Last September we visited the Queen’s Gallery by Holyrood Palace. On that visit the facility was offered to convert the attendance ticket to one that allowed entry for a year.

Accordingly last week we took the opportunity to take in the latest exhibition there, Masterpieces from Buckingham Place, currently on view until Sep 25. Each of the pictures was captioned with the identity of the King, Queen or Prince who purchased it. Some of the paintings below appear on the Art UK website, others I photographed myself (allowed as long as no flash was used)

Given his fate it is somewhat ironic that Judith with the Head of Holofernes, painted by Cristofano Allori (1577-1621,) was bought by Charles I. Judith’s face in this painting looks remarkably modern to me:-

Artemisia Gentileschi (Rome 1593-Naples 1652) Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (La Pittura.):-

Andrea del Sarto (Florence 1486-Florence 1530) Portrait of a Woman in Yellow:-

Rembrandt van Rijn (Leiden 1606-Amsterdam 1669) Agatha Bas (1611-1658):-

One of the most striking paintings of light in the exhibition was in this other Rembrandt, Christ and St Mary Magdalene at the Tomb. My photograph fails to do it justice:-

Parmigianini (1503 – 1540) Pallas Athene. For some reason this reminded me of the cyclist Laura (Trott) Kenny. Unfortunately my photograph has a reflection of the Gallery’s central light fitting:-

Gaspard Dughet (1615-1675) Seascape with Jonah and the Whale. There is a lightning flash across the upper part of this picture of which I tried to take a close-up, but it didn’t come out:-

Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682) Evening Landscape, A Windmill by a Stream:-

The information card for the above says “a single figure swathed in black walks away from us.” Examining the picture closely two (female) figures can clearly be seen behind the black swathed one! They are brilliantly conjured up too, with just a few dabs of paint. How could the writer of the description have failed to notice them? (Is it perhaps because they are clearly women?)

There is a virtual tour of the exhibition here.

Original fabrics at Hill House, some by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh:-

Closer views:-

Display room, Hill House:-

Mackintosh style modern stuff for sale:-

Charles Rennie Mackintosh ‘Rose’ design biscuits in café:-

More Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs from Hill House.

Seating Niche:-

Upper room door:-

Circular table:-

Table and chairs (on different visit):-

Door and decoration:-

Child’s room door:-

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Mantelpieces:-

Bench. Early photographs of Hill House on wall:-

Beds:-

Child’s bed:-

Wall decoration:-

Shelves:-

Bed:-

Bed cover:-

Decoration:-

Bedside table:-

A photo of the wardrobe in Walter Blackie’s bedroom is in this post.

As well as the fireplace in the Drawing Room of Hill House, Helensburgh there are several examples of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s attention to detail with such household fixtures.

Fireplace in study. Note also clock:-

Mrs Blackie’s bedroom fireplace:-

Another upper room fireplace:-

Child’s room fireplace:-

More upper room fireplaces:-

Unmistakable Mackintosh style chair:-

Chair in upper room:-

Chair back, Dining Room:-

Dining room clock:-

Walter Blackie’s Bedroom Wardrobe. Mackintosh designed the wardrobe which was built so that Blackie’s chest of drawers would fit into it:-

Yet more of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s designs for Hill House. See link and posts passim.

Library Entrance. Typical Mackintosh square insets on the cupboard:-

Note curved wooden detailing:-

The detailing is continued through the bookshelves:-

Dining Room dresser – probably brought to the house by the Blackie family. The portrait is of Walter Blackie for whom Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House.

Even the pantry has Mackintosh designs – heart-shaped cutouts in the lower cupboards:-

Some more of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s designs for Hill House. See link and posts passim.

Ceiling Lamps:-

Floor standing lamp:-

Pendant lamp:-

Ceiling lamp:-

Wall lamp. Note also stencilled wall decoration:-

One of the most emblematic “Mackintosh” style parts of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House is the stairwell. See link and posts passim.

Stairwell entrance:-

Stairwell and window:-

On right hand wall compared to above:-

Lamp above Stair Landing:-

Carpet on stair landing:-

Iconic Mackintosh chair design. On Hill House stair landing:-

The main bedroom of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House in Helensburgh contains many typical Mackintosh motifs.

Bed. Behind the bed are panels by Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh:-

At the foot of the bed there is a window niche and small dresser:-

Washstand (see bed to left):-

Furniture, fireplace and table plus Mackintosh chair from foot of bed:-

Wardrobes and chair:-

Wardrobe, stool and dressing mirror:-

Windows, lamp and dressing mirror:-