This pandemic is inspiring some lovely fictional tales. Ian is a naval historian and we met at a conference held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich last year, 2019, where we were both presenting papers to an international academic audience. This is a great story, based on real events during the reign of Elizabeth I.… Continue reading A VOYAGE OF SELF-ISOLATION – by Ian Robertson.
During the Renaissance, the myths of classical Greece and Rome entertained and inspired artists, poets, playwrights and in particular, Titian who used them to create a series of paintings for Philip II of Spain's private camerino in Madrid during the 1550s. Today, these myths and legends still inspire those with a creative mind. Loosley based… Continue reading Wilding – an ancient tale for modern times
Recently, Rebecca Larson of www.Tudor’sDynasty.com and I were communing about how to amuse ourselves during this Covid-19 crisis and what we could do if we ended up having to self-isolate. We came up with the idea of creating a new Decameron, the first version was written by Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) in around 1353. So we are throwing it out… Continue reading The Tudors Dynasty Decameron 2020 project
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.
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
