An association made in a traditional British Christmas carol found only exceptionally in paintings, including two ‘problem pictures’ from the 19th century.
Puvis
From 1872, as symbolism developed in his paintings. From ‘Death and the Maiden’, through ‘The Poor Fisherman’, to his recurring theme of the Sacred Grove.
First of two articles celebrating the 200th anniversary of his birth. Covers the period up to the years after the Franco-Prussian War, when he achieved popularity.
From Blake onwards, dreams often take over the whole view, with the dreamer the only link to reality. Examples from Blake, Rossetti, Hodler and others.
The enjoyment of being idle, indulgence of relaxation, and blissful laziness: that’s dolce far niente for you, in paintings to chill out with.
How to buy fresh milk in central London, what the Scythians lived on, and more. Paintings by Millet, Delacroix, Winslow Homer, and others.
Rarely painted, particularly in classical form, until the 19th century, the Grim Reaper is based on Father Time, not Thanatos.
Paintings of the hippogriff from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, and some other winged horses from Puvis de Chavannes, Moreau, and ER Hughes.
A relatively common motif, it started with the peculiar association of death and the erotic, then changed in the late 19th century.
Dreams painted by more modern artists, from William Blake to Paul Nash. These tend to become progressively harder to read.
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