OLD ISLINGTON

I will neither take you abroad, nor lead you astray. Come, then, with me to Islington - not Islington of 1860 but Islington five-and-forty years ago, when the "Angel" tavern was a fine old crumbling inn, with a courtyard and galleries, with pigeon-hole bedrooms and capacious stables; when the "Peacock" was the grand rendezvous of the northern mails, and the scarlet coats of the guards and coachmen made the old king's birthday a gala in goodly Islington.
    At that time Islington as comparatively a suburban village; old " and "Highbury Barn" were landmarks for cockney adventurers; and so, indeed, was "Copenhagen House" where now stands the Cattle Market, and where the water to make tea for the company was dipped from a proximate pond and blackberries were plentiful in the vicinity where now costly edifices, termed villa residences, have been erected, and adorn the neighbourhood by their architectural good taste and beauty. "Canonbury House" was then in existence, and the pond opposite the old tower abounded in gold and silver fish; and just beyond that spot the schoolboys, now grown old men like myself, went to bathe in that part of the New River called the "Sisters", where, at the present time, terraces of well-built houses with grassy slopes grace the river bank.
    The oldest public-house in the vicinage of London bowed its venerable head in the Lower Road; and ancient chronicles tell us that in that hostelry Izaak Walton, the poet and angler, had often rested and related his sport to the assembled guests. A modern gin-shop now desecrates that hallowed spot; and the native antiquary sheds a tear as he passes over old recollections, and, if not a very pious man, is apt to give way to an anti-benediction against modern Vandalism.
history.ac.uk/sites/default/files/publications/pubid-340/images/fig92.gif (for such was the sign of the antiquated public-house reverted to) in Colebroke Row, dwelt that accomplished, though simple essayist, Charles Lamb. There, in the cottage now dedicated to the manufacture of double soda-water by one Webb, a man of great, though effervescent popularity, did the author of "Elia" ponder obver his graphic pen, and give to the world those masterly essays and criticisms which, though he has long since departed from amongst us, still live to embelish our literature, instruct our youth, and adorn our libraries.
    Just be stood Rhodes's cow-house, wherefrom I have many a good time got up early and fetched milk to boil for my breakfast, that same milk, with bread, being a great treat to me in my boyhood's days, which, by the by, I cannot say were entirely passed in Islington, but in the main entry to that ancient village, St. John's Street or Islington Road, which happens - as, indeed, also does the tavern so well known as the "Angel" of Islington - to be in the parish of Clerkenwell. Islington, however, was the Brighton, Margate, and Ramsgate of the boys of the adjoining localities; and every half-holiday country lodgings were taken and occupied in the trees and fields near to the bathing-quarters of the "Sisters", High-bank, the Sluice House and Hornsey Wood.

london impressionism

Lesser Ury (1861-1931) was a German-Jewish painter and printmaker, generally considered to be an Impressionist artist.  Raised in Berlin, Ury left school to pursue a trade after the death of his father, a baker. 

 However he soon traveled to Düsseldorf to study painting.  After his studies, Ury spent time traveling and stayed in Paris and Brussels for extended periods of time.  He returned to Berlin in 1887 and had his first exhibition.  He received a hostile reaction, but received a medal due to the influence of Adolph Menzel, the foremost German artist of the time.  In both Berlin and Munich, Ury was a member of the Secessionist movements to promote modern art and the avant-garde.  Much of Ury's work resembles Impressionism quite clearly.  

He frequently painted
landscapes and interior scenes.  Some of his landscapes have a more modernist appearance, showing the influence of avant-garde art movements in Germany.  At times he tended toward even greater abstraction, to beautiful and dizzying effect.  Paintings of cafes at night are among his best known works, as are rainy urban scenes.  Evening Rain clearly falls into the latter category, and it is a very interesting example of the genre.  This painting shows the street soaked in a downpour, blurring the forms of the scene.  People generally are indistinct shapes, especially in the background.  One of the most interesting elements of the piece is the use of reflections on the wet street.  For both the horses' legs and the people's, the reflections serve to lengthen their legs and make them appear strangely distorted.  By doubling their limbs this way, Ury doubled the vertical raindrops by elongating the people and horses.  The color here is masterfully utilized; the scene is mostly neutral tones, with a dark grey bridge, a greenish-grey street, and brown and black figures.  However the woman at the foreground is a startlingly prominent exception.  Her blue dress focuses the entire painting and immediately draws the eye.  She is an oasis of color on this shabby street.

