Leaflet by 229730

Featuring the ‘Death of Marat’ By Jacques Louis David

Map Room 3 Room 2

Room 4

Room 5

Room 1

The main entrance will lead you into the first room of the gallery, and you can choose your own route around as more than one room can be accessed at a time.

Introduction This exhibition illustrates paintings that depict Historical events and capture elements from famous wars and revolutions such as ‘The Raft of The Medusa’ and ‘Liberty of The Leading People’. Some paintings such as the ‘The Raft of The Medusa’ illustrate romanticism. Romanticism is a style that began in the early 1800’s until the 1850’s, it was shown through visual arts, music, and literature. Romanticism emphasised imagination and emotions, instead of just the appreciation of historical events. This style of painting will be shown in majority of the paintings that you will see during your visit. In your visit you will see some famous paintings by Pablo Picasso ‘Guernica’ and Jacques Louis David ‘The Death of Marat’.

Room 1

‘The Execution of Lady Jane Grey’ By Paul Delaroche

In Room 1 there is the painting ‘The Execution of Lady Jane Grey’ by Paul Delaroche. This painting replicates Lady Jane Grey, the former queen of England, on the ground kneeling before her execution. Lady Jane Grey became Queen for 9 days as she was the granddaughter of Henry VIII. After his son, Edward died at the age of 15. The vote of queen was between Lady Jane Grey protestant or Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine Of Aragon, she had the vote of the catholic worshippers. Lady Jane Grey was voted for Queen, however Mary tried Lady Jane Grey for treason and she was then executed. Mary then became the next Queen of England replacing Lady Jane Grey, and then was known as “Bloody Mary”.

‘We Are Making A New World’ By Paul Nash

There is also the painting ‘We Are Making a New World’ by Paul Nash. This painting illustrates the view over a desolate landscape with shattered trees, the earth a mass of shell holes. This captures Nash’s view of the war and what he saw whilst he was a soldier. His early drawings were bright and colourful, he painted natural scenes which appeared undisturbed by war. However, after three months in the war Nash became injured and was sent back to England. During his leave, he exhibited some war paintings in London. Once he returned to France during the battle of Passchendaele his witnessed much more war and focussed his artwork on landscape that was ruined during the war.

Room 2

‘Liberty of The Leading People’ By Eugene Delacroix

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Liberty Leading the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was painted by Eugene Delacroix in 1830. This painting replicates the event of the French revolution, also known as the July revolution in 1830 against King Charles X. The focus of this painting is the woman that stands in the centre holding the flag of the French revolution. She is perceived as the goddess of liberty who leads the people over the bodies of the fallen. She holds the tri coloured flag, which we know today as the French national flag. This flag was banned at the time of the revolution which helps to visualise rebelliousness of the woman, and shows that she was fighting for freedom.

‘The Raft of The Medusa’ By Theodore Gericault

The painting by Theodore Gericault illustrates a beaten raft in the ocean with 18 men lie on it defeated. It is easy to tell that they feel defeated as many of the men only have small amounts of clothes on if any, showing that they have been trying to survive on this raft for several days. The atmosphere in this painting is gloomy and discouraging, this is shown through the dark colours in the waves. However, Gericault uses bright tones on the men, to highlight and to show their hope using chiaroscuro. This creates emotion within his work and makes it a romanticism piece. The light is coming from the same direction that the ship is coming in, and from above. This may emphasise a heavenly light therefore giving some of the men led down an angelic glow which could represent their death. Another way that their death has been signified is using red rags to highlight the danger they may face.

‘The Death of Marat’ By Jacques Louis David

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Death of Maratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shows a man named Marat who appears to have died in his bath tub. The knife at the bottom of the painting near his hand shows that it was either suicide or murder, and his case it was murder. The choice of David using a bright red colour for the blood helps for us to conclude that it was a murder. The murder was carried out by Charlotte Corday, she told Marat she had something to tell him and this was how she entered his home to commit this crime. David painted his figure to have sense of innocence and is also Jesus like to show that he may be resurrected like Jesus.

Room 3

‘Guernica’ By Pablo Picasso

‘Guernica’ was painted by Pablo Picasso in 1937, this mural sized painting was completed in oil paint and kept in a grey scale. The colours are kept dark because this painting represents the Spanish civil war that caused death on many innocent civilians. The emotions on their faces are illustrated through Picasso’s style of cubism which creates a distorted face and body. The way the figurines are positioned makes it look as if they are in pain or shouting out. They may be shouting out as they're are under stress and panic as there are what seems to be lots of people stuck in one room. However, in the background there is an open window and door as we see a figure coming through the window. Perhaps the people cannot see a way out because of so many people in chaos and admit defeat like they would’ve during the Spanish civil war.

‘The Third of May’ By Francisco Goya

‘The Second of May’ By Francisco Goya

‘The Third of May 1808’ was created by a Spanish painter Francisco Goya in 1814. This painting illustrates the French Napoleon as they are about to fire their weapons at the Spanish defendants on the left-hand side. This painting represents a six-year war that took place in Spain as the French tried to rule. This war was known as the Peninsular war which lasted from 1807-1814. This painting is set at night, this sets the mood of the painting as there is an absence of light from the sky. Light would suggest hope however there is no light to be seen in the sky so a dark and mysterious tone in created. The only source of light in this painting is created by the lantern, which shines on the defendants that hold their hands up to the French Napoleon that aim their weapons towards them. ‘The Second of May’ another painting by Goya can also be found in Room 1.

Room 4 & Room 5 These two rooms do not contain any paintings, they are the hallways to enter rooms in different rooms. Room 5 has a fire exit door, to only enter if the fire alarm is sounded or in case of an emergency. If in room 1 or 2 it will be easiest to exit from the main entrance door, however if in room 3,4,5 please exit the fire door if needed. Room 4 has a poster of the exhibition that is currently being held at the gallery.

Fire Exit

Information Exhibition Opening Times Monday 9:00 – 17:30 Tuesday 9:00 – 17:30 Wednesday 9:00 – 17:30 Thursday 9:00 – 17:30 Friday 9:00 – 17:30 Saturday 9:00 – 17:30 Sunday 9:00 – 17:30

Eating and Drink Cafes and shops are found in our separate building just next to The Gallery of Historic Art. The Historic Café Monday – Sunday 7:00 – 21:00 The Gallery of Historic Art shop Monday – Sunday 9:00 – 17:30