Sunday, August 26, 2007

Best Museum Display Ever

Why did no one tell me the V&A had an entire gallery dedicated to wrought iron? It's officially the most fabulous artistic medium known to man. Just look at this lot:


(This - above - is the best picture I've ever taken, apart from that one I took at the May Day protest in 1999 of a bunch of lefty wastrels with a French Revolutionary placard, which I have now sadly lost. I think my outlook on life has altered somewhat in the intervening eight years.)



And just for good measure, here's a picture of a filthy frieze on Exhibition Road:


And just because I'm having such a splendid, photograph-y day, here's a plaque from under the railway bridge at Stamford Brook. I have no idea what it means, but it must mean something to someone:


Ahh, London on Bank Holiday is great.


UPDATE: I made the nice picture into a negative using The Gimp (because I am too stupid for Photoshop), and I'm posting it here just because I like it:


8 comments:

ScroobiousScrivener said...

Yup, that's one of my favourite bits in the whole museum. And since that's my favourite museum, well, that's practically my favourite gallery in the Whole World.

Nice photos. I woulda liked to see the May Day one as well, but hey.

Tim F said...

I prefer the rococo version: overwrought iron.

James Henry said...

*applauds*

cello said...

Have you just acquired a new camera? Lovely pics though. Would like some curtains in the negative pattern.

Taiga the Fox said...

Really nice photos, Patroclus. I'm fond of the wrought iron as well. It's a shame that contemporary artists don't use it, because I'd like to fill a museum with that. Well, at least one corner of the museum, but anyway.

patroclus said...

Thanks all!

Scroobious: The May Day one is probably infinitely better in my memory than it ever was in reality.

Tim: VG. Is 'wrought' the past participle of 'wreak', incidentally? If so, it's probably the best verb in the English language.

Cello: I will shoot a .jpg over to Osborne & Little post-haste. Camera isn't new, but I am very self-conscious of taking photos, so I don't do it very often. Although I'm very self-conscious about most things, so no real surprise there.

Taiga: I wonder why contemporary artists don't use it. They could come up with some fabulous stuff. Maybe we should try to institute a Wrought Iron Revival.

llewtrah said...

Billy and I passed through the wrought iron gallery while looking for the musical instruments gallery.

patroclus said...

Sounds like you went the right way, Llewtrah - James and I accidentally ended up in the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass section, and had to leave immediately because our pagan skin (and, in his case, pagan beard) had started to burn.