Da Vinci Exhibit at the National Gallery in London
Nov 16th, 2011, 02:18 PM
#1
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Da Vinci Exhibit at the National Gallery in London
Have you seen the exhibit? Tickets are sold out but is it possible to get tickets through other means? I may end up in London in January. What are my chances of getting to see this once in a lifetime Da Vinci display? All those masterpieces under one roof....
Nov 16th, 2011, 09:18 PM
#3
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Are you really interested in Da Vinci? Are you really capable of deriving any knowledge or enlightenment from seeing actual paintings, rather than looking at them online or in the (excellent) catalogue?
All British blockbuster exhibitions are hellish (the price we pay for living in a country with high population density): those at the National hellishest of all. Its "blockbuster" space is hopelessly inadequate, and those vile walkie-talkie things they give (or charge for) turn horror into complete atrocity, as circulation is brought to a complete halt at every electronically-tagged "must gawp at"
Even if you're shocked at my question, you'd do well to buy the catalogue (or if you're a skinflint, download the exhibition guide for free), read it, and then think hard about whether seeing nine actual pictures - all easily visitable - really matters that much to you. (There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the accompanying bulking agents - the coins, drawings etc - are utterly unsuitable for viewing in this kind of environment, especially in a city so awash with Leonardo and Michelangelo minor works, and display cases where they can be seen properly, and in comfort)
"Sell outs" are no guarantee of anything. Every Manchester United football match is sold out, for example: most sensible people would pay good money never to have to sit through 90 minutes of such uncomfortable tedium.
Personally, I'd get far more out of the time otherwise stuck in the daily queue and dying of claustrophobia inside the exhibition by walking round the blissfully empty - and free - rooms in the main galleries.
But chacun a son gout. If you want to queue for the daily allocation, I'd imagine being in the queue an hour before the Gallery opens will be necessary. But google before leaving home to see what up to date reports are implying.
All British blockbuster exhibitions are hellish (the price we pay for living in a country with high population density): those at the National hellishest of all. Its "blockbuster" space is hopelessly inadequate, and those vile walkie-talkie things they give (or charge for) turn horror into complete atrocity, as circulation is brought to a complete halt at every electronically-tagged "must gawp at"
Even if you're shocked at my question, you'd do well to buy the catalogue (or if you're a skinflint, download the exhibition guide for free), read it, and then think hard about whether seeing nine actual pictures - all easily visitable - really matters that much to you. (There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that the accompanying bulking agents - the coins, drawings etc - are utterly unsuitable for viewing in this kind of environment, especially in a city so awash with Leonardo and Michelangelo minor works, and display cases where they can be seen properly, and in comfort)
"Sell outs" are no guarantee of anything. Every Manchester United football match is sold out, for example: most sensible people would pay good money never to have to sit through 90 minutes of such uncomfortable tedium.
Personally, I'd get far more out of the time otherwise stuck in the daily queue and dying of claustrophobia inside the exhibition by walking round the blissfully empty - and free - rooms in the main galleries.
But chacun a son gout. If you want to queue for the daily allocation, I'd imagine being in the queue an hour before the Gallery opens will be necessary. But google before leaving home to see what up to date reports are implying.
Nov 16th, 2011, 11:22 PM
#4
Original Poster
Thank you, janis and flanner. I do appreciate flanner's pragmatic point of view. I'll be satisfied with the catalogue. I was hoping to see the Lady with Ermine while in Krakow last month but found out that the Lady is traveling and the Czartoryski Museum is closed for renovation.
Nov 17th, 2011, 08:35 AM
#6
"<i>I'll be satisfied with the catalogue. </i>"
Probably a good choice. A few years ago I went to the Hogarth at Tate Britain - popular and sold out but not nearly the blockbuster of DaVinci. I literally saw nothing. Well maybe not literally, but nearly. It was sooooo crowded. There are timed tickets of course, but no 'timed exits'. So the crowds just keep building. I've been to other big exhibitions and while some are more manageable, most are unfortunately a real hassle.
Probably a good choice. A few years ago I went to the Hogarth at Tate Britain - popular and sold out but not nearly the blockbuster of DaVinci. I literally saw nothing. Well maybe not literally, but nearly. It was sooooo crowded. There are timed tickets of course, but no 'timed exits'. So the crowds just keep building. I've been to other big exhibitions and while some are more manageable, most are unfortunately a real hassle.
Nov 17th, 2011, 09:24 AM
#7
we were lucky enough to see a Leonardo Exhibition in the Uffizi a few years ago. it featured several paintings as well as a number of statutes, inventions, writings, etc. the best bit about it was that you could really see things and study the information about the exhibits.
if you can't get close enough to do that, no point in going, IMHO.
if you can't get close enough to do that, no point in going, IMHO.
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