How the term spinster came about, the thread of life, the feminisation of Hercules, and Velázquez’ baffling Las Hilanderas.
Velázquez
Plans to celebrate anniversaries of major painters, series on narrative paintings, and more, for the coming year.
Some delightful gardening and rural tales, and a couple of views of the gardens of Rome. It seems that he retired after about 1922.
The standard blue pigment for the Renaissance and on, until about 1710, it was used in many Old Masters before disappearing by 1800.
From Velázquez in the 1640s to Renoir in 1882, portraits and scenes of women sewing were popular. How did they develop?
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.
