![](/media/29863/potm_june2019.jpg?rxy=0.645,0.23893805309734514&width=1920&height=360&v=1d946c962d901a0)
Picture of the month
June 2019: The Story of Griselda, Part I: Marriage
Once upon a time, so the story goes, there was an Italian nobleman called Gualtieri, the Marquis of Saluzzo. He spent his days hunting and playing sports with no interest in settling down, despite pleas from his friends and advisors that he should marry and produce an heir.
Eventually, to please them, he agreed but privately resolved to marry Griselda, a local peasant and the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her poor background he thought would spite those who were pressuring him to marry, while her good looks would make married life more bearable. However, once married, he set several trials through which Griselda had to prove her fidelity. After many twists, turns, and testing times for Griselda, during which she again and again showed her faithfulness, the story ends happily.
![](/media/29867/potm_june20192.jpg?rmode=max&width=1820&height=1080&quality=85)
Our three paintings, by a still unknown artist, tell the tale of Griselda and Gualtieriās courtship, wedding, and married life. This first painting takes us up to the wedding day and begins by showing Gualtieri hunting with his retinue, silhouetted on the crest of the hill in the left background. In the foreground, the Marquis encounters Griselda returning from a well, carrying a water jug on her head and is stunned by her beauty. Over on the right, the Marquis arrives at her house and announces his intention to marry her. Griselda is shown naked, having shed her shabby clothes, and is just about to be dressed in new fine garments. At the centre, there's the finale, with the marriage ceremony taking place in front of a triumphal arch decorated with horses and gilded statuettes.
This much-loved Italian story is thought to have been passed down from generation to generation by Italian storytellers before being set down in print by the 14th-century Florentine poet Boccaccio in his series of novellas, known as the 'Decameron'. The scenes would most likely have been set into the walls of a wooden-panelled room, such as a marriage chamber, and the messages they convey about faith and constancy would have been fitting for the home of a newly wed couple.
Related events
-
Category: Tour Fully bookedVarious dates and times£
-
Fully bookedTalk | Members
A tour of celebration
Members' tour
Category: Talk | Members Fully bookedVarious timesFrom £18 -
Tour
Daily guided tour
Category: TourVarious datesFree -
Course | Online
Stories of Art 1900-2000
Category: Course | OnlineVarious datesFrom £70.50 -
Creative session | Families
Summer on the Square
Decoding pictures
Category: Creative session | FamiliesVarious dates and timesFree -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Curious creatures
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious datesFree -
Creative session | Families
Summer on the Square
The sound of paintings
Category: Creative session | FamiliesVarious timesFree -
Creative session | Online
Talk and draw
Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando
Category: Creative session | OnlineFriday, 2 August 2024, 4 pm BSTFree -
RescheduledIn conversation | Members
A London perspective on art
Category: In conversation | Members RescheduledFriday, 2 August 2024, 6.45 pmFrom £20 -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Dare to draw
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious dates and timesFree -
Talks & conversations | Families
Summer on the Square
Terrific talks with Talita Jenman & Melissa Baksh
Category: Talks & conversations | FamiliesVarious dates and timesFree -
Creative session | Families
Summer on the Square
Storytelling with Paul Rubinstein
Category: Creative session | FamiliesVarious dates and timesFree -
Talk | Members
Cryptic creatures
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Talk | Members
A saintly life
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Talk | Members
A kaleidoscopic tour
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Creative session | Families
Summer on the Square
Storytelling with Preacher the Storyteller
Category: Creative session | FamiliesVarious dates and timesFree -
Talk | Members
A tour of celebration
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Talk | Online | Members
Curator's introduction to Hockney and Piero: A longer look
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 6 August 2024, 4 pm BSTFrom £10 -
Talk | Members
An introduction to ...
'Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look'
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Talks & conversations | Members
Members' preview day
'Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look'
Category: Talks & conversations | MembersWednesday, 7 August 2024, 10 amFree -
Talks & conversations | Families
Summer on the Square
Terrific talks with Articulation Alumni
Category: Talks & conversations | FamiliesVarious dates and timesFree -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Learning to look
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious datesFree -
Creative session | Members
Scent workshop with 20A Aromatherapy
Members' creative workshop
Category: Creative session | MembersSaturday, 10 August 2024, 10.30 amFrom £50 -
Talk | Members
Archive show-and-tell
Introduction to the National Gallery archives
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Talk
10-minute talk
Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look
Category: TalkVarious datesFree -
Talk | Members
Contemporary art tour
Category: Talk | MembersWednesday, 14 August 2024, 2 pmFrom £25 -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Sensory connections
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious datesFree -
Talks & conversations | Members
Political art: a conversation
Category: Talks & conversations | MembersFriday, 16 August 2024, 6.45 pmFrom £10 -
Creative session | Members
Flower pressing with JamJar Flowers
Members' creative workshop
Category: Creative session | MembersSaturday, 17 August 2024, 11 amFrom £75 -
Talk | Members
Archive show-and-tell
Eastlake’s notebooks and his travels around Italy
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Talk | Members
The art of leadership
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £20 -
Talk | Online | Members
Thunderclap - Art and life & sudden death
Members' book club
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 20 August 2024, 6 pm BSTFree -
Talk | Members
Sketch tour
Category: Talk | MembersVarious dates and timesFrom £25 -
Talk | Members
Member mornings
'Narrative Thread' with Mark C. O’Flaherty
Category: Talk | MembersThursday, 22 August 2024, 8.30 amFrom £25 -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Patterns in nature
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious datesFree -
Course | Online
The National Gallery at 200: Past, Present, Future
Category: Course | OnlineVarious datesFrom £70.50 -
Talk | Online | Members
Reflecting on Discover Degas and Miss La La
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 27 August 2024, 4 pm BSTFree -
Tour | Members
The art of mindfulness
Slow looking from the outside to the inside
Category: Tour | MembersVarious datesFrom £25 -
Talk | Members
An introduction to...
