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Tue, 15 Oct 2024
To Pollok Park and The Burrell
# 07:11 in ./general

I visited the Burrell for the first time a few weeks ago. I've been meaning to visit for years.

The main reason to go was a look at the Degas exhibition before it closed. Being a huge admirer of the works of the great French artist, the exhibition was the big push I needed to get over there. I took the bus for a change, then a short (two stop) train journey from Glasgow Central (to Pollokshaws West), a short walk through the lovely park and arriving at the newly refurbished and fixed Collection building. It's been closed for a few years to have its roof fixed.

Above: One of the Burrell's display rooms.

What can we say about Degas? He's usually classed as an "Impressionist", having exhibited in their exhibitions over the years (from 1874), but his work always differed substantially from the other artists so described (like Monet). He is famous for his portraits of people at work, whether ballet dancers or washer-women. An artist of the city and modern life. He did not paint en plein air as most of the Impressionists did (in fact, he was highly critical of the practice). The Burrell Collection shows how great a draftsman he was: drawings in pencil or pastel, a favourite medium.


Above: Portrait of Edmond Duranty, Edgar Degas, 1879. Gouache and pastel.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.


Above:Dancers on a Bench, Edgar Degas, 1898. Pastel.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

I had a look around the rest of the collection of course and it's impressive. A bit like a mini-Victoria and Albert museum, with a collection of furniture, tapestries, carpets, armour and ceramics: amongst many other things. I was lucky on the day, with the sunshine streaming through the windows and showing off some stained glass to good effect. I'll definitely visit again. With this and the Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow has some great attractions.


© Alastair Sherringham 2023
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