Earlier this month, on 21st of May 1894, Queen Victoria officially opened the Manchester Ship Canal. By this point, Manchester had become recognised as the greatest industrial city in the world and the monumental ship canal led to the Port of Manchester quickly becoming the third busiest port in Britain. Throughout art history, these incredible...
Continue readingOn the 12th of April 1606, the Union flag was made the official flag of Britain. Flags play an important part of a nation’s identity and our Union Flag, made up of its bold red, white and blue, is no exception. Since the Union Flag was created, it has appeared in a plethora of contexts...
Continue readingAs we make our way through March and towards the warmer months ahead, we find ourselves gazing out of the window towards the first inklings of spring. In celebration of this wonderful time of year, in which we transition from hunkering down and feeling cosy by the fire to spending more and more time...
Continue readingToday we are celebrating the birthday of the great Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida. Born on 27th February 1863, Sorolla was a painter whose ability to capture sunlight is arguably unparalleled. In honