20: Admire impressionist masterpieces for free at the Courtault Institute

Alongside world-class museums including the National Gallery, the British Museum or the Tate Modern, London is host to less popular museums that also display outstanding works of art. In the Courtault gallery, housed by the sumptuous Somerset House on the Strand, you won’t queue to get your ticket, nor will you struggle to get a glimpse at the paintings, as it is hardly ever crowded (as you can see on the pictures…). The building itself, with its elegant rooms and monumental staircase, is a jewel box for an equally understated collection:

The ground floor features interesting works from the Middle Ages, but the Courtault is undoubtedly renown for the impressionist paintings of the 1^st floor. Manet’s “A bar at the Folies-Bergère”, famous for its mirror reflection of the scene and the mysterious air of the waitress, is the star of the collection, followed by other masterpieces by Monet or Renoir. The much-admired Cézanne’s “Card players” and an nth view of Mount Sainte-Victoire are displayed alongside Gauguin’s paintings of Tahitian girls.

The top floor gathers aerial sculptures of dancers by Degas, and a collection of paintings from the 21^st century, including fauvist works.

The collection is completed with several Renaissance and Baroque paintings, and drawings from masters such as Da Vinci or Canaletto.

The best part of it being that you can enter the Courtault Gallery for free every Monday before 2pm, or at any time if you’re a student. Now there’s no excuse to miss this opportunity!

Nearest Tube Station: Temple

Link to the Courtault Institute Website

011: Visit the new Medieval and Renaissance Galleries at the V&A

the central courtyard

Just when I was thinking that a museum about the middle Ages was really missing in London, the V&A announced the opening of its new Medieval and Renaissance Galleries. These brand new galleries opened on the 2^nd of December – but I already wonder how the Victoria and Albert could pretend to be a comprehensive design museum without them.

Casket representing the assassination of Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170

To me, they totally fit in the V&A, and are like the rest of the museum: a motley collection of more or less fascinating and/ or beautiful objects. The new galleries feature artefacts representing the art and culture of Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to the modern times. They include statues, tapestries, altarpieces, ceramics, fountains, bits of church furniture, books…

Stained glass representing the temptation of the Christ by Satan

All these luxury objects – most of them are in enamel or gilded silver, while the tapestries and ceramics display rich colours – convey a feeling of wealth and sophistication, far from the general impression that medieval ages were a time of darkness. Although the overall is unequal and not always very didactic, there’s really something for everyone.

A notebook belonging to Da Vinci. The curators will turn the pages from time to time, to avoid deterioration

Nearest tube station: South Kensington