Cultural Wednesday Wishes
30 April - 6 May 2025
Hello
Welcome to Wednesday Wishes
Gardening, oak trees, houses and the Japanese prints that inspired Van Gogh are all featured over on the blog this week. Unearthed at the British Library, Hirosighe at the British Museum, Of the Oak at Kew Gardens and Do Ho Suh at Tate Modern. Along the way I have been reading The Dolce Vita Divas by Maddie Please. Click on the link for full details on the blog.
Jane Austen and JMW Turner were both born 250 years ago. Did they ever meet, a friend and I pondered on the eve of Turner’s 250th birthday. Turns out we are not the only ones surmising what a meeting between the pair would have been like. Austen and Turner: A Country House Encounter at Harewood House does exactly that. On show are paintings and drawings that Turner created when he really did visit Harewood. From Jane there is the unfinished manuscript of Sanditon. All shown in rooms in which you can imagine Mr Darcy striding into.
Houghton Hall in Norfolk is splendid 18th century Palladian mansion, yet the sculpture that you will find in the estate is contemporary. In addition the impressive permanent collection a different artist is highlighted. This year it is the turn of Stephen Cox. Twenty or so of his works will adorn the house the gardens with an exhibition of his works on paper as well.
I have news of two society ladies quitting London for the summer and taking up residence in Suffolk. Mary, Countess Howe and Lady Brisco will be vacating Kenwood House and heading to Gainsborough House in Sudbury. They will be accompanied by four other paintings by Gainsborough along with works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Angelica Kaufmann and George Romney. Kenwood: The Splendour of British & French Painting opens at the weekend at Gainsborough’s House. To tempt you further Gainsborough House has an excellent tea room and a very tempting shop.
The National Gallery is giving us a present to celebrate their 200th birthday. From now until 17 August on Fridays you pay as little as £1 to visit José María Velasco: A View of Mexico. Pay as You Wish tickets need to booked online, in person or on the phone and will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
Drum roll please. The nominees for the Art Fund Museum of the Year has been revealed. Round of applause for Beamish, the Living Museum of the North in County Durham, Chapter in Cardiff, Compton Verney in Warwickshire, Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast and the Perth Museum in, well, Perth. I have been to Beamish and Compton Verney and love them both. The others are new to me and now added to my list. Which ones have you visited. The winner will be announced on 26 June.
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Happy Culturing