From Velázquez in the 1640s to Renoir in 1882, portraits and scenes of women sewing were popular. How did they develop?
Velázquez
Before the 19th century, his paintings were more popular than those of Velázquez. Why are they far less well known now? Take a look and see for yourself.
Rich in wordplay, this story is almost unique to Ovid. It was oddly prescient of his own later banishment too.
Marie’s plan to bring peace to Europe is implemented in double royal weddings. The paintings say it brought a new age to France, but history says otherwise.
An introduction to some of the history and panegyric behind Rubens’ Marie de’ Medici Cycle, in the Louvre.
When you’re a great narrative painter and a diplomat, one painting might be all that is needed to secure a peace treaty.
Trying to elicit a specific taste seem over-ambitious, but why can’t great paintings at least make us feel peckish?
A triple bill of myths, ingeniously interwoven into a story with four different metamorphoses – and some superb paintings.
Introduction to a series explaining the history of oil paint, effects on techniques, hence on paintings themselves.
There have been four different readings of this well-known painting. Does any of them work, or should we look to a different account?
The Eclectic Light Company 