The Ashmolean, Oxford

This museum is the oldest in the country and it certainly has plenty of interesting artifacts in it. It was re-built and re-opened in 2009 and now it's rather difficult to navigate but very good looking with bright, glassy spaces as well as the old "palace" style. I enjoyed revising the Anglo Saxon finds that illustrate that part of our history, but most of all I was surprised by the art gallery. Good quality stuff from the Italian renaissance - some really beautiful altarpieces. On the third floor - European art - mainly French and Dutch and modern British, but really lovely things, including some great pre-Raphaelites I had never seen before.

destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah after Patenir

Samuel Palmer

Lucien Pisarro

Singer Sargent

Camille Pisarro

Henri de Toulouse Lautrec

However, the cafe is over-priced, even for a cup of tea. There are plenty of better places to snack in Oxford. There are some great shops too, and there is much of interest to see.

Malcolm Morley

I have never seen work by this artist before. He works in the USA and was the first winner of the Turner prize. His pictures are super-realistic and include pictures of photos of racehorses and cruise ships, and planes blowing up. But here is one that illustrates his skill and humanity. It's great, isn't it?

Malcolm Morley