LAST CHANCE TO SEE
Russian landscape in the age of Tolstoy
Until 12 September. Sainsbury Wing. Admission Charge.
During the course of the 19th century, landscape came to play a unique role in Russian folk consciousness, featuring heavily in the country's literature, mythology and visual art. The emptiness of the vast reaches, the rigours of its climate, the difficulties of transportation, and the intense isolation of the long winter months, contributed to a specifically Russian sense of nature, different from that found in the west. At this time most Russians, including landowners, peasants and serfs, lived on the land. Even aristocrats returned to their country estates for part of the year, to reconnect with the land and its people. By the 1860s landscape came to be imbued with political, moral and social meanings. The exhibition features work by Venetsianov, Shishkin, Levitan and Kuindzhi, showing lakeside and forest vistas, awe-inspiring depictions of the endless Russian horizon, and the hard struggle of peasant life in both summer and winter. The exhibition is organised by the Groninger Museum, Groningen, the Netherlands.

LAST CHANCE TO SEE
Making Faces
Sunley Room
Until 26 September
The eagerly awaited touring exhibition Making Faces can now be seen at the National Gallery, following on from the success it has enjoyed at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery and the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne. This is the third in the National Gallery's highly successful series of touring exhibitions organised in collaboration with their regional partners.

Making Faces contains works by artists as diverse as Cranach, Goya, Hogarth, Renoir, Warhol and Julian Opie. It explores the way painters have represented faces from the profile portraits of fifteenth-century Italy, such the Portrait of a Lady in Red (Florentine School, National Gallery), to the abstracted images such as Frank Auerbach's Julia (Laing Art Gallery). Opening with a section on how artists have addressed the problem of catching a likeness, the exhibition centres on the way painters have used expression, idealisation, distortion and caricature to convey character, social standing and emotion. Supported by generous grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Esmée Fairburn Foundation the Touring Partnership exhibitions allow masterpieces from the National Gallery, accompanied by important loans, to be shown outside London and have proved exceptionally popular.

Wednesday Late
1 September 2004, 6-9pm. Free admission. Sainsbury Wing Foyer Wednesday Lates take place every week, with additional activities on the first Wednesday of every month.
Cool off at the National Gallery at this month's Russian Wednesday Late. Immerse yourself in the spirit of Russia at the vodka cocktail bar with live Russian music from Jakob Lindbirk (piano) and Marie Arendt (violin) and free
Russian food tastings. Watch Peter Murphy's demonstration of Russian icon
painting.

Enjoy half-price entry to the critically acclaimed Russian landscape in the age of Tolstoy. Ticket holders are able to join the free guided tour of the exhibition at 7pm. Watch a Russian ceramic painting demonstration by Carolinda Tostoy who will also be available to sign copies of her book which are available in the shop.

There are also prizes to be won at the free prize draw including a pair of tickets to an all-Russian concert at the London Philharmonic Orchestra on 29 October 2004 featuring music by Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Rimsky-Korsakov. Also available to be won are three sets of Russian films including The Nostalghia, Mirror, Solaris, Stalker, Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Russian Ark on DVD from 'Video Island'.

6pm Picture in Focus: Rembrandt: Belshazzar's Feast
6.30pm Guided Tour: Meet at the Sainsbury Wing Information Desk 7pm Exhibition guided tour: Free to ticket holders Bite-Size Art Talks focus on food in 3 paintings including Rembrandt: Belshazzar's Feast 7pm, 7.20pm, 7.40pm.

Art in the Square: Join the Party and celebrate the opening of the National Gallery's new spaces. 26 September On Sunday 26 September, London plays host to an exciting and innovative event, inspiring creativity on a mass scale. Art on the Square: Join the Party mixes a rich palette of free activities and events, bringing together leading London galleries and artists with budding enthusiasts of all ages in a day that everyone can share.

For the first time, the National Gallery will throw open the door of its new Getty Entrance offering Art on the Square partygoers the most spectacular route into the Gallery's magnificent collection of western art, which includes the original version of The Hay Wain. After walking through a beautiful light-bathed court with its information point, cafe and shop, visitors will go up a dramatic staircase to some of the world's most famous paintings. To celebrate Art on the Square and this major new building work, the Gallery will be open until 9.00pm and will be hosting a drawing demonstration by Quentin Blake, painting workshops for all ages and themed-guided talks throughout the day.

Family Drawing
Party Dress. Room 9. 11am repeated 1pm and 4pm
Draw inspiration from the fantastic fabrics and patterns in the paintings.

Pleasing Portraits. Room 41. 12pm repeated 2pm.
Join artist Dillwyn Smith and find out what's in a face.

Places and Spaces. Room 22. 3pm repeated 5pm.
Be transported to some beautiful places with artist Felicity Powell and decide which one is your favourite.

* All these workshops start with a lively talk followed by a drawing
activity. Each session lasts 50 minutes.
* Aimed at families with children aged 5 to 11.
* All materials are provided.
* All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
* Places for both family and adult sessions are limited and are
allocated on arrival.

Family Talk
Drawing and its Stories. Sainsbury Wing Lecture Theatre. 2.30pm.
Quentin Blake talks about the intimate narratives of drawing and the ways they can be expressed.

Adult Drawing
The Dinner Party. Room 32. 12-6pm.
The table is laid but the food is missing. With the guests at the door, save the day by drawing a delicious feast to serve up. Drop-in. Places are limited and will be allocated upon arrival.

Adult life Drawing. Education Centre Rooms. 3pm and 4pm.
Each session lasts half an hour, and is led by artist Ann Dowker. There will be a life model.

Room 19. 2pm and 4pm.
Come along and make your own line drawing in this workshop that will be looking at Poussin's use of line to create great paintings. Led by artist Matthew Burrows.

Room 9. 5.30pm.
Be inspired by the wonderful fabrics and patterns in the paintings to create your own patchwork drawing. Led by artist Thomas Gosebruch.

Adult Talks
Guided Tours at 11.30am and 2.30pm

Meet the artist - 'Titian'. Central Hall 12pm, repeated 1pm. Talk lasts half an hour. Come and meet 'Titian' and hear about how he made his wonderful paintings.
Ten Minute Talks
Rembrandt: Self Portrait at the age of 63 Room 23 12pm, repeated 2pm
Turner: The Fighting Temeraire Room 34 11am, repeated 4pm
Constable: The Hay Wain Room 34 1pm, repeated 3pm

Children's Events at the National Gallery
Weekend Gallery Talks
Every Saturday and Sunday, 11.30am, meet outside Gallery 45.
Every weekend this month, join us for a children's tour of paintings of 'Amazing Angels'. Talks last one hour and are aimed at families with children aged 5-11.

Second Weekend Drawing Events
11 - 12 September, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Room 31.
Join us on the second weekend of each month for family drawing events in the Gallery. A different theme is explored each month and sessions include a lively talk and drawing activity. This month takes a look at 'All the Kings Horses'. All materials are provided and participants receive a free souvenir pencil. All children must be accompanied.

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Don't Miss:
Russian landscape in the age of Tolstoy
23 June - 12 September
Half price tickets Wednesdays 6-9pm plus live music & bar
http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/russian_landscape/default.htm

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