Together we explored the role of women in society within the 19th century, looking at La Loge by Renoir and Bar at the Folies Bergere by Manet. We discussed the research on the paintings, looking at who the ladies were and how Renoir and Manet were engaging us with their paintings. In contrast, we looked at modernism in Cezanne’s Mont St Victoire. We explored some of the Expressionist works before walking down to the National Gallery. There we revisited Ingres, Monet, Degas and Van Gogh. The minibus driver, Steve, kindly picked us up and dropped us off at Westminster to see Rodin’s Burghers of Calais. It was wonderful to be able to feel his modelling. Our last stop was Tate Britain where we looked at Turner, the Pre Raphaelites, Henry Moore, Hepworth and Epstein. Exhausted but satisfied, unsurprisingly, the girls fell asleep on the way home!
