Photo: nationalgallery.org.ukThe National Gallery will be putting on the first-ever UK exhibition of work by the celebrated Mexican artist José María Velasco. It will also mark the 200th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries.
Photo: National Gallery of PragueVelasco was one of the great 19th-century landscape painters and had a deep interest in his country's geology, archaeology, flora and fauna. He painted panoramic views of the Valley of Mexico and was particularly interested in its mountainous terrain and the effect of modernisation on its landscape... which eventually turned it into today's sprawling Mexico City.
Photo: Museo Nacional de ArteVelasco operated during a time of tremendous social change and he recognised the creeping industrialisation by capturing the train lines and factories alongside the magnificent scenery of rocks, volcanoes and botanically accurate plants.
Despite enjoying great fame in his home country, today there are no paintings held in a UK public collection, and the last exhibition devoted entirely to him outside of his home country was back in 1976. This exhibition promises to be a great introduction to his work, and continues the National Gallery's aim of introducing UK audiences to non-European art.
You might be interested in…
