HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT - PALACE OF WESTMINSTER VISIT

CROYDON ART SOCIETY VISITS THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

A visit to the Palace of Westminster is a must for us Brits, and also for overseas visitors to London.

You can visit and pay at the door (Visitors Entrance) but we were lucky because we went on a well-organised and pre-booked tour which was free.

Information about visits to the Palace of Westminster for UK residents Parliament visiting

Overseas visitors Parliament visits for overseas visitors

No photos possible inside the Palace, so there is one from outside, of 'Big Ben' clock tower.

Our group had an excellent guide, whose profession is actor, and she knew the answers to all our questions.  I will not try and describe the magnificent edifice here, there is information on line, but I would like to emphasize that the paintings and murals, carvings and scuptures, are particularly interesting to artists.  The oldest rooms are full of colour, texture and reflected light on gold, in particular.  The gold throne which was designed for Queen Victoria and where Her Majesty the Queen prepares for the State Opening of Parliament,  in the Robing Room, is amazing.

THE AESTHETIC MOVEMENT

The carved and painted walls and ceilings have particular relevence if you are going to see the exhibition at the Victoria and Alfred Museum, called The Cult of Beauty, The Aesthetic Movement, 1860-1900.   More about this exhibition here  The Victoria and Albert Museum

I say this because the designer of much of the interior of the Palace was Augustus Pugin and the decoration reminds me of the work of later artists and craftsmen, such as of William Morris, the Pre-Raphaelites, William de Morgan and others who will no doubt be included in this Asethetic Movement show.  I have not seen the exhibition yet.

AUGUSTUS PUGIN

Pugin died in 1852, so before the start date of the 'Aesthetic Movement' but I believe there is a connection to this period of HighVictoriana.

Some details about Augustus Pugin in Wikipedia, here:

Augustus Pugin