The V and A museum had a lot of spectacular pieces of work. I really loved how extensive the exhibits were in their focus of other cultures and specific eras. Though if I can to choose a favorite work from this museum I would choose the Raphael Cartoons. I had remembered reading about cartoons in my art history classes, and I knew how rare they were considering they were usually discarded after the final piece was finished. Looking at these drawing I just knew how special they were.
What I loved most about these works is how they were made with what seemed like a less common material from the time, gouache, a type of water color. While this material may have been used commonly by the artists of this period as a preparatory or sketching material, it is rarely something you see in museums. What is interesting about the gouache is that it creates a kind of looseness in the painting which lets the viewer see a bit more of the artists motions while painting. Part of the appeal of oil painting is that it drys in a way that hides the brushstrokes. This gives the oil masterworks of this era a sense of wonder, as trying to image how they pulled off such a feat is hard to comprehend.
Yet with gouache I can see how Raphael filled in the shadows of the saint’s robes, or delicately painted around the highlights of trees. It makes his work feel more real in a sense, more relatable. It also makes me respect his work even more. These works are complete masterpieces and I hope everyone gets a chance to see them in their lifetime.
(Raphael Cartoon, Christ’s Charge to Peter: Matthew Chapter 16: Verses 18 & 19, & John Chapter 21: Verses 15–18, by Raphael, 1515 – 16, Italy. Museum no. ROYAL LOANS.3. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London)