Lesser Ury, who was born in 1861, in the town of Birnbaum, in the Province of Posen, when it was still part of Germany, had a long struggle with poverty before he won recognition, and even after he had become famous he was a poor man. His father, a small trader in Birnbaum, died while Lesser Ury was a boy, leaving him and his mother totally unprovided for. At first Lesser Ury was put by his mother into a shop, with the intention of becoming a trader, but he was a bad businessman and he wanted to become a painter. He went to Duesseldorf, Munich, Berlin and Paris, and despite much material hardship he slowly won recognition. Nevertheless, though a success from the artistic and the press point of view, his first exhibition held in 1889 brought him very little money. It was soon after, however, that he won the Michael Beer prize of the Berlin Academy of Art, which sent him to Italy. His first retrospective exhibition held in Berlin in 1916 established his fame as one of the great artists of Germany. Like Liebermann, an impressionist, his works are among the earliest and best examples of impressionism in Germany. The National Gallery in Berlin acquired three of his paintings in 1923, and the number has been added to since. His colour has been described as masterly and he has been called the most important pastel artist of the twentieth century.

HIS JEWISH AND BIBLICAL SUBJECTS

He made his name chiefly by his paintings of city life and scenes, and in this regard he was called the discoverer of Berlin. He devoted himself, one of his admirers, Dr. Israel Auerbach has written, to painting the animation in the streets, the people rushing backwards and forwards, the endlessness of the lines of trees and houses, the streetcars, the wheels moving, the sparkle of the cafes, the shining pearl chains formed by the electric are lamps, the mirror-like rainy streets, the dimness of night lights and shadows, the entire wild, shrill and yet rythmic swing of the life of the big city, pounding, breathing and rotating in his pictures.

At the same time, he was devoted also to his Judaism, and he was constantly painting pictures of Jewish life and Biblical themes. Lesser Ury is a Jewish artist, Dr. Auerbach wrote, not only because he sometimes paints Jewish types, scenes, legends, but also because he is a great artist in whom Judaism lives. The Judaism in him makes itself known by the fact that we can read him more clearly in his creations of Jewish characters than in anything else. It is no accident that Ury chose Biblical motives to express his innermost thoughts. He is devoted to the Book of Books and to the breath of God that is in it, as well as to the mighty moving throng that live in that breath. He has painted Moses at least half a dozen times: drunk with vision before the shining mountain; in repose, with wise fingers pointing to the Words; in divine scorn, breaking the first tablets before the sinners surrounding the golden calf; as the outstretched arm of God punishing the corrupt world of Egypt. Again and again Moses, the Bible, and scenes showing the fate of his people appear in Ury’s work. His most famous work perhaps is his triptych “Man”, which represents first a dreaming youth, whose heaven and life are full of music, whose body and soul are filled with expectations and certainty, next a titanic man of granite, erect, lifting the whole burden of humanity to the heaven that calls and again rejects him, and finally a broken old man waiting for the end to come. So he portrays himself – Lesser Ury, the man and the artist.

His “Jerusalem” has become the property of the State Museum in Vienna, Dr. Auerbach went on, and the Temple of the B’nai B’rith House in Berlin is adorned with his “Jacob and Esau”, and his “Rebecca and Eliezer”. But gigantic paintings such as “Adam and Eve”, “The Deluge”, “Man”, even the exalted “Jeremiah”, that should belong to the world, he complained. are still in his studio.

Despite his fame, buyers have not been many, particularly in recent years, with the economic conditions in Germany so extremely difficult. He was once forced, Dr. Auerbach relates, to destroy one of his paintings, “Benjamin”, because it was too big for his poor studio, and he was too poverty-stricken to place it anywhere. He lives, dreams and talks with his pictures, which are his very flesh and blood, he continued, but material poverty often makes him grieve. It is a disgrace for us Jews, his own people, he wrote to allow his pictures to remain in his studio. In the meantime, he concluded, picturing Lesser Ury in the last few years before his death, “a lonely man, embittered, and often in the mood of his “Samson”–“Tamuth Nafshi in Pelishim”, sits surrounded by his enormous treasure. And on the other hand, the Jewish people, whom he would like to enrich, but who prefer not to recognise his treasure, remain poor”.

monet in london

Claude Monet painted a series of oil paintings of the Palace of Westminster, home of the British Parliament, in the fall of 1899 and the early months of 1900 and 1901 during stays in London.
All of the series' paintings share the same viewpoint from Monet's window or a terrace at St Thomas' Hospital overlooking theThames and the approximate canvas size of 81 cm x 92 cm (32 in x 36 3/8 in).
They are however painted during different times of the day and weather circumstances.

By the time of the Houses of Parliament series, Monet had abandoned his earlier practice of completing a painting on the spot in front of the motif. He carried on refining the images back in France, and sent to London for photographs to help in this. This caused some adverse reaction, but Monet's reply was that his means of creating a work was his own business, and it was up to the viewer to judge the final result.

