283 – Life and Thought inspired by Art and Poetry

Evelyn de Morgan, Life and Thought emerging from the Tomb, 1893. The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. I’ve written about Evelyn de Morgan before, and spoken about her fairly often as well as the result of at least two exhibitions, but also in connection to the ‘Pre-Raphaelite Sisters’ – the women associated in one way orContinue reading “283 – Life and Thought inspired by Art and Poetry”

282 – And when did you last see this painting?

William Frederick Yeames, And When Did You Last See Your Father? 1878. The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. This week, on Monday 7 September at 6pm, I will be continuing my occasional series of talks A Stroll around the Walker, getting to know my local museum of ‘Old Master’ paintings, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.Continue reading “282 – And when did you last see this painting?”

Looking again at the Leading Star

Judith Leyster, Self Portrait, c. 1630, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Greetings from Shetland! I still have a few days here, but will be back in plenty of time for my talk this Monday, 3 August at 6pm which will be the first of two about the superb exhibition I saw in Ghent back inContinue reading “Looking again at the Leading Star”

280 – “Amo” I love!

Edward Robert Hughes, Study for a Picture: Fra Lippo Lippi, 1893. Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, Birkenhead. I am only just starting to get to know the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum in Birkenhead. It’s a little bit out of the way for me, on the Wirral, but only 20 minutes to drive… However, IContinue reading “280 – “Amo” I love!”

Hockney, retrospective

David Hockney, My Parents and Myself, 1976. The David Hockney Foundation. I first posted today’s blog just under two years ago, when the National Gallery was showing a closely related work in a rather wonderful 3-painting display. It seems apt to repost it today, though, as I look forward to this week’s talk (at 6.00pmContinue reading “Hockney, retrospective”

277 – How do you know that?

Francisco de Zurbarán, A Cup of Water and a Rose, about 1630. The National Gallery, London. Zurbarán at the National Gallery has been open for some time, but I’m only just getting round to talking about it this Monday, 15 June at 6pm. There are various reasons for that, not least of which was preparingContinue reading “277 – How do you know that?”

276 – Looking beyond

Matthias Grünewald, The Resurrection from The Isenheim Altarpiece, 1512-16. Musée Unterlinden, Colmar. This Monday, 1 June, at 6pm, I will give a talk about Mathis Gothart Nithart, who is better known to us as Matthias Grünewald. This isn’t related to an exhibition – more’s the pity – but to my visit to Colmar with ArtemisiaContinue reading “276 – Looking beyond”

Another visit to Whistler’s Mother

James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, 1871. Musée d’Orsay, Paris. I’m re-posting an essay from 2022 to celebrate the opening – today – of the exhibition James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain. I’ll be talking about it this coming Monday, 25 May at 6pm… so I’d better get to work!Continue reading “Another visit to Whistler’s Mother”

275 – Then Mary gathered cherries

Workshop of Martin Schongauer, The Virgin and Child in a Garden, 1470s or early 1480s. The National Gallery, London. Martin Schongauer, who I will be talking about this Monday, 18 May at 6pm, is most renowned for his engravings, of which many have survived. As one of a family of goldsmiths, working metal would haveContinue reading “275 – Then Mary gathered cherries”

274 – Feeling blue

Konrad Mägi, Saaremaa Motif, 1913. Art Museum of Estonia, Tallinn. After last week’s delicate, subtle drawings by ten wonderful women from the 18th to the 19th centuries, today I’m looking forward to the rich colour and bold brushstrokes of Konrad Mägi, who I will talk about this Monday, 4 May at 6pm. I’m hoping thatContinue reading “274 – Feeling blue”