High Art Low Countries

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Andrew Graham-Dixon is on fine form in Part 2 of this series ... caught the last part where he discusses the townscape of Delft by Vermeer and quite lost interest in the footie ...

[Tapiola]

Andrew Graham-Dixon is on fine form in Part 2 of this series ... caught the last part where he discusses the townscape of Delft by Vermeer and quite lost interest in the footie ...

Totally agree Calum.

As I mentioned on the AA thread, I feel he strikes the right balance between erudition and accessibility in his presentations and the art itself is just...well...awe-inspiring, in particular, for me, the late Rembrandt self-portraits and Vermeer.

[Anna]

Don't understand footie. I have a book, AJAX The Dutch, The War, Europe during seccnd WW2, it's by Simon Kuper.

Not read it it, anyone want it?

[vinteuil]

Andrew Graham-Dixon is on fine form ...

... I agree.

Good to see this as a separate thread - there has been some mention of the programme in the AA zone -

... loved it. He was good on the protestant iconoclasm behind the marvellous Saenredams, he was excellent on Rembrandt, and his presentation of Vermeer's View of Delft was a joy - made me re-read the death of Bergotte in Proust to remind myself how important that yellow patch of wall was...

[Tapiola]

Don't understand footie. I have a book, AJAX The Dutch, The War, Europe during seccnd WW2, it's by Simon Kuper.

Not read it it, anyone want it?

That sounds right up my street. (I have a vested interest.)

[johncorrigan]

Andrew Graham-Dixon is on fine form in Part 2 of this series ... caught the last part where he discusses the townscape of Delft by Vermeer and quite lost interest in the footie ...

Haven't seen part 2 yet due to hols, but part one was fascinating especially AGD's take on Bruegel's 'Fall of Icarus', and the Bosch's 'Christ carrying the Cross'. Highlight for me, however, was the illuminated manuscript which was glorious and led on to Van Eyck's altarpiece in Ghent - pretty mind blowing, I thought. Mrs C and I thought it looked worth a visit.

http://closertovaneyck.kikirpa.be/#home/sub=altarpiece

[vinteuil]

thought bruegel was breugel

... or indeed Brueghel -

"Pieter Bruegel (about 1525-69), usually known as Pieter Bruegel the Elder to distinguish him from his elder son, was the first in a family of Flemish painters. He spelled his name Brueghel until 1559, and his sons retained the "h" in the spelling of their names. "

[Nick Armstrong]

Highlight for me, however, was the illuminated manuscript which was glorious and led on to Van Eyck's altarpiece in Ghent - pretty mind blowing, I thought. Mrs C and I thought it looked worth a visit.

It is - seeing it in reality is unforgettable

And I agree - that illuminated manuscript was extraordinary!