'Discover: Degas and Miss La La'
Category: Talk | MembersWednesday, 28 August 2024, 9 amFrom £20 -
Talk | Members
Degas and the collection
A guided walking tour
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £20 -
Creative session | Families, for all ages
Summer on the Square
Tropical transformations
Category: Creative session | Families, for all agesVarious datesFree -
Experiences
Friday Lates
Category: ExperiencesFriday, 30 August 2024, 6.30 pmRead more -
Fully bookedTalk
Unexpected views
Category: Talk Fully bookedFriday, 30 August 2024, 6.30 pmFree -
Talk | Members
A journey into the collection...
with Marcus Howard-Vyse
Category: Talk | MembersFriday, 30 August 2024, 7 pmFrom £20 -
Talk | Members
Member mornings
'My Shakespeare' with Greg Doran
Category: Talk | MembersMonday, 2 September 2024, 8.30 amFrom £25 -
Course | Online
Hockney's heritage: Parents, Piero and other pictures
Category: Course | OnlineMonday, 2 September 2024, 3.30 pm BSTFrom £11.75 -
Talk | Online | Members
Eva Gonzalès, the Impressionist
New acquisition Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 3 September 2024, 5.30 pm BSTFree -
Course | Online
In Focus: Henri Rousseau
Category: Course | OnlineWednesday, 4 September 2024, 5.30 pm BSTFrom £11.75 -
Talks & conversations | Members
Connecting British theatre to the Gallery
With theatre critic Michael Billington
Category: Talks & conversations | MembersFriday, 6 September 2024, 6 pmFrom £25 -
Creative session | Members
How to unlock your imagination
Transforming mind and body with Viviana Caro
Category: Creative session | MembersSunday, 8 September 2024, 11 amFrom £65 -
Talk | Members
My Favourite Painting
'Mary Magdalene'
Category: Talk | MembersMonday, 9 September 2024, 8.45 amFrom £25 -
Talk | Online | Members
Curator's introduction to Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersMonday, 9 September 2024, 2 pm BSTFrom £10 -
Talk | Members
Look, talk, draw
Looking at artworks through drawing
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Talk | Members
An introduction to...
'Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers'
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £30 -
Talk | Members
Van Gogh and the collection
A guided tour
Category: Talk | MembersFriday, 13 September 2024, 11 amFrom £20 -
Creative session | Members
Textiles with The Blühen Studio
Fibre art workshop
Category: Creative session | MembersSunday, 15 September 2024, 11 amFrom £75 -
Talk | Members
Archive show-and-tell
Embracing Impressionists and Post-Impressionists
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Course | Online
Stories of Art Taster: Giotto and the Scrovegni Chapel
Category: Course | OnlineMonday, 16 September 2024, 4 pm BSTFree -
Talk | Online | Members
Visions of Greek and African myths
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersThursday, 19 September 2024, 6 pm BSTFree -
Tour | Members
A journey into the collection...
Category: Tour | MembersSunday, 22 September 2024, 10.30 amFrom £20 -
Talk | Members
Archive show-and-tell
10 years in the archives and library
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Talk | Online | Members
How to paint in the open air
Members' talk
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 24 September 2024, 4 pm BSTFree -
Creative session | Members
Magical landscapes with Maya Land
Category: Creative session | MembersSaturday, 28 September 2024, 11 amFrom £65 -
Talk | Online | Members
The letters of Vincent van Gogh
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersThursday, 3 October 2024, 1 pm BSTFree -
Talk | Members
My favourite painting
'Madame Moitessier'
Category: Talk | MembersFriday, 4 October 2024, 6.45 pmFrom £25 -
Tour | Members
A journey into the collection...
Category: Tour | MembersFriday, 4 October 2024, 7 pmFrom £20 -
Creative session | Members
Create a masterpiece with Naila Hazell
Category: Creative session | MembersSaturday, 5 October 2024, 11 amFrom £75 -
Talk | Online | Members
The art of letter writing
Members' workshop
Category: Talk | Online | MembersThursday, 10 October 2024, 1 pm BSTFree -
In conversation | Members
A London perspective on art
Category: In conversation | MembersFriday, 11 October 2024, 6.45 pmFrom £10 -
Talk | Members
A Journey into the Collection...
Women of the National Gallery
Category: Talk | MembersSaturday, 12 October 2024, 1 pmFrom £20 -
Talk | Online | Members
Curator's introduction: Discover Constable and The Hay Wain
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersTuesday, 15 October 2024, 4 pm BSTFrom £10 -
Talk | Members
Constable and the collection
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £20 -
Talks & conversations | Members
An introduction to...
'Discover Constable and the Hay Wain'
Category: Talks & conversations | MembersVarious timesFrom £20 -
Talk | Online | Members
Reflecting on Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersThursday, 24 October 2024, 4 pm BSTFree -
Talk | Members
Archive show-and-tell
Stories of British art
Category: Talk | MembersVarious timesFrom £25 -
Talk | Online | Members
Illusion and reality: Making mischief with art
Members' talk and Q&A
Category: Talk | Online | MembersFriday, 1 November 2024, 6 pm GMTFree