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Possibly the most cultured woman in Europe
Trail blazers do not always come from the most likely beginnings. The daughter of middle-class, Swiss parents, Angelica Kauffman came from an unremarkable background but she was a child prodigy. In her early years, her talent for painting was matched by her singing voice and she had to make a choice between the two careers. She chose art and by the time she was nine was supporting her parents. They travelled widely, spending time in Italy and 15…
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John Singer Sargent at the Tate
At the turn of the last century, to have one’s portrait painted by John Singer Sargent was to say that you had arrived. And now a new exhibition at the Tate has arrived, from Boston, celebrating his work alongside fabulous costumes contemporary to this era. Wealthy and successful individuals chose Singer-Sargent to portray them as they wished to be seen; self assured, attractive, and elegant . They often came from ‘new’ money, the wives and children of businessmen…
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Strawberry Hill
This wonderful Georgian Gothic Revival villa has been on our list for a while, so we are delighted to be able to share it with you today. It was built for Horace Walpole (Earl of Orford) from 1749 and has the most amazing set of eccentric interiors which would be worthy of a film set. Even in his day they caused a sensation. The peer wanted to create a “little gothic castle” and he incorporated many design elements…
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Cupids and Cherubs
‘Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind’ – William Shakespeare Wishing all our wonderful followers a Happy Valentine’s Day with this collection of Cupids and Cherubs collated from our archives
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Flowers from the garden
Sunday is our planning day and the diaries are getting busy with visits, exhibitions and events that we can’t wait to share with you all. We’re also catching up with some other chores today so are keeping things simple with a post of flowers we picked from the garden this morning. We hope you are all having a relaxing weekend. Love from the girls at ITES! Personalised vase from Emma Bridgewater.
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Entangled Pasts at the Royal Academy
They say every picture tells a story so perhaps an art exhibition is an anthology of works with the objective of looking at a subject from many and varied perspectives. This is certainly true of the new ‘Entangled Pasts’ which opened last week at the RA. It tackles the difficult and complex subject of Britain’s colonial history through art. I made the most of my lunch break yesterday, and popped in with the aim of finally seeing Dido…
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An English Woman Abroad
In the 17th and 18th centuries young gentlemen were encouraged to take a tour of Europe in order to complete their education and broaden their horizons. It enabled them to discover the cultural wonders of Europe and perhaps to sow a few wild oats before settling down to a respectable adult life. But what about their sisters? Did they sit meekly at home practising their accomplishments? Well, not always, as we discovered recently at Basildon Park. This painting…
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Barons Hall at Raby Castle
There are a few historic homes that we come back to time and time again, Raby Castle is one such place. Having visited on a number of occasions, exploring both the wonderful grounds and splendid interiors, we often think what a wonderful place it must be to call home. Walking through the Baron’s Hall, you can’t help but think of the important English history that took place within the castle’s walls. From the birth of Cecily Neville (mother…
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Staffordshire Dogs
Our Staffordshire Dog Display team appears to be very sociable and there is always room for one more on the yew table, in the foreground. The Greyhounds, however, insist that the mantelpiece is reserved for sight hounds only. They like to look down on us all. We keep the peace by giving them all a change of scenery and a good dusting now and again. 😂
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Melford Hall
It’s nearly the weekend so let’s celebrate by paying another visit to the marvellous Melford Hall. This grand entrance hall has been made inviting by combining all our favourite elements of English style; a fine fireplace, panelling, period portraits and cheery Knole sofas. Surely the perfect formula for a timeless and comfortable interior? We hope you all have some exciting plans for this weekend!
