Princely Treasures from the House of Liechtenstein

Currently on display at the National museum are ninety pieces of art from the collection of the Prince of Liechtenstein.  I'm no art expert but I enjoy visiting galleries, looking at and admiring pieces of art so when I heard about this exhibition I knew I wanted to try and see it.  The artwork on display includes pieces by Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, Raphael and Lukas Cranach the Elder and showcases in particular the High Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and Biedermeier art styles spanning from the late 15th century to the mid -19th century.

I don't think there were any pieces that I didn't enjoy looking at, but a few that really caught my eye were the following.

Still Life with Fruit, Dead Game, Vegetables, a Live Monkey, Squirrel and Cat - Frans Snyders

There's so much to observe in this painting with all the different animals and so on, I was fascinated and spent a long time studying it.  Similarly the painting below caught my eye as I've visited many of the sites myself so felt drawn to study this piece a little closer.

Capriccio with the Most Important Architectural Monuments and Sculptures of Ancient Rome - Giovanni Paolo Pannini

I Consiglia alla Vendetta (Vengeance is Sworn) - Francesco Hayez

I loved this purely from the perspective of imagining the distress that the woman on the left (as you look at it) has suffered which also left me wondering what the other woman might be saying to her.  As I looked at it in the museum I wondered if this second woman was the cause of the upset or whether she was trying to help her.  I now know that this painting is part of a series which were inspired by an unpublished novel by Andrea Maffei.  The two women are called Maria and Rachel and in this painting Rachel has just told Maria of the deceit of her lover.  Knowing the story behind the painting helps to bring it even more to life for me.

St Eustace - Lukas Cranach the Elder

The red of the saint's tunic initially drew me to this painting as I was wandering around.  It really stood out for me, probably much more in reality than my photo does it justice.  I then later read that his feast day is the same day as my birthday, 20 September which, just because of the connection, made me like the painting even more.

There are many beautiful pieces to see, many by famous artists, well worth a visit if you enjoy art.

'Princely Treasures from the House of Liechtenstein' is on now at the National Museum of Singapore until 29 September 2013.