MY LONDON, unusual places

Eltham Palace

Inside the beautifully decorated Eltham Palace. Image: Alamy

Given to Edward II as a royal residence, Eltham Palace in south-east London dates back to at least the 14th century but is today better known as a romantic Art Deco treasure. It became the home of Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, who met while Stephen was climbing in the Alps at Courmayeur; and they settled there after marrying. Maintained by English Heritage and regularly open to the public, the palace’s Tudor great hall – where Herny VIII played as a child - contrasts starkly with the stylish 1930s living quarters and gardens they shared with Mah Jong, their pet lemur. The sumptuous setting and their home’s lavish design make the palace eternally popular with dating couples – on your visit be sure to check out Virginia Courtauld’s gold-plated bathroom and make time for a private picnic on the estate’s manicured lawns.

Address: Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, London - SE9 5QE
Getting there: buses 126 and 161; Eltham and Mottingham train stations are both a half mile away.

Tom Jones is the author of Tired of London, Tired of Life: One Thing A Day To Do In London, (Virgin Books: £12.99) and also writes about London daily on his blog tiredoflondontiredoflife.com

Zoe Craig’s choice: Sample the best of Brixton

The classic film-then-food date is freshened up in Brixton. Image: Alamy

The best dates are a delicate balance of the familiar and the intriguing. To achieve this, try Brixton, where the everyday and unexpected stand side by side. Start with a romantic film at the Brixton Ritzy. It’s one of London's finest Picturehouse cinemas and hosts plenty of special events so you can surprise your date with a post-film Q&A with the director or something from the NT Live programme, where theatre performances are broadcast live to cinemas around the world. Afterwards, head around the corner where you can reveal your more adventurous side. Seven at Brixton is a casual, low-lit pintxos-and-cocktail place in Brixton Market Row. Go upstairs, where the two of you can find a quiet corner and share some delicious Basque Country tapas. Fuel your date's relaxed banter with excellent £5 cocktails. (Try the Electric Avenue, a winning mix of apple vodka, pomegranate juice and marmalade.) A date who took me on a similar date here a few years ago made a particularly good impression on me – reader, I married him.

Address: Brixton Ritzy: Brixton Oval Coldharbour Lane, London SW2 1JG; Seven at Brixton: 7 Market Row, London SW9 8LB
Tube: Brixton

Haunted Histories Walks

If roses, chocolates and hearts scare you senseless and old-fashioned, schmaltzy dates makes you want to hurl, then how about taking your beloved on a ghost walk around spooky Smithfield in East London instead. Haunted Histories Walks run regular tours of East London, and are surprisingly conducive to romance – with tours recounting chilling tales of sinister occurrences and bloodcurdling murders, there are plenty of opportunities to cuddle up for comfort as you traipse the cold streets of London. In that respect it’s just as effective as watching a scary movie together, but you can do something educational too. Double win. And once you’ve scared yourselves silly, you can warm up and snuggle in the delightfully named Butcher’s Hook and Cleaver pub (61 West Smithfield), for a feast of pies, sausages and pork scratchings

Hidden London’s choice: Keats House, Hampstead

Keats House in Hampstead. Image: Greg Balfour Evans / Alamy

Romance still resonates through Keats House in Hampstead, which is now a museum dedicated to its famous former resident: the poet John Keats. It was here that he fell in love with the girl next door, Fanny Brawne, and wrote Ode to a Nightingale and most of his other best-known works, but their relationship was doomed to end prematurely. He contracted tuberculosis and died at the age of just 25. The museum’s collection of memorabilia includes books, paintings, letters, keepsakes and even the engagement ring Keats gave his beloved. If you’re the type who likes to do your homework before a cultural outing, you might like to view Jane Campion’s Bright Star, a film to which your tour guide may well make a few references. Opening days to Keats House vary throughout the year so be sure to check in advance of your visit. Whenever you do go, however, you can expect to see plenty of couples enthralled by the household and the sad story of young love lost.

Address: Keats House, Keats Grove, London NW3 2RR
Getting there: London Overground to Hampstead Heath

Hidden London is a website devoted to the capital’s lesser-known places, with a new section called ‘The Guide’ that focuses on relatively recherché attractions with qualities that make them worth visiting, or at least stopping to admire on your way past.

Secret London’s choice: taking the Thames Clipper to Greenwich

The Thames Clipper service provide a different perspective of London. Image: Krys Bailey / Alamy

It's always surprising how many Londoners haven't taken the Thames Clipper sevice to Greenwich, which always feels like a day out of London. It’s a great excursion, passing many original London landmarks as they were meant to be seen: from the river. Coming back after dark is magical, passing under Tower Bridge with the lights of the City shimmering on the Thames. In Greenwich, there’s an endless choice of romantic things to do to pass the day. Listen to Handel’s Water Music in a private booth at the Maritime Museum, or run hand-in-hand through the spooky Greenwich Foot Tunnel. Admire the ceiling of the Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College or buy an old-fashioned game to play together in the traditional games shop Compendia in Greenwich market. For a meal, try The Guildford Arms for no-nonsense, beautifully made British food.

Address: you can access the Thames Clipper route map and timetablehere.

Secret London is a guide to the hidden corners of London from travel writer Kieran Meeke, who is also editor-in-chief of the iPad-only TRVL magazine. Follow him on Twitter @SecretLDN.

Obsessed with London’s choice: dinner at Dans le Noir?

Dans le Noir?: we love what they've done with the place.

Above all, a date should be memorable and, if nothing else, dinner atDans Le Noir? makes for a meal you’ll never forget. The restaurant’s name means ‘in the dark?’ and diners eat devoid of any natural or artificial light source, in a pitch-black room. Guided by blind staff, you work your way through a mystery meal – you can order a menu for meat or seafood eaters or vegetarians but aren’t told what you’ll be served – and so have the chance to experience food (and your date) free from preconceptions based on visual cues; instead the focus is on taste and smell (and conversation ). Phones and other distractions are checked at the door so for an hour it’s just you and your date, and 58 others. Expect a few culinary surprises and a new perspective on dining. For a more traditional end to your meal there’s a lit bar for post-dinner drinks or, even better, you can access the nearby Zetter Townhouse cocktail lounge, where sumptuous concoctions and a crackling fire await.

Address: 30-31 Clerkenwell Green London, EC1R 0DU; (Zetter Townhouse: 49-50 St John’s Square, London EC1V 4JJ
Tube: Farringdon

From supper clubs to pop-up shops, Obsessed with London editor Drisk posts about the weird and wonderful happenings of London. Follow@OwLondon

John O’ Ceallaigh’s choice: Wilton’s Music Hall

Intimate, and free, musical performances are held at the hall's Mahogany Bar. Image: James Perry

Wilton’s Music Hall’s faded grandeur is all the more unexpected when viewed against the characterless facades that surround it. Buffeted by cab shops and takeaways in an unprepossessing corner of Whitechapel, the world’s oldest music hall has attracted courting couples since 1858. In those glory days, its ornate grand hall and gilded interior were an obvious draw; decades of dereliction mean modern-day visitors now discover a crumbling, timeworn building that beautifully evokes a vanished past. That’s not to say it’s a musty relic. Concerts, plays and cabaret performances are regularly held at the venue, and on most Mondays – always check the listings – musicians perform free old-fashioned tunes in the hall’s intimate Mahogany Bar. It’s well worth taking in a tour of the hall (£6) from 6pm on the same evening, and then lingering to hear whatever performance is scheduled, all the while sipping good-value beer or wine at your leisure.

Address: Graces Alley, Tower Hamlets,London,E1 8JB
Tube: Aldgate East; Tower Hill

John O’ Ceallaigh is the London content editor for Telegraph.co.uk and manages The Telegraph’s London portal: www.telegraph.co.uk/london . Follow him @johnoceallaigh and @TelegraphLondon.

GLP’s choice: cabaret aboard Battersea Barge

The performance space at Battersea Barge. Image: Battersea Barge

A date is a careful balancing act between seeming original and not looking too kooky, all the while turning what’s essentially an extended interview into an effortless evening of endless entertainment. Enter cabaret as the solution – whether it’s terrible or terrific it’ll give you plenty to talk about. To add some extra interest, why not throw a barge into the mix? Battersea Barge isn't the easiest place to get to, but that's half the fun. Navigate through the nearby riverside industrial roads and you'll come to the static vessel’s little white gangway. Think twice before donning the six-inch stilettos. Inside is a bar that's a true quirky treasure – kitschy in a good way, with an intimate atmosphere but surprisingly spacious. Upstairs there are sweeping views of the Thames. Down the spiral stairs is a well-stocked bar area with a small stage. Be warned that acts can be pretty risqué, but the standard is high. Add to that some of London's friendliest staff, and first-rate finger food, and you've got yourself a pretty memorable night – just make sure you order a taxi in advance to get you home.

Address: Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5BP (behind the Fed Ex Building).
Tube: Vauxhall station is about 10 minutes’ walk away.

OUTDOOR SWIMMING AT HAMPSTEAD HEATH