Words from an Amateur Art Historian

  • The Icons in Venice

    As I wandered the streets of Venice, going into every church possible, I witnessed icon after icon, masterpiece after masterpiece. The very existence of icons is fascinating to me; are they art, or merely functional objects? The mere number of icons in Venice was astonishing, there were not even as many in Florence, I’m sure.…

  • Red House: A Grand Day Out!

    Red House is now owned by the National Trust and was once the family home of William Morris. It is located about a 15 minute walk from Bexleyheath station. William Morris only lived there for five years but much to his dismay he had to move back to central London in order to run his…

  • Top 10: Hot 19th Century artists (in no particular order)

    Are the 19th Century artists considered hot? yes, I say. Here are my Top 10 hot 19th Century artists. Most are Romanticists, make of that what you will. Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863): French Romantic artist. He doesn’t look as good in the photographs of him but we’re focusing on the painted portraits anyway so ignore that.…