Forest Fisticuffs: William Holman Hunt's 'Valentine Rescuing Sylvia from Proteus' (1851 ), a scene from William Shakespeare's Two Gentlemen of Verona for this week's (double!) Signs of a scuffle are revealed in Proteus's hat on autumnal forest floor.

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2022-09-14

Lyrical Ladies: our penultimate featuring work of Nazarene painter Wilhelm von Schadow (1789-1862). Aiming to revive spirituality in art, 'Nazarene' came as a term of derision used against them for their affectation of a biblical manner of clothing & hair style.

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2022-08-31

Lilies & a Lute: continuing our mini-series on Nazarene painter Wilhelm von Schadow for This week- a celestial calling with 'Mignon' (1828). We also recommend 'The Nazarenes: Romantic Avant-Garde & the Art of the Concept' by Cordula Grewe (2015) to learn more.

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2022-08-24

'The Afterglow in Egypt' (1854-63 Southampton Art Gall & Ashmolean) by Holman Hunt for
Hunt travelled to Egypt in 1854; the local girl wears traditional dress, jewellery & carries water & wheat perhaps as a symbol of fertility, echoed in abundant fields beyond

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2022-08-03

Elementary My Dear Waterhouse: paintings featuring air, fire, water and earth: 'Boreas' (1903), 'The Magic Circle (1886), 'A Mermaid' (1900) & 'Gather Ye Rosebuds' (1909) all by John William Waterhouse for this week's

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2022-07-27

Works by versatile, prolific William Blake Richmond (1842-1921) for Venus & Anchises (1890 Walker Art Gall), William Morris (1880s NPG), Charity (1910, Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Sq) plus a sumptuous example of aesthetic dress with Mrs Luke Ionides (1879, V&A)

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2022-06-01

Midweek Marble Musings: escapism to classical climes & dolce far niente: the paintings of John William Godward (1861-1922) for this week's He committed suicide at 61 with a note that apparently read "the world is not big enough for [both] myself and a Picasso"

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2022-05-04

Striking Strigiformes! Continuing on from Monday's owl theme, here are some stunning designs by William de Morgan for this week's

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2022-01-19

Pitcher Perfect: some jaunty jug designs by ceramicist William de Morgan plus portrait by his artist wife Evelyn de Morgan for this week's

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2022-01-12