This is one of my favourite pubs in London because it’s a good place to get some pub grub, well-kept real ale and the location…the location is amazing! It’s right on Tower Hill, with a view of the Tower of London, next to Tower Hill tube station and the gloriously beautiful Trinity Square (one of the best bits… Read on
Henry Purcell, arguably the greatest English composer of Baroque music, died on this day the 21st of November, 1695. Henry Purcell had been born in late 1659, so that means he was around thirty-six years old at the time of his death. I always find this quite sad, for him – and for us – that he did… Read on
One of my favourite painters from the Seventeenth Century – Nicolas Poussin – died on this day 19th November, 1665, in Rome. I thought I’d share a few of my favourite paintings of his, courtesy of the amazing www.nicolaspoussin.org I was fortunate that, during my time in college, I had the opportunity to study with a painter who… Read on
I recently contributed a guest post about William & Mary to the excellent blog of “Hoydens & Firebrands: Roaring Ladies who write about the 17th Century.” It was posted yesterday here: http://hoydensandfirebrands.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/william-and-mary.html Alternately, you can read it here and now: The story of William & Mary is one of duty, love, war, heartbreak, betrayal, and revolution. It was a… Read on
Hogarth is synonymous with the Eighteenth Century, but he was, in fact, born in the Seventeenth. Therefore, in honour of his birth, which occurred on this day the 10th of November, 1697, we shall have a look at some of his most popular and influential works of art. Hogarth was a satirist and an artist, who dealt mainly… Read on
Quite a number of people are finding this blog by searching for “portraits of handsome 17th century men,” and since I don’t wish to disappoint by not having an entry about this, here we are! 1. Arnold Joost von Keppel, Earl of Albemarle: I find Arnold the most aesthetically pleasing of all the portraits I’ve ever seen from… Read on
Tous Les Matins du Monde is a beautiful, captivating, heart-rending film about real-life 17th century French Baroque composer Marin Marais. This film, from 1991, which stars Gérard Depardieu as Marais, and Depardieu’s own son, Guillaume as the young Marais is stunning. Marin Marais was born in 1656 and died in 1728, and he was a viol player and a composer of Baroque… Read on
I visited the National Portrait Gallery yesterday to attend the “The Lost Prince – The Life & Death of Henry Stuart.” For those who plan on visiting, please do, but perhaps you shouldn’t read more below, as I’ve written this mainly for people who live abroad and will not be able to go to the exhibition. I was… Read on