For many people around the world, this is a very special time of year. Perhaps for ecclesiastical reasons but for many, the simple pleasures of community gatherings, reconnecting with loved ones, festive lights and the comfort and joy of festive rituals. I love this time of year. I am often asked if attending so many...
Continue readingAn art form that many will recognise but few may know much about, illuminated manuscripts exhibit some of the most delicate and detailed illustrations dating back to the Middle Ages. Within the pages of these age-old works of art and literature, are some of the most beautiful demonstrations of decorative illustrations and the use of...
Continue readingToday we are celebrating the birthday of French Neo-Impressionist painter, Paul Signac. Born in Paris on the 11th of November, 1863, Signac is often referred to as a follower and disciple of George Seurat (the father of Neo-Impressionism and the Pointillist technique). Seurat was also a close friend and colleague of Signac and, having looked...
Continue readingOne of the greatest joys of studying the history of art is getting to learn about the evolution of art movements over time, and the techniques which often played a part in defining them. A significant moment in that evolution can be recognised in the late 1700s to early 1800s, during which time the academic...
Continue readingWhen you look at yourself in a mirror, takes a selfie or even glance at your reflection in a shop window, we are reminded not only of what we look like but of the environment around us. We can see more about ourselves than probably anyone else can: bags under our eyes, freckles from...
Continue readingToday we are celebrating the birthday of Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, a British artist born in Birmingham on the 28th of August 1833 and who died in June 1898. Burne-Jones is a fascinating figure in British Art History. Frequently regarded as the last of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he was also a significant part of the...
Continue readingFirst brought to Europe centuries ago, the word ‘turquoise’ is a derivative of the French for ‘Turkish stone’. Turquoise describes a gemstone, mineral and hue steeped in history and has been greatly significant throughout the timeline of the decorative arts. A colour of magic and mysticism, our love for turquoise is unsurprising and so, this...
Continue readingWhen we think about beautiful interior design, an object often used to bring an air of romance and enchantment to a space is the elegant tapered candle. In a day and age filled with ever-evolving technology, which insists on us striving for modernism, there is something about a graceful candle that reminds us of...
Continue readingIn 16th century Renaissance Italy, the status of the artist became significantly elevated above that of the craftsman. This was achieved via the formation of the art academy. Prior to these official academies of art, painters, sculptors, draughtsman and other design based professions were grouped together in medieval guilds. As artists sought to gain respect...
Continue readingToday we are celebrating the life and work of one of the world’s most prominent post-impressionist painters, Vincent van Gogh. Born on the 30th of March 1853, Van Gogh grew up in Zundert, a town in the Netherlands, before moving between many more cities in Western Europe as a young adult. Destined to become one...
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