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.

'Ming' at The British Museum

As an end-of-year treat I went to see the 'Ming' exhibition at the British Museum. I've been meaning to see it for a while now but finally found the time, a mere week before it closes. That's cutting it fine. It was nice to see it quite busy but not uncomfortably so.

It's billed as showing objects from 50 years in the Ming dynasty of Chinese emperors, between 1400-1450, the years when the capital moved to Beijing. The Ming dynasty lasted for around 300 years so this exhibition focuses on the artistic flowering of the dynasty at the same time as the early Renaissance was emerging in Italy. There's little to compare the two artistic 'movements' since they have very different roots but they do come together with the final exhibit.

There's a very wide range of objects on display, big and small, some directly impressive and others that you need to look at quite carefully. Some glittery and shiny and others quite plain. But mostly fascinating.

There were the expected Ming vases and other ceramics but the flowering of art in China at the time was so much more than vases. There was paintings, some with the simple brush strokes evoking cherry blossoms on long scrolls and others were portraits of emperors and senior courtiers. There was metal-work of various kinds, from swords to statues and religious objects. There were cloths and embroideries and lacquerware boxes and all sorts of stuff, something for everyone.

One of my favourite exhibits was a pair of generals guarding a tomb, with the detail in their clothes and boots and helmets, their grim facial expressions that say 'don't mess with me or else' that made me smile (for which I apologised since they're supposed to invoke terror). They're both about three feet tall and would've held a spear (see their hands linked around something no longer there). The detail of their clothes is astonishing and even the stitching of their boots can still plainly be seen. I'd love to have them guarding my front door, one on each side - they would keep the junk mail away most satisfactorily, I think.

One part of the exhibition was about religion at the time and held various religious artefacts from the time. One display case held examples t represent the main religions practiced at the time: a lovely bronze Buddha image, a Daoist tableaux showing a hierarchy of the gods and a small copy of the Koran with Chinese symbols. I had no idea that Islam was so widespread in China at the time but, given that China traded with a good portion of the world it's not really that surprising.

The final exhibit is an Italian painting - 'The Adoration of the Magi' by Mantegna - that stood out like a sore thumb in the exhibition. It was there to show the extent of Chinese influence. Look closely ad you'll see the bald Magi presenting a small white and blue porcelain bowl filled with gold for the Christ child. In a display case beside the painting was a small porcelain bowl with a similar floral design. The bowl in the painting has been identified as having been made in the imperial factory in Jingdezhen sometime between 1403-1424.  When Mantegna was working in Italy at the end of the 1400s the Ming porcelain was a treasure of such value and rarity that it was appropriate to show it as fitting gift for the son of God.

It's a fascinating exhibition but it closes on 5 January 2015 - go and see it if you can.