Category Archives: Museums and Galleries

Object of the Month: July 2020

Posted on 24/07/2020 by carolinemmurray

This was going to be Object of the Month for November 2019, but various unfortunate events from a database problem up to Covid-19 have rather got in the way. However, onwards and upwards!

Posted in Art, Biography, History, London, Museums and Galleries | Tagged Caroline of Brunswick, George IV, Lord Brougham, Sir Thomas Lawrence, Thomas Denham | 2 Comments

Captain Gurle

Posted on 03/07/2020 by carolinemmurray

I came across the name of Captain Gurle (also spelled Garle and Garrle) in the excellent Economic History of the English Garden, by Sir Roderick Floud, a really cracking book, with eye-opening figures about the importance of gardening in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, London, Museums and Galleries, Natural history | Tagged fruit trees, gardens, Leonard Gurle, Leonard Meager, London, nursery, plants | 7 Comments

Ruskin Relics

Posted on 24/06/2020 by carolinemmurray

I came across a reference to this 1903 book last week, and was fortunate enough to find a copy (on Abebooks), which arrived a few days ago. It was presented by ‘Miss Hutchinson’ to Alexandra Hall in 1905. Alexandra Hall … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Bibliography, Biography, History, Italy, Literature, Museums and Galleries, Printing and Publishing | Tagged Brantwood, Duomo di San Martino, Ilaria del Carretto, John Ruskin, Lucca, W.G. Collingwood | 4 Comments

SPAB

Posted on 29/05/2020 by carolinemmurray

Anyone with even a transient acquaintance with the life and works of William Morris will probably know that, inter multa alia, he founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1877, saying that ‘We are only the trustees … Continue reading →

Posted in History, London, Museums and Galleries | Tagged conservation, historic buildings, John Ruskin, Norton Folgate, Spitalfields, St Mark's Venice, The Gentle Author, The SPAB, Whitechapel Bell Foundry, William Morris | 3 Comments

Naturalists of the Three Counties

Posted on 23/03/2020 by carolinemmurray

It is an article of (my) faith that the ‘Three Choirs Counties’ – Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire – are the most beautiful and amazing part of England. Imagine my delight, therefore, when I discovered quite by chance all sorts of … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography, Botany, Gardens, History, Museums and Galleries, Natural history, Printing and Publishing | Tagged Gloucestershire, Hereford, Hereforshire, Joseph Hooker, Lord Brougham, William Huskisson, William Samuel Symonds, Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, Worcestershire, Worthington G. Smith | 5 Comments

The Deacon Also Paints

Posted on 18/03/2020 by carolinemmurray

The Flowers Gallery at the Fitzwilliam Museum (currently closed, alas, because of COVID-19) is one of my favourite places – I can’t get enough of the botanical paintings, the glorious jumble of blooms which you would never find (even in … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Biography, Cambridge, History, Museums and Galleries | Tagged Abraham Mignon, flower painting, still life, Utrecht | 5 Comments

Epiphanius Evesham

Posted on 07/03/2020 by carolinemmurray

Being very definitely an on-trend kind of person, I am self-isolating at home at the moment. This is mostly because my friends and colleagues are none too keen on meeting up with my coughing, snivelling, snotty self. No, I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Biography, History, Museums and Galleries | Tagged @cbnewham, C. J. Sansom, Epiphanius Evesham, https://www.parishchurches.org, Memorial sculpture, Richard Rich, Robert Bolt, Thomas More | 3 Comments

Fede Galizia

Posted on 26/02/2020 by carolinemmurray

One of the perks of my part-time employment is that my job description includes an injunction to open the mail, which regularly contains interesting Stuff, not least the beautifully designed and printed catalogues of auction houses trying to tempt us … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Biography, Italy, Museums and Galleries, Natural history | Tagged Fede Galizia, Jan Breughel, Milan, paintings, Pople Paul IV, still life | 2 Comments

In Ghent

Posted on 22/02/2020 by carolinemmurray

Him Indoors and I are partial to the Flemish Primitives (and indeed to the Flemish in general), so the opportunity of the current exhibition in Ghent, ‘Van Eyck: An Optical Revolution’, offering ‘the largest Jan van Eyck exhibition ever’ and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Biography, History, Museums and Galleries | Tagged Flemish Primitives, Ghent, Jan van Eyck, MSK, St Bavo's cathedral | 1 Comment

Sir Thomas Gresham and His College

Posted on 13/02/2020 by carolinemmurray

I had for some time been meaning to find out more about Sir Thomas Gresham, but, when embarking on this quest, was diverted almost immediately by the discovery that the first substantial biography of him was written by John William … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Biography, History, London, Museums and Galleries | Tagged Antwerp, cloth trade, Gresham College, J.W. Burgon, London, Royal Exchange, Sir Thomas Gresham | 2 Comments