Mantegna and Bellini exhibition at the National Gallery

The new exhibition at the National Gallery is a joint one about the paintings and drawings of Andrea Mantegna and Giovanni Bellini, brothers in law and painters from the second half of the 15th century in north eastern Italy. The National Gallery is lucky to have a number of their paintings in its collection including paintings of 'The Agony In The Garden' they each painted separately.

It was these 'compare and contrast' elements of the exhibition that I really liked. I'm very familiar with the two 'Agony in the Garden' paintings but it was interesting to see how they dealt with other themes, such as Christ's descent into Limbo and the 'Presentation of Christ in the Temple' - I really liked at the intricate detail in Mantegna's version, such as the gold thread on the hems of clothes. It was also good to see their different treatments of the Crucifixion.

Bellini's version is stripped back and personal, setting the scene in an Italian landscape whereas Mantegna's is a much bigger scene with crowds, a fainting Virgin and soldiers gambling at the foot of the cross. Same story but very different treatment.

One painting that really captured my attention was Bellini's 'Lamentation Over The Dead Christ' which, I think, was painted with ink on a base of gesso. A simple composition completed with a minimum of fuss but it is incredibly powerful. Just look at the faces of the three men in the background, how individual they are and admire the skill that takes. They're distinct from one another, not generic faces - those men lived.

As well as the inevitable religious paintings both artists lived at a time when the classics were being rediscovered and paintings on classical themes were popular so we have a number of those on display. There are three very large paintings by Mantegna that are part of his nine painting series on the 'Triumph of Caeser' (my favourite was the one with the elephants) which are full of classical detail. There is also Mantagna's 'Minerva Expelling The Vices From The Garden Of Virtue'.

I first noticed this mad painting while wandering around the Louvre a few years ago and it grabbed my attention - what on earth is going on here? what are these strange creatures and why is that fat man being carried away? I don't know the story this painting is telling and part of me doesn't want to know. I like the madness and mystery of it as a rather over-dressed warrior Minerva chases all the weirdos out of her garden.

Bellini also explored classical themes and my favourite was his 'Feast of the Gods' that later had bits added to it by Titian. Here we see the gods having an outdoor party in the woods and the men are feeling amorous, one with his hand at the crotch of his female companion and another lifting the hem of a sleeping woman's robe. I loved the satyr on the far left whose goats body seems to begin just under his bare bum. I wonder who commissioned this painting and what was specified in the contract?

There's a lot to see in this exhibition and it's worth taking your time to drink in the detail. There's a lovely catalogue in the exhibition shop but the postcards are a disappointment, only available as packs rather than individual cards. The National Gallery has done this for its last few exhibitions and that's a shame since everyone likes to take something home from an exhibition and postcards are ideal, but not necessarily a pack of them. I'll be returning to the exhibition again to see what else I can spy that I missed on this visit.