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London Pt. 2: The Wallace Collection

Upon learning that I was traveling to London (and staying in Marylebone), many people enthusiastically recommended seeing the Wallace Collection. I made it my first stop off of the plane, and I ended up staying until they closed. I was not prepared for how beautiful and labyrinthine this place was.

Each room was a jewel box.

Communed with “The Swing” for as long as I could (it was being appreciated by many) because I was struck by how sinister this painting seems when you really look at it. There is a crazed look in the eyes of all the individuals. The statues of cherubs all look anxious or are turned away from the activity. The faded foliage in the distance gives the appearance of both a raging thunderstorm and plumes of smoke. The gnarls of the branches to which the swing is attached even look like faces crying out in pain. Anyway, that’s just my perception of it. The more you look, the more you see.

“The Kiss Given” and “The Kiss Received.”

Communed for a long time with Canaletto’s paintings of the Venetian waterfront. Was so struck by how the tiny tiny lines and dots convey so much expression and intrigue, even in a “day in the life” scene like this one.

I turned the corner into this grand hall and was hit with a wave of emotion. My heart fluttered as my eyes filled with tears. I gave thanks and tried to just be here, in the space, without fighting with myself on the meaning of it all.

Shortly after, I realized that I forgot to turn my work notifications off of my phone.