Exhibition Review: Renaissance Faces

The crowds at this exhibition were inevitable (and no doubt make the National Gallery very happy) and while it did make for less-than-optimal viewing of the paintings, the opportunity to see a range of Renaissance portraits without having to walk the length and breadth of a gallery is enough reason to go. Then, of course, there's the artwork which, if you're into Renaissance painting or realistic portraits, is inevitably beautiful and inspiring.

With the term "Renaissance" you know what you're getting in terms of style and quality of painting, and with Big Names such as Holbein, the 70 works in this exhibition won't disappoint. The mixture of tea-towel-familiar paintings with dusted-off works makes it a refreshing gathering. Any portrait painter seeking renewed inspiration from this era won't leave disappointed.

The paintings are arranged into seven rooms themed Remembering; Identity, Attributes, Allegory; Courtship and Friendship; Families; Love and Beauty; Drawing Portraits; and Portraits of Rules. The last are portraits done on a grand scale: full or three-quarters length, accompanied by furniture and regalia to demonstrate their powerful positions in society. Quite a contrast to those portraits done for family, friends, or prospective spouses.

Late afternoon certainly wasn't the best time to view this exhibition. It was far too crowded, albeit by people too polite to be talking loudly to one another about the art or shove you out the way (though not above gently nudging). Go early or during lunch time, otherwise be prepared for very slow progress if you want to see every painting. The rooms are laid out in a continuous route, but you can enter Room 1 again after leaving Room 7. I would say walk around several times, seeing paintings as gaps appear in the people, rather than just once. Show the level of patience and persistence it would've taken to paint one of these works.