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The Best I Can Do

For decades, Sara Wheeler has visited the National Gallery to enjoy two 15th Century portraits. Despite knowing nothing about art, she has developed deep ties to the pieces.

Sara Wheeler explains why every week for several decades - despite knowing nothing about art - she has called in to London鈥檚 National Gallery to look at the same two paintings.

'This habit of mine,' writes Sara, 'started by accident when I moved to London forty years ago' when she first set eyes on Botticelli's 'Portrait of a Young Man' and van Eyck's 'Portrait of a Man.'

'I have come to realise,' says Sara, the extraordinary power of 'familiarity, close contact and regular attention'.

Producer: Adele Armstrong
Sound: Peter Bosher
Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

Release date:

9 minutes

On radio

Fri 3 Jan 2025 20:50

Broadcasts

  • Fri 3 Jan 2025 20:50
  • Sun 5 Jan 2025 08:48

Podcast