 Royal armor in the Renaissance was far more than protective equipment for the battlefield. Most often worn at court ceremonies and in parades, pageants, and jousting tournaments, it proclaimed the rulers' strength and power. The Art of Power presents armor once belonging to Holy Roman Emperors and Spanish monarchs, alongside tapestries and paintings showing the armor in use. Several suits of armor are paired with portraits by Alonso Sanchez Coello, Diego Velazquez, Peter Paul Rubens, and Anthony van Dyck. In our exhibition Web feature, visitors may learn about these historical figures, explore diagrams of the armor, and take a closer look at the allegorical figures depicted in the Fame tapestry. An accompanying video podcast shows the dramatic installation, along with brief remarks from National Gallery Director Earl A. Powell III and the Spanish Ambassador, His Excellency D. Jorge Dezcallar.
www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2009/armor/index.shtm (Web feature)
www.nga.gov/exhibitions/armorinfo.shtm (exhibition information)
www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.shtm#power (video podcast) |
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 Angel with Symphonia and Angel with Tambourine, with their slight Gothic sway, pudgy faces, and abundant draperies, may once have belonged to a larger sculptural group whose other figures of angels are lost. Their instruments are of interest to the history of music. The symphonia, an early form of hurdy-gurdy, and the tambourine, or timbrel, with rattles, would "Make a joyful noise unto God" (Psalms 66 and 150). Such figures, carved in the round, might have stood at the pinnacles of a complex Gothic monument. On view in the West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 2.
www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg2/gg2-46022.html (Angel with Symphonia)
www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?acc=1960.5.15 (Angel with Tambourine)
www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg2/gg2-main1.html (online tour: Italian Altarpieces and Religious Sculpture of the 1300s) |
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 Led by Tullio Lombardo, the great Venetian sculptors of the High Renaissance created new ideals of beauty, shaped by a poetic and nostalgic approach to classical antiquity. In about 1500 painters in Venice went beyond traditional commissions for altarpieces and household devotional images to develop new art forms—imaginative evocations of ancient mythology, poetry, history, or philosophy made for a growing audience of private collectors. Our exhibition slideshow takes a closer look at Tullio’s sensuous and dramatic double-portraits, as well as 10 other carefully selected works that exemplify the influence of Tullio and his closest followers.
www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2009/tullio/index.shtm (slideshow)
www.nga.gov/exhibitions/lombardoinfo.shtm (exhibition information)
shop.nga.gov/nga/category.cgi?item=410000325650 (exhibition catalogue) |
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 Hendrick ter Brugghen, as no other Dutch artist, could capture the rhythms of music in the very way he composed his paintings. His musicians lean into their instruments, their bodies alive with the joy of the sounds they bring forth, whether coaxed from a violin, lute, recorder, or bagpipe. This is the first work by one of the Utrecht Caravaggisti to enter the Gallery's collection. On view in the West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 44.
www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=144298 |
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 Multiverse, a site-specific LED sculpture by Leo Villareal, was installed in the Concourse walkway connecting the East and West Buildings in early winter 2008. The sculpture, which includes approximately 41,000 LED (light-emitting diode) nodes controlled by custom-designed software, is Villareal's largest and most ambitious work to date. Sit in as the artist reflects on his project in part 4, "Resolutions," of the video podcast series.
www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.shtm#villareal |
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 At the height of summer, "Jazz in the Garden" is in full swing. Concerts continue every Friday evening, from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m., through mid-September. This year’s summer concert series coincides with the opening of our newly renovated American galleries and the return to public view of the collection's acclaimed American paintings. Visitors may preorder "The Great American Picnic Basket" online, which contains picnic fare for two, including sparkling water, gourmet meats and cheeses from the American heartland, fresh-baked artisanal breads, local seasonal fruit, and dessert. The keepsake basket comes with a stamped postcard of an American masterpiece from the Gallery's collection, a pen, and a current Calendar of Events.
jazzinthegarden.com/catalog.php3 (Jazz in the Garden)
www.nga.gov/education/volunteer.shtm#horticulture (volunteer at the Sculpture Garden)
www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/amer.shtm (American paintings collection) |
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 NGAkids Art Zone offers interactive activities for children of all ages. In the Art Zone kids can experiment with digital photography and photo-editing techniques, create an abstract painting, explore a virtual Dutch dollhouse, construct an imaginary jungle landscape, compose a still life or a collage, and more.
www.nga.gov/kids/zone/zone.htm |
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 Plan your visit to the Gallery with the help of the August Calendar of Events. Schedules of films, lectures, gallery talks, family activities, and concerts provide details about each event. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information, as new events are regularly added.
www.nga.gov/programs/calendar |
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In addition to our timeline of Gallery history, "Today in Gallery History," a daily posting, features a notable Gallery event from the last 80 years.
August 1
On Sunday, August 1, 1943, the National Gallery of Art Orchestral Ensemble performed Suite for String Orchestra: From Washington's Time, composed and conducted by music director Richard Bales. The concert was one of a series of regular Sunday concerts initiated in 1942 for the benefit of men and women in the armed services and the city's war workers. |
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