Thrilled!

Never before have the originals of these two paintings hung in the same gallery. On the left is the National Gallery, London's version of Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of The Virgin of the Rocks; on the left is the earlier version, that usually hangs in the Louvre. Some say the London one is not by Leonardo, others, that there is simply a stong contribution by his students.

I've seen both in their individual museums, and they fascinate me. I did a course in Italian Renaissance Studies at university, and learned quite a lot about the Masters of the 15th and 16th centuries. I even saw the Mona Lisa before they enclosed her behind glass. Even further back, I went to the house in France where he died, and where there was an exhibition of models made from his drawings, of things like armoured tanks and helicopters.

From today there is a Leonardo exhibition at the National Gallery that unites these paintings in one room. Sadly, they don't appear to have had the imagination to hang them side by side, but facing one another. In between there will be hundreds, even thousands, of people, because the exhibition is already well on the way to selling out.

I spent some time online yesterday trying to book tickets, but using the iPad I just kept going round in circles. As soon as I chose a day and time, it was sold out.

Today I've managed to book a ticket, but it isn't till the end of January. Not sure I can wait that long, maybe there will be a chance to pick up a return if I turn up at the door.