My first stop was the Hats exhibition. It was crowded with schoolgirls, all busily drawing - and what delightful things to draw - some of them rather sinister, others witty: a grass-green circle criss-crossed by white leather strips, with a sphere at the free end of the longest one, title "Centre Court". And the London Underground symbol with a multicoloured strap signifying the tube lines on the map.
So much to look at, including vintage newsreel clips with their archly whimsical commentary: "the latest whim of Dame Fashion", and even more grating apercus along the lines of "madame must be indulged in her little whims". But back to the plus points: best for me was the replica hatter's shop in the middle. The exhibition runs till 31 May; tickets are £5.
Later, the ironwork galleries, one of my favourite parts of the museum. On the left, an elevator grille by Louis Henry Sullivan, 1893-4, New York (a rather "atomic" design, like some of the Festival of Britain patterns?); on the right, a 17th century window grille, Germany.
Here's that 1890s grille as it "really" is -
At lunchtime, sitting in the sun in the courtyard, with the splashing of fountains, and a visit to the new bookshop, which has stylish chairs for sitting and browsing (I had a long look at a new book on "Maison de Verre" in Paris, a 1920s building that still looks ultramodern).
And at the very end of the day, a visit to the new theatre & performance galleries. The corridor nearby is lined with some contemporary drawings, including this one by Charlotte Hodes, who draws with a scalpel - she was artist-in-residence at the Wallace Collection a couple of years ago -
1 comment:
Hello mane ! Have a good souvenir of * Wallace Collection, where all the Versaille furnitures whent at the french revolution, as the silver one.
Par contre I did know about * la maison de verre* in Paris. Will see it next journe to Patis.
Are you going on my blog ? Beads histories at the moment. love. Béatrice.
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