Visit to Victoria
& Albert Museum, London, UK
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| Victoria & Albert Museum, London |
The Victoria & Albert Museum is
the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, and is home to over
4.5 million objects from around the world. With galleries from antiquity to the
present day that hail from North America, Europe, East and South Asia, and
North Africa, the V&A can truly be called a museum that represents all of
humanity. Laid out in mostly
chronological fashion, the V&A is easy to navigate and is organized by
geographic location. The ground floor, which houses the majority of the
museum's galleries, is where you should spend the bulk of your time during your
visit.
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| Medieval and Renaissance Permanent Exhibition, V&A, London |
When you first enter the museum,
head to your right, you will see the museum's collection of medieval and
Renaissance-era art from 1350-1600. The
first room houses marble statues, doorways, monuments, fountains, roundels, and
other objects that highlight the explosion of artistic creativity that was
burgeoning during that time and place. One of the highlights is the statue
“Samson Slaying a Philistine” by Giovanni Bologna. Bologna, one of the most
famous and influential sculptors of his day, made the piece for the powerful
Francesco de' Medici. The following room features primarily religious art from
the era, including some beautiful stain glass art, religious altar pieces, and
a chancel taken from a church. The chancel was the most important area of the
church, as Mass was celebrated there, and only members of the clergy or those
directly involved in Mass could go near it. If you go a floor down, you can
view the museum's collection of objects from Europe c. 300-1500.
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| Samson slaying a Philistine, Giovanni Bologna, V&A Museum, London |
Like most art from this time period,
almost every object in these galleries is religious in some manner. However,
that does not detract from the beauty of some of the items gathered here. Some
items to see are early choir book pages, the intricately designed embroidered
panels and tapestries, and the elaborate altar crosses which depict religious
imagery and holy saints. One altar cross is very large in size and decorated with
gold and it serves as a symbol of the church's power at the time. This gallery
also houses some lavish embroidery used for high-ranking clergymen that were to
be worn in church processions. One famous piece of embroidery is the
Butler-Bowden Cape (c. 1330-1350) which is detailed with scenes from the life
of the Virgin Mary, who is surrounded by apostles, saints, and pearl, glass,
and metal details. For those who would like to try on some tunics from this
era, there is a place where you can do just that. In the very same room is a
photograph of a section of the famous Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events
of the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Two other objects you need to see
from this section are the reproduction of the World Map c. 1300 and the famous
Boar and Bear Hunt Tapestry c. 1425-30. The map shows numerous events from the
past, and although America and Australia are missing the map makers did know
that the world was round, not flat. The tapestry, which hails from southern
Netherlands, shows nobles hunting boars and bears, and the events of the hunt
unfold from left to right. An interactive screen lets you learn all about the
tapestry and the events within it, from hunting at the time to the unique
fashion depicted in the tapestry to the way the tapestry itself was made.
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| Raphael Cartoons, V&A Museum, London |
Once you go back up to the ground
floor, you should make your way to the Raphael Exhibit. The room houses the
seven surviving prints of the original ten that comprised the Raphael Cartoons.
Commissioned by Pope Leo X and painted by Raphael in 1515-1516, the cartoons
were full-scale designs for tapestries that were meant to cover the lower walls
of the Sistine Chapel. They are called cartoons as the word “cartoon” is
derived from the Italian word “cartone,” meaning a large sheet of paper or a
preparatory design. Aside from some minor color fade, the paintings remain in a
remarkable state of preservation. The remainder of the floor is home to the
museum's vast collections from East and South Asia. In the South Asian wing of
the floor, I recommend that you see the large Bhairava Mask, which is an angry,
vengeful manifestation of the god Shiva. Alcohol was poured into the mouth from
the rear of the mask, as people from the time believed that drinking from the
mask gave you blessings from the Gods. Other objects you should see in these
galleries include the statues of the Hindu God Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the
Dance and the large collection of carpets and hangings the museum has. The
famous Ardabil Carpet, one of the largest and finest Islamic carpets in
existence, adorns the floor of the museum. As you move from South Asia to East
Asia, you will have the opportunity to check out many objects from the cultures
of Thailand, China, Japan, and Korea. There are many beautiful objects to see
here, including jars, furniture, fashion, sculptures, an imperial throne, and
even some Samurai garb and weaponry.
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| Ardabil Carpet, V&A Museum, London |
Once you have adequately viewed the
galleries on the ground floor, you should pay a visit to the first floor which
focuses on objects from Britain and the rest of Europe. If you take the stairs
up from the right side of the museum, you will be able to walk through a
Roman/Renaissance style city walk that is contrasted by modern couches along
the wall, allowing you a brief reprieve from all the walking you have been
undoubtedly doing. In the first floor you will be able to see more art and
designs from Renaissance-era Europe, including a collection of works from the
famous sculptor Donatello. Also on the first floor is an exhibition dedicated
solely to Britain from 1500-1700. The low lighting of this gallery immerses you
in the art and high-class lifestyle from this time period. Some of the
highlights here include a recreation of a regal, candle-lit room, and the
recreation of a parlour room from 1727. Both of these rooms highlight how this
gallery does such a good job of representing British culture and life from this
time period, albeit with a sole focus on the upper class.
Finally, you should make your way up
to the second floor where you will see the museum's large collection of gold,
silver, metalware, and ironworks. Designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, this
giant choir screen is a supreme achievement of ironwork in the Gothic Revival
style. When you see it, it really is overwhelming and it is the most notable
object on the third floor. Initially dismantled in 1964, the screen was finally
fully restored in 2001. You can learn all about this process thanks to the
wealth of information the museum provides right next to the screen.
Overall, the V&A is a massive
museum with much to see that showcases art in all its forms throughout human
history. Even if you don't wish to delve too deep into any one gallery here,
there is so much eye-candy and aesthetically beautiful objects here that just
strolling through this museum would never be boring. There is always something
new to see here, something wonderful to take in and enjoy.
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| Sculpture Gallery, V&A, London |
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