In the European Galleries

Let's return to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where Bill is enjoying a wander through the 18th Century French rooms. That's Nicolas Lancret's Picnic after the Hunt, 1735, behind him.

John pauses in front of Anthony van Dyck's portrait of a young aristocrat from the London court of Charles 1st, Phillip, Lord Wharton.

One of the big cats in Rubens' painting of Daniel in the Lions' Den seems to be taking a keen interest in a passerby,

while another visitor enjoys a quiet moment in an elegant, panelled room with the Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria looking down from Rubens' portrait of her.

We both loved Andrea Mantegna's Portrait of a Man in the Renaissance rooms. He looks like a tough customer.

John got up close to a portrait of Lorenzo dé Medici in the same room.

Looks like Lorenzo isn't amused by his interest.

Bill's fast approaching John's favourite painting in the National.

Looks like this lady loves The Feast of the Gods too. Begun by Giovanni Bellini and finished by Titian, it had just been restored when we last visited.

John can't resist going in close to treat us to a detail. So beautiful!

As are his details from Giorgione's exquisite Adoration of the Shepherds,

with its touching Holy Family.

At one point, Bill said, "Is that an El Greco in the distance? We headed that way immediately

and found ourselves in a room full of El Grecos as well as Jacopo Tintoretto's Christ  at the Sea of Galilee on the left.

Bill couldn't resist shooting this relaxed couple with their tour phones enjoying Titian's Venus with a Mirror, c. 1555.

When we found ourselves in the West Sculpture Hall we were already considering lunch before going on to the American galleries,

but we found ourselves drawn into more European galleries when we saw Goya's portrait of the Marquesa de Pontejos beckoning beyond this sculpture of a languid lady in repose

and Giovanni Battista Moroni's A Gentleman in Adoration before the Madonna,

although we longed to relax like this fellow enjoying Sir Joshua Reynolds' gorgeous portrait of Lady Elizabeth Delué and her Children.

At last we resisted the call of the restful powder-blue rooms in the distance and made our way to the Cascade Café for lunch.