Add a review about the Gallery of the Courto Institute

In this case, as is often the case in London, you can immediately see two attractions: a collection of paintings and a famous building.

Now there are more than 26 thousand exhibits covering the period between 15 and 20 centuries, but most importantly - the best in Britain collection of paintings by impressionists and post-impressionists.

Building

The building is called Somerset House. The first palace on this site was built, correspondingly, by the Duke of Somerset, regent under the young king - the son of Henry VIII. The story ended badly: the duke was executed, the palace became the Crown's property and still remains there (with a small pause during the civil war).

At the palace it affected, of course, it was rebuilt, enlarged and acquired a stormy history. Here in the youth (before the coronation) lived the future Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII, and many subsequent queens of England, here worked Oliver Cromwell, then died one of the two architects who determined the face of the historical part of London - Inigo Jones (the second was Christopher Ren, and he also worked here), as well as there were conspiracies, assassinations, political murders, reforms and much more.

The first palace was built here in the middle of the 16th century, practically nothing remained of it. More importantly, three other points: the reorganization of the project of Inigo Jones in 1652, the rebuilding of Christopher Wren's project later, and the last major rebuilding of the project by William Chambers in 1780, which completed some of the beginnings of Inigo Jones, is precisely this building now.

A unique construction was obtained, to which three famous architects immediately put their hand. The building in plan looks like a rectangle, with a huge courtyard in the center and a terrace on the other side of the Thames.

After the unlucky duke of Somerset House, princesses and queens lived, royal events were held, and the restructuring of it by William Chambers was made to turn a building for the residence of state organizations: there were a maritime office, barge office, salt, postal and others, and as part of the development of education part of the building was allocated to the Royal Academy of Arts, the Royal Scientific Society and the University ETU London. This last moment connected Somerset House with the gallery of the Courto Institute

The history of the creation

The Courtauld Institute of Art was founded in 1932 at the University of London as an independent college working for its own money (received from philanthropists). There they taught art history and other art related disciplines.

The founders who created and paid for this college were three, and all of them were owners of large collections of works of art.

The most impressive collection, consisting of paintings of impressionists and post-impressionists, belonged to industrialist Samuel Courto. After the opening of the college, he gave him his collection, created a gallery in the college and opened it for the public. So in the collection there were paintings by Claude Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec and Modigliani. Later, two other patrons did the same thing.

I must say that the gallery of the Institute of Courtois is still practically not buying paintings - it was replenished mainly at the expense of gifts, quickly thus grew and since 1989 occupies all the allocated once, then under the university part of the building.

The college also still exists, still specializes in the history of art, only students are admitted to its premises, but the Kurto Institute gallery is open to the public and can be viewed.

Collection

Now in the collection more than 26 thousand . @ exhibits covering the period between the 15th and 20th centuries . Here you can see paintings by Peter Brueghel the Elder, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Tintoretto, 29 paintings by Rubens, canvases by Van Dyck, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Gainsborough, but most importantly - the best collection in Britain impressionists and postimpresses Ionists . Van Gogh's famous self-portrait (the one on which he is cut off with his ear), Claude Monet's landscapes, Degas ballerinas, several paintings by Renoir (including the famous "Theatrical Lodge"), 12 paintings by Cezanne, several paintings by Gauguin, much more . At the moment it is one of the best collections of impressionists in the world outside of France .

Be sure to go there if you like impressionism - this is a big and interesting collection. And if you do not go to the gallery, then the place is still very nice: an elegant light old building, in the center of the courtyard fountain, quietly - in general, sit out a pleasure.

Overview of the gallery collection of the Courta Institute

Practical information

The gallery is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 daily.

Ticket price: 6 GBP to September 21 and 8, 50 GBP from September 22, students and children under the age of 18 go free.

Also there are temporary exhibitions , always very good.

Official address: London, WC2R 0RN, Strand, Somerset House, The Courtauld Institute of Art. Finding the gallery is very simple: it comes out the frontage and the front door to the interesting tourist street Strand. The nearest metro station is "Temple", it is very near, it takes 5 minutes to walk.

Around the Gallery

The Gallery is in an interesting place, with many sights . Covent Garden - theatrical district across the road from it with a mass of theaters and a preserved historic building . A little farther to the City is Holborn - the judiciary district, in which the old Ines (historically it is something like a medieval hostel for lawyers), and one of them - the Temple Inn - is completely near . Gallery goes to the streets Strand - once it was a Roman road, now there are a lot of historical buildings, theaters and the famous hotel "Savoy" .

There are many cafes and restaurants here, and in Covent Garden and Holborn, including good ones , but if you want more expensive, but better - then look for it better in Holborn.