The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.

[NNadir]

Paul Delaroche, (1791-1856), 1833.

At the National Gallery, London.

[CBHagman]

1. That one is haunting, isn't it?

I remember stumbling on it in the National Gallery. For all I know, that may have been the very first time I heard her story.

[NNadir]

4. It is.

The National Gallery is an amazing place.

I've only been there once, and I'd love to go back sometime.

Did you happen to see, when you were there, the painting I referenced yesterday, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7500325&mesg_id=7500325">The Experiment On A Bird In An Airpump.

It's a painting with its own drama, painted at the dawn of the industrial revolution. I think it's also an amazing painting.

[CBHagman]

5. I don't know that one.

Like you, I only went to the National Gallery in London once. :cry:

I think we're all about due for a trip back right about now, eh?

[NNadir]

6. It's funny. I never thought of London as an Art city. Going to Paris, art was continually on my

mind.

But actually, London is a great art city, and a trip there solely for its art is well worthwhile.

I remember taking a Parisan friend to the Met in New York. He was stunned to find that it too, is a great museum.

I found it remarkable that a Parisian could not know that New York is also one of the world's great art capitals, but that was, nevertheless true.

I have never been to Venice or Florence. It would be worth a trip, particularly before Venice goes under water.

[Darth_Kitten]

11. Well, if you love art, you would like the Tate Modern.

Very...interesting.

I'm not a major fan of modern art but the Tate Modern was interesting. :)

[NNadir]

14. To be sure.

The most I've had in London to myself was two or three days. All of the other time was eaten my meetings and business schmoozing.

It is a city I would love to visit under freer circumstances.

[Darth_Kitten]

16. Well, I hope you get a chance to go back, and just take in everything more..

I love it, and I've been there only once. :)

Museums, galleries,etc are my "thing". Just love the history of London. :)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

18. And most of the museums in London are FREE!

Which is very, very good, because most other places in London are about as far from free as you can get.

[Darth_Kitten]

20. Yup!

I made good use of that fact when I was there. :D

[Midlodemocrat]

2. A beautiful painting of the nine day Queen. Very sad.

[fizzgig]

3. that is amazing

haunting certainly is the right word for it

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. My dear NNadir...

How very sad this one is...

Can you imagine being in her place?

I can, and it terrifies me...

A very beautiful painting...

:cry:

[NNadir]

13. She was 17 when she died. She really had a terrible fate, an abusive family, a husband

she didn't love.

From all accounts she had an exceptional mind, and was something of a scholar, particularly of languages.

The painting, I think, captures the spirit of her misery.

The priest in the painting in real life was Catholic, and in real life tried to comfort her at her death, but she refused to convert. (She was executed on the orders of Mary I, "Bloody Mary.")

One of her last acts was to forgive her executioner. The executioner as depicted by Delaroche is remarkable.

[Darth_Kitten]

8. Saw this at the National Gallery when I was in London.......

tragic. :(

[LadyoftheRabbits]

9. Poor thing...

She became frantic after being blindfolded because she couldn't find the block. Someone helped her. :( That is my favourite image of that scene, though.

[Darth_Kitten]

10. A victim of the manipulations of others......

her mother was a particularly gruesome person. :(

[LadyoftheRabbits]

12. Oh, good lord, yes...

Frances Grey was a real piece of work. x(

[Darth_Kitten]

15. You know a lot about British history?

:)

[LadyoftheRabbits]

17. It's my specialty

I'm still in college on my way to a history degree, but yeah, British history has always been where it's at. :P

[Darth_Kitten]

19. I would love to study history..........

and write about it. :)

What are you aiming to do with your degree, if I may ask? Teach? :)

[LadyoftheRabbits]

21. Well...

I'm not entirely sure yet. I'd love to be a museum curator, or an archivist, or even a professor. I've always really wanted to be the person who's interviewed for history stuff on specials, like History Channel shows. Also... I'd love to be a historical costume designer. :D

[Darth_Kitten]

22. that's great!

My fantasy job is to get a more solid background in history and write historical biographies, maybe of some lesser known individuals with fascinating backgrounds. :)

[LadyoftheRabbits]

23. Oooh, that would be really cool, too

I love finding biographies like those. :D

[edbermac]

24. Reminds me of a joke I heard when I went to London.

Was there in Oct 1992; 2 weeks before Clinton was elected (the good old days!).

I took a tour of the Tower Of London. The tour parties had a Beefeater guide who would give the crowd a rundown of the history of the Tower. At one point he would give a graphic description of how the condemned would be executed. He explained that the condemned would give gold pieces to the executioner to ensure a quick and painless chop of the axe.

He commented that this practice was "a form of medieval tipping. Of course, nowadays one might refer to it as.....severance pay"

:rofl:

[Darth_Kitten]

25. that's funny, in a dark sort of way.

ouch! :)