Click the image for XXL Hans Holbein the Younger A Lady with a Squirrel and Starling Oil on Panel, 56×38.8cm, 1526-8 This is one of Holbein’s most beautiful paintings and yet we do not know for certain who this serene…
Although we may now think of wedding dresses and lingerie, in the 17th century lace was not associated with either. And yet the 17th century was one of the heydays of lace.
To many viewers, his paintings might look alike. Portraits of men and women, often with dark brown backgrounds, wearing black clothing and a fabulous snow-white ruff or flat collar. There are a few exceptions of course, but the majority of…
One of the most recognisable and iconic fashion statements of the 17th century surely is the cartwheel ruff. The fancier and bigger the better. I love the sculptural and slightly crazy qualities of a ruff. Here are ten of them,…
There are thousands of blogs these days, many of which deal with art or the history of art. It is one of the reasons I probably spend too much time online. But a lot of blogs are really interesting, informative…
Soft and lush, rich and deep colours; velvet is and always has been one of the most gorgeous and tactile fabrics around. It has been used for drapery, table covers and clothing for centuries and hence we can find it…
The history of Welbeck Abbey goes back to the 12th century when a monastery was built on the site where there is now a vast country house. After the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, the estate was sold…
Last week I went back to the Harley Gallery at the Welbeck Abbey estate in Nottinghamshire to get inspiration from the newly opened gallery which showcases part of the Portland Collection.
Hardwick Hall, the home of the fabulous Bess of Hardwick, is a Tudor gem of a house. It was built between 1590 and 1597 to create a house fit for a lady of her wealth and status. Bess started building…
I visited Hardwick Hall today, a spectacular Tudor mansion, commissioned and lived in by one of the most illustrious ladies of Tudor England: Bess of Hardwick. The House sits on top of a hill and oversees the land like it…
I am indulging myself in going slightly dog mad these days. Ever since our beloved English Springer Spaniel died last year at the age of 12 we have missed not only her but also the walks and the games. So…
Image: Jean-Étienne Liotard: Marie-Anne Françoise Liotard with a Doll, circa 1775, pastel on parchment, 45x50cm. Musée d’art et d’histoire, Geneva. Although Jean-Étienne Liotard (Swiss, 1702 – 1789) is not very well-known (and I must admit I know very little about him) it…
The Queen’s Gallery in London has a new exhibition which opened last Friday called Masters of the Everyday. Dutch Artists in the Age of Vermeer. It is a celebration of Dutch 17th century painting, in particular famous old masters like…
Jacobean embroidered jackets are a very common sight within the portraiture of the early 17th century. The scrolling patterns with flowers and fruit, birds and bees have become very famous. Many painted portraits of women wearing jackets with the pattern…
A Portrait by William Larkin? I recently came across this portrait at Bristol Museum (above left) and found it immediately interesting. Of course ever since my BP Travel Award project I have a slight soft spot for portrait artist William Larkin…
