Art historian with an interest in visual messages
The portrait of Elizabeth I known as the Armada Portrait was saved for the nation thanks to contributions from a generous public and a huge donation from the Art Fund. It has now been fully restored and hangs in The Queen’s House, Greenwich. It is one of three portraits that clearly derive from the same… Continue reading The Armada Portrait Reconsidered.
In 2018 history of art was removed as an 'A'-level option in the English education syllabus, so I was delighted to learn that free online courses will be available on YouTube. These have been created by a former curator of the Courtauld Institute (the number one institute for art history in the world) and will… Continue reading “Art is the Conscience of a Nation”, or why the study of the history of art is important.
On International Women's Day I am asking you to consider the life of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), wife of the British Ambassador to Turkey 1716-18, medical pioneer, adventurer and prolific letter writer. After their time in Constantinople the Wortley Montagu's returned to England, but left England again in 1739, not returning until the 1760s.… Continue reading A Portrait of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu in the NPG, London.
In the British Library we have a collection of illuminated manusripts that are as important to our national culture as the history of battles won and lost by kings long gone. Gifts by George II and George III form the core of the British Library known as the King’s Stack. George II gave 2000 volumes,… Continue reading Illuminated manuscripts fit for a King
27th January we remember those who perished in the Nazi Holocaust. This is a short story dedicated to them.
Melanie V Taylor 