Bad Boys of Art & Music
[Up to 4 hours excluding lunch]
The art world has had its fair share of outrageous outliers. Maverick artists who changed the course of history. Two artists who instantly spring to mind are Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio and Jimi Hendrix – the legendary 1960s guitar player.
Over this experience you will be entranced by The Last Caravaggio – The painting of St. Ursula brought to London for the first time in 20 years and on display in the National Gallery. You will eat like a true Renaissance Prince in London’s newest Italian restaurant Baccanalia and finish up at a musical performance in the former home of rock legend Jimi Hendrix…oh did you know he also shared this space with George Frideric Handel!!
The Last Caravaggio at The National Gallery
Here in London we are blessed with not one but three block-buster paintings in The National Gallery by the great late Renaissance genius Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio. A rebel. A visionary. A murderer! His brooding spiritual figures are intimately human with grimy fingernails, pulled-back hair, and ordinary clothes that seem to burst out of the frame towards the viewer with incredible realism. These distant Biblical characters such as Christ at The Supper at Emmaus are brought into our reality by their gestures, making their pain and suffering ever more real. For the first time in over twenty years The Martyrdom of St Ursula – Caravaggio’s last ever painting, completed during the final turbulent years of his life in Naples, is on display in London alongside the National Gallery’s own late painting The Head of St. John the Baptist. On your guided tour of Caravaggio’s work in the National Gallery, we will start with exploring the works in the permanent collection before finishing up in the fascinating free exhibition focused on his last works.
Lunch at Bacchanalia
After your guided tour in The National Gallery, treat yourself to a fabulous lunch at London’s latest hotspot, Bacchanalia in Mayfair. This is not merely a restaurant but a feast for the senses with the ancient Greco-Roman muse of festivity, Bacchus, being revived through delicious Mediterranean dishes and breathtaking interiors.
Handel Hendrix House
Having enjoyed an indulgent lunch and feeling well-fed, take a 10-minute stroll from Bacchanalia to Handel Hendrix House on Brook Street via the iconic Grosvenor Square – home to many of London’s international embassies.
Two great geniuses – George Fredrick Handel and Jimi Hendrix – separated by 300 years lived in two houses side by side. These now comprise the Handel Hendrix House Museum and the creative spirit of these great musicians is in every fibre of the buildings.
Explore the spaces where Handel lived from 1723 until his death in 1759, which include his bedroom and dining room where he rehearsed musicians and gave informal recitals for friends and neighbours. Upstairs you can get into the vibe of the swinging sixties with the gloriously bohemian spaces of Jimi Hendrix. You can experience musical performances by contemporary musicians on period instruments throughout the year with special live performances.
To book this itinerary with one of our expert guides, please get in touch