Below is the outline for the paper I will be presenting at the international conference titled Maritime Animals being held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, between 25-27th April 2019. This paper will discuss just one element of my research into the visual evidence of trade with the Far East that is evident in surviving… Continue reading Hidden in Plain Sight :Visual evidence of travellers’ tales & trade in birds & other marvellous beasts
Mell. Heather, welcome. As an art historian, I am interested in the various portraits of Anna and the iconography used by the family. I remember when we both attended the 500th anniversary celebratory conference of Corpus Christi College, Oxford and you disappeared for a morning. What were you doing while I was listening to the… Continue reading An Interview with Heather Darsie: Author of Anna Duchess of Cleves, The King’s Beloved Sister.
As an art historian part of my research is into the derivation and power of images. No matter how many articles are written, a single image can say much more than written words. This week saw the departure of two senior Facebook executives. Evidently, their reason for leaving is ‘creative differences’ with FB’s founder, Mark Zukerberg. I… Continue reading Remembering personal responsibility when posting on social media
Nicholas Hilliard was England’s first English artist to become internationally famous. His self portrait (© Victoria & Albert Museum, London) is a mere 41mm in diameter (1.6 inches) and it is for these exquisitely delicate and miniature images of Elizabeth I and her court that he becomes famous. I fell in love with Hilliard’s miniatures… Continue reading Nicholas Hilliard (1547-1619) & Isaac Oliver (1565-1617): Painters to the Elizabethan and Jacobean courts
Between Thursday 25th - Saturday 27th April 2019 a two and half day international conference Maritime Animals: Telling Stories of animals at sea will be held at the National Maritime Museum (part of the UNESCO world heritage site of Greenwich) London. The programme explores all aspects of animal involvement and engagement in aspects of maritime exploration and… Continue reading Maritime Animals: Telling Stories of Animals at Sea. An International Conference at Greenwich, London
Some years ago I was asked to mentor a new researcher into Tudor history, Heather Darsie, who was researching a new biography of Anna, Duchess of Cleves - Henry VIII's fourth wife. You would have thought that over the years the various historians specialising in Tudor history had drained this particular pot dry. However, this… Continue reading Anna, Duchess of Cleves: The King’s Beloved Sister
Peter Jackson's documentary 'They shall not Grow Old' is well worth a watch. I was sent this poem written by someone who has been inspired by Peter Jackson's documentary and was immediately reminded of Paul Nash's painting, The Mule Track. The painting hangs in the Imperial War Museum, London as part of the museum's permanent collection.… Continue reading Verdun 1916
