Coming to know an art gallery is a love of my life so while I was in Melbourne I had to get to the NGV. Not so much the modern wing or even the Triennial, which was on at the time, but the old masters and the like. We can't expect collections as in Europe, but Victoria probably has the best collection in Australia. Three Rembrandt oils, no less, and a string of Dutch/Flemish works. A touch of various eras otherwise, and some decorative arts. It's naff, but I like the figurines. I didn't find The Music Lesson this time which I've seen here before, but I did find McKennal's Circe in life size (don't we have a little one at the NGA? I know AGSA does). This visit I discovered some big renaissance names, Gaddi and Correggio, and decided the Memling was my fave for this visit. Or possibly the "Carved retable of the Passion of Christ" from Antwerp with its 3d polychrome timber panels and surrounding painted panels in oil. And Burne-Jones from his Garden of Pan, of course. There's some lovely stuff there and it's free to see. Always a highlight of my Melbourne sojourns.
The National Gallery of Victoria is in Melbourne (!)
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