Rubens and His Legacy: Van Dyck to Cézanne opened Saturday 24th January
My advice is 1) wear comfortable shoes and 2) leave yourself a good couple of hours to get round! Because this is one of those monster RA shows that goes on for room after room. You keep thinking “Is this the end?” and then you go round a corner or behind a false wall and there’s more. And more.
Not that this is a bad thing in this case.
Peter Paul Rubens versatility is at the heart of this exhibition, landscapes, mythological scenes, altarpieces and yes, portraits. The impact he had on the artists that followed down the centuries is ably demonstrated. And at some length. But Rubens is one of the greats so he deserves this kind of big blockbuster show. And the RA do the big blockbuster thing very well. It is the right setting – grand rooms for grand works by grand masters across the centuries.
Open until 10th April
The London Art File 