The Blue Rooster

After lunch with Sherlock, we ambled over to Trafalgar Square, headed for the

National Portrait Gallery which is just behind and to the right of the National Art Gallery.

This caught our eyes almost immediately.  Why was it blue?  What was it about?  In the immortal words of art enthusiasts, "But what does it mean?"

When we got home, I Googled "Blue Rooster, London" and up popped a lot of articles about it.

Katharina Fritsch is the German artist who created it as a bit of whimsy to celebrate the British when they defeated the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.  Ms. Fritsch told reporters that ultramarine is a French favorite color (who knew?) and roosters are also a symbol of the French.  I knew about the Napoleanic bees... but no roosters. 

The main exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery was the 2013 winning portraits.  I particularly admired one of a man, looking straight out at you, but it was tightly cropped on the right side of the man's head with at least a third of the canvas on the left side blank.  Very eye-catching.