The British Museum in a Mask

The British Museum is open again and, like many places, requires you to wear a mask, has free ticketed entry and a one-way route to follow, ending with the shop. The way in is the same, over to the big tent for bags to be checked and then into the main entrance, get your ticket scanned in the courtyard and then join the queue to get into the exhibition rooms and start the route. Only the ground floor is open at the moment, and not all the rooms, but it was nice to be back. Luckily for me, there was no queue when I arrived so I went straight in to be faced by the Rosetta Stone. 

And there we are, faced with the giant statues of Amenhotep III, in one of the Ancient Egyptian rooms. As it is with most places and exhibitions, the first few rooms were busiest as people adapt to the space, and then the numbers start noticeably thinning out. I wandered round, gawping at the ancient artifacts, All too soon I was surrounded by Assyrian strangeness with winged angels and lions defending doorways and suddenly I was in Ancient Greece.

Exhibits of statues and jars in glass cases and people carefully examining the designs and trying to follow them round the shape of the jars. And then the Parthenon room with those axing friezes. The last time I was in that room it was so crowded I couldn't wait to get out but my recent visit was far more relaxed with maybe a dozen or so people in the room. It was far more relaxed and I had plenty of time and space to examine the carvings. I've always been fascinated by the intricate drapery of the flowing gowns worn by the women in those friezes and I love the fighting centaurs.

In the next room, set in front or a reconstructed Greek temple is Grayson Perry's 'Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman' dedicated to all those unnamed craftsmen over the millennia that made the exhibits in the Museum. It's a galleon sailing their spirits into immortality. It was one of the highlights of the visit.  

Suddenly I was back in Egypt and there was mighty Rameses II. Rameses always makes me think of Shelley's 'Ozymandias' and the much quoted line, 'Look on my works ye mighty and despair'. Rameses was a great builder so no wonder statues of him have been found all over Egypt.

Then downstairs into the Africa rooms with some great Benin bronzes, before heading back upstairs to wander through the Native American rooms to the Mexico rooms and then a room full of old books that are so tempting to touch, probably reminiscent of the old British Library. Then to the shop where you can buy loads of things to do with the subject matter in the Museum, including their own facemarks - I got one with the Rosetta Stone inscription as decoration. Then out the exit into fresh air, also known as the back door.

I really enjoyed the visit and the Museum has carefully planned the route to take in as much as possible while keeping visitors safe. I was probably there for an hour or so wandering along the route and it would be easy to spend longer if you actually look at everything properly. Entry is timed and ticketed but is still free so, if you've got the time, it's well worth a visit. Remember to bring a mask.

Favourite Paintings: 'The Skiff' by Renoir

'The Skiff' by Renoir is a favourite painting in the National Gallery. I've seen it many times and whenever I step into the room it's in my eyes are drawn to it by the gorgeous colours pulling at me. All those blues and greens with the slash of orange and yellow for the skiff itself. The painting shrieks of summer and sunshine and warmth with the dappled water and sun reflecting off everything. Those poor ladies in the boat must have been sweltering in all that sun with all those clothes, especially the rower.

I like looking at the details in the painting as well as absorbing the radiated heat. The railway bridge, the colourful house, the yacht, the indistinct people on the bank (partners of the ladies?), the clump of reeds. I love all the reflections in the water, spreading more colour into the water. It's also easy to see the brush-strokes, particularly in the water around the paddle. It looks like the waves were created by a brush simply dabbing at the canvas and the different shades create the dappled effect. It took me a long time to learn to look at the details in paintings rather than concentrate on the overall effect but it's very rewarding.

If you're in London it's well worth a visit to the National Gallery (enmasked, of course) to see this painting for yourself. Don't just glance at it, look at it.