Dulwich Picture Gallery

Last week, I was lucky enough to visit Dulwich college in London where I had the chance to spend some time with “The James Caird” - an iconic lifeboat once used by Ernest Shackleton and five of his men in their truly mind-blowing, 800 mile journey to survival after being stranded off the coast of Antarctica.

It was an experience that will stay with me for a very long time - not only for the sheer emotion of seeing the real boat, but also for how it further cemented my admiration for what Shackleton and his men achieved. So, for those of you who would like to learn more (or remind yourselves again) about their heroic exploits, do check out the article I wrote on Shackleton’s portrait last year (here).

But as I was in Dulwich, I also took advantage of the time to also head down the road and pay a first visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery - which is home to a relatively small but still very substantial collection of old master paintings. (Plus, I am told, also happens to be the oldest public art gallery in England).

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So, while I would have loved for you all to join me for the real visit in person - still, I thought I would make today a kind of virtual group visit instead.

Of course, there are far too many works in the collection for me to feature in full - but even so, I hope you will all enjoy this as a little metaphorical stroll about some of my personal highlights.

Piero di Cosimo - A Young Man

Painted around 1500 and listed as the oldest work in the Dulwich Collection - this portrait by Piero di Cosimo was originally purchased because it was believed to be by Leonardo da Vinci.

But to be honest, that attribution was always highly speculative - especially considering the colour palette, pose, brushwork, and general style of this portrait are all nowhere what we would expect from Leonardo.