Psyching myself up

Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Psyche showing her Sisters her Gifts from Cupid, 1753, National Gallery, London. I was going to write a new post today, but it turns out I’m still in acting mode. After two weeks in Sidmouth playing three different roles in the four playlets that make up Neil Simon’s California Suite we have half a weekContinue reading “Psyching myself up”

Day 43 – Psyche

Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Psyche showing her Sisters her Gifts from Cupid, 1753, National Gallery, London. I thought I’d have some presents today… for various reasons. Did you know it is the 75th anniversary of the death of Adolf Hitler? Or that it is the 137th anniversary of the death of Edouard Manet? Neither of these are the reason, obviously. ButContinue reading “Day 43 – Psyche”

Day 41 – Night and Sleep

Evelyn de Morgan, Night and Sleep, 1878, The De Morgan Foundation, Compton, Surrey. There is something I find indefinably exquisite about this painting, something remarkable about its combination of colours and forms, like the flavours and textures of a well cooked dish, a delight, and one that should not be savoured too quickly. To see whatContinue reading “Day 41 – Night and Sleep”

Day 37 – Noah

Paolo Uccello, Stories from the Life of Noah, c. 1447-8, Chiostro Verde, Santa Maria Novella, Florence. I mentioned, a few days back (Picture Of The Day 32) – I think it was Sunday – that I would come back to the great polymath of the Renaissance, Leon Battista Alberti. And just a couple of days beforeContinue reading “Day 37 – Noah”

Day 8 – The Birth of Venus

Day 8 – Alessandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, c. 1485, The Uffizi, Florence. Originally posted on 26 March 2020 The request I’m following up today is ‘wonky people in early paintings’, and although 1485 is not terribly early from my point of view, a discussion ensued about Botticelli – and as I mentioned Venus yesterday,Continue reading “Day 8 – The Birth of Venus”