Death of Cleopatra

Old news, I know!

Actually this is the theme of my latest drawing, which I was inspired to do after my visit to the Petrie Museum in London- or at any rate I had a mind to do something on an Egyptian theme.


The Death of Cleopatra by ~dashinvaine on deviantART

I was also inspired by the Egyptian-themed paintings of Sir Lawrence-Alma Thadema, the Victorian artist who was so unjustly maligned in the decades following his death. John Collier, Alma-Thadema's pupil who also did a nice line in Egyptian subjects, was so dismayed by the modernist-leaning critics who slated Alma-Thadema exclaimed: 'his fame will survive their attacks. And when I recall the pictures that they admire I am glad that they have not praised my dead friend! This I gleaned from a book on Alma-Thadema that I picked up on my last trip to London (I have been up since, meeting my father and sister).

BP Portrait Awards 2011 and Petrie Museum.

Went to the BP Portrait Awards, yesterday, at the National Portrait Gallery. A bit crowded as just opened. Very high standard of work, and some striking images. The enormous painting of a chained nude called 'Holly', by Louis Smith, was the most unusual thing on view. I also liked Daniel Fooks' series of paintings of Peter Capaldi, and David J. Eichenberg's 'Jade'.

Afterwards we went to Petrie Museum and looked at some dead Egyptians.




PS

That dog was still in Camden, in exactly the same place!

Speaking of Lagomorphs...

I've finished my 'Three Hares' painting, which was on the go:


Three Hares painting by ~dashinvaine on deviantART

RIP Lofty

Yesterday saw the passing from this world of a little black bunny called Lofty, no more to turbo across the lawn or hide in the shadows behind the hutch, nor to bite sticks nor to have his ears nibbled by Charlotte, who is now his widow...