s, so I knew it was going to be a great night. The whole experience was phenomenal! So much humor, severity, and deception on stage, along with audience and actor interaction, made it one of my favorite theatre experiences ever. I tried to get splashed with fake blood, but sadly failed. But no matter, because I was close enough to the stage that I could have touched Titus on the face had I really wanted to! My feet feel like they are going to fall off from standing for over three hours straight, but I would do it again in a heartbeat given the opportunity!

Link to the Wiener Library: http://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/home

Inside Shakespeare’s Globe via http://madhiahussain.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/the-taming-of-the-shrew-shakespeares-globe/

Day 13: National Maritime Museum & Globe Tickets (British Studies LIS)

The Old Royal Naval College via http://www.visitlondon.com

This morning we took a boat up the River Thames and headed to Greenwich. The walk from the river bank where we left the boat to the National Maritime Museum was beautiful and full of surprise! First, on our way to the Museum, we walked through the Old Royal Naval College plaza (pictured above) which has been featured in quite a few films. The first one I thought of was Thor: the Dark World; the major climactic battle was shot here. Also while we walked through filming on a Sacha Baron Cohen film was in progress! I believe I saw him through one of the windows! All this before my morning coffee!

When we finally reached the National Maritime Museum, I was very surprised. I’m not sure exactly what I had unconsciously expected, but the museum blew me out of the water! It was easy to tell just by getting a good look around the museum and library that the institution had loads of unimaginable materials and collections, all while achieving a very family and child-friendly environment. Our visit to the Caird Library and Archive was just as fascinating. The library was not physically imposing, but after listening to the many different kinds of material the library holds and collects, I had to take another look around! There were a couple of things that really struck me about the library. The first was that their ‘patron services’ desk was separated from the reference desk, clearly drawing the line between the functions of the desks and those that attend them. I think this is very important in any library. The second thing that I loved in the library was their large search kiosks; on these large touch screen kiosks a user can search for any naval vessel from the UK. Once the vessel was found, he or she has access to a wealth of information about the vessel, its use, its history, you name it! And all these resources were available and manipulable through the touch screen kiosk, while the screen is enlarged and displayed on the wall in front of the user. Despite my lack of knowledge in the navy, I found these exciting and helpful.

After exploring the library, we went down to see the archive and got a tiny glimpse of the treasure trove it contains. So many original historical documents! Aisle upon aisle, row upon row, box upon box! When we had finished in the archive, we headed back to our meeting room, where we had the opportunity to look at several documents and books from their collections. I had three favorite items from the group we viewed. The first was a naval signal book from the War of 1812. The book was the most prized and protected thing on the ship, because naval ships relied on these signals (thing hand shapes in a signed language-both parties need to know what each person/party is saying). Therefore, the book’s spine was weighted down, and normally, during an attack the book could be thrown overboard and lost to the enemy. This book, for some reason, never made it overboard. The other two items I loved so much were a set of letters, both from around 1797. One letter was from Horatio Nelson, explaining how he had taken control of the sailors in Egypt that had been threatening revolt. The other letter was from a simple deckhand who had fought and helped Horatio Nelson win the Battle of Trafalgar. This letter was such a prize, because it was especially rare for a deckhand to be able to read and write, have the paper and time to write, and live long enough to have his letter mailed. Also, the difference in the letters was remarkable. The deckhand used every inch of the paper on both sides to write his family, while Nelson wrote with spacious large words, only taking up half of one side of the sheet of paper. Oh what money and status will grant you!

After the National Maritime Museum, I eagerly rushed back to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to wait in line for a resale ticket for Titus Andronicus. It is the last week the play will be on, and it’s one of my favorites; I’m not going to miss it! Unfortunately I didn’t get a ticket tonight, but I plan to try again tomorrow. While waiting in line I met two very interesting people though. The woman in front of me said she has been currently living in Switzerland, though originally a Londoner. And the man between us was from Brazil. He said he was in Belgium yesterday, and really wanted to experience the theatre while he had the chance. It was so great getting to talk with them for the time I did; such a mix of culture and personality doesn’t come along often, and our visit will last with me for a lifetime.

Here’s the link to the National Maritime Museum’s Caird Library and Archive website:

http://www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/collections/by-type/archive-and-library/the-caird-library-collection

Day 12: The Barbican & St. Paul’s (British Studies LIS)

St. Paul’s Cathedral

This morning we took a trip into the heart of London. We caught the bus to The City, which is the actual one square mile area that is London, and headed to an area called the Barbican. Historically speaking, the area where the Barbican is built now was completely flattened during WWII when the Germans were attempting to bomb St. Paul’s Cathedral. So they decided to rebuild a complete community, including cafes, stores, restaurants, libraries, theatres, and flats, within the space and called it the Barbican! We were very lucky to have individual tours of the Barbican Library, the Children’s Library, and the Music Library, which is award-winning and one of only two in the City.

These tours were excellent, and the librarians were extraordinarily nice, patient, and fun! They even gave us bags at the end with literature about the library and upcoming events, including their contact information if we have more questions. This visit really helped me understand the difficulties that come with working in a lending library in a place like London. Funding, space management, and reaching all demographics are a lot more difficult than I would have ever imagined. But the Barbican librarians still find a way to manage everything professionally and effectively, while (obviously) enjoying their jobs. What I really found fascinating about the Barbican is that they use RFID technology to check out their materials. So, for instance, there is a RFID tag in the book that I want to check out-all I have to do is use one of their self-checkout kiosks, place the book on the specified counter, where a RFID scanner is embedded, and the book is registered under my name. It is very simple for the patrons to use, and though I’ve read about RFID, I’ve never actually had any experience with it.

After finding a small yet delicious Italian restaurant for lunch with some friends, our class met back on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral for our afternoon visit. I volunteered to go with the second half of our group’s tour, so my friends and I headed down to the crypt cafe, where I enjoyed my first afternoon tea and scone! A landmark event, indeed!! I felt the earth shift, the sun rise, and the heavens began to sing! Alright, maybe not all of that, but I will certainly be enjoying many more scones in the near future! When it was our turn for a tour, we breathlessly climbed the multitudes of stares to reach the private level of St. Paul’s, above the crowds of visitors and shock-inducing beauty. We were taken through the small hallways, hidden rooms, and tiny crevices to the cathedral’s private library. What a sight! For as many centuries as it has existed, it was smaller than I expected, but certainly not less amazing! The room was a simple rectangle, yet there were books on every wall, with a second, open and visible level of full shelves above the bottom. After our guide, the library’s caretaker, discussed the library’s role at St. Paul’s with us, he kindly gave us a brief lesson in proper book handling and conservation (bonus treat!). After heading down the spiraling staircase (taking care not to get too dizzy) and making our way through the breathtaking architecture again, my friends Jessica and Stephanie and I visited the oldest pub in London: Ye Old Cheshire Cheese. It was given its current name in 1667, though the first pub built on this site was Horn Tavern, built in 1538. Prior to this it was an inn, during the 13th century, owned by the Carmelite Monastery! Tomorrow we head to Greenwich to visit the National Maritime Museum, and I’m looking forward to the adventure!

The Barbican Library:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/libraries-and-archives/lending-libraries/find-a-library/barbican-library/Pages/default.aspx 

Day 11: London Archaeology Archives & Sherlock Museum (British Studies LIS)

Inside the Sherlock Holmes Museum

Today was a day of new experiences. Our class visited an archaeology archive in the morning, and had the wonderful opportunity to visit a corporate library in the afternoon. This was a change of pace from the previous public and academic libraries we’ve visited. Despite my main interest residing in libraries, I still found the archive experience very interesting and enlightening. There were so many historically important things held in the archive, and they receive new items all the time! One of my favorite items in their collection was a brick from the street in London where the Great Fire started in 1666. This fire practically burned all of London to the ground, and the brick still has soot on it, which I got to touch!

My absolute favorite items both had to do with Shakespeare (surprise, surprise…). A large metal ball, which looks almost like a canon ball was found under the Rose Theatre, and it is believed that during Shakespeare’s time, the ball would be rolled across the stage behind the curtain to create sound effects, such as thunder or changing weather. The second item is a boot, which was also found under the Rose Theatre, that was used by actors during Shakespeare’s acting days. It is made of leather, covers from the ankle to the very bottom of the knee, and laces up the side. And again, I got to touch it!!

Then, after a great lunch from a street market, we visited a very nice corporate library, and had time to visit with all four information specialists who work there. Out of respect for their clients, we are not allowed to mention any details about the corporation. But nonetheless, I am grateful for the experience and insight to the corporate world’s information specialists (librarians!). Based on a project I finished at the end of this spring semester, and my current job in a law firm, I had a very easy time connecting with the specialists and understanding their job descriptions and tasks.

The evening was the funnest part of the day. A group of my classmates and I went to the Sherlock Holmes Museum! After standing in line for over half an hour, and being rained on, we finally got to enter 221B Baker Street! Of course, the whole flat was fictional, recreated to mirror the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle descriptions from the books, but as a Sherlock fan, it was everything I could hope for and more! There were three floors, and each room was completely filled with things from the stories, including Sherlock and Watson hats, Sherlock’s pipe, and a magnifying glass (all these were available as picture props). Then of course, after exploring every nook and cranny in the flat, we stepped next door to the shop. I had to exercise serious restraint, because I wanted to buy one of everything, but managed to make it out the door with only one souvenir. Later my friends and I enjoyed dinner at The Camel and Cabbage pub, which was a blast, and then headed home to prepare for the next day!

More on the London Archaeological Archive and Research Centre (LAARC):

http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/collections-research/laarc/

Our guide, Dan Nesbitt, looking at the brick from the Great Fire of 1666. Photo courtesy of Time Out London: http://www.timeout.com/london/attractions/london-archaeological-archive-and-research-centre-1

Day 10: The National Gallery

Irises by Claude Monet

Today was a lazy, yet great day. I decided to catch up on some sleep, then headed over to Trafalgar Square to visit the National Gallery. The building itself was beautiful, inside and out. With the addition of around 15oo works of priceless art, it’s a sight to behold. Though I have very little education in the art field, it doesn’t affect how much I love it. Granted, I have my favorite artists, eras, and themes, but as a whole, art is something to be appreciated. The Gallery’s works span many centuries, from the late 1100’s to the Post-Impressionists, around the turn of the 20th century.

The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists are certainly my favorite, and I was delightfully surprised with their collection that spanned four rooms! I have always been a Van Gogh fan, but it was their (rather large) Monet collection that fascinated me. There were, of course, his famous paintings of the Japanese Bridge in his garden, and his water lilies, but the piece that I most enjoyed throughout the whole Gallery was his “Irises”. It is tall, framed in a simple gold frame, unfinished around the edges, and placed in the center of his collection in the room. The simple title describes exactly the subject of the painting: irises, painted as Monet looked down upon them on the foot-path in his garden. No photograph of the painting I have found even slightly compares to the actual painting in the Gallery. When I first saw it, I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen, and after I finished admiring the rest of the collection, I went and sat in front of it until the Gallery closed.

Link to the National Gallery, where the collection and artists can be viewed: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk

Link to the National Gallery’s page on Monet’s “Irises”: http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/claude-monet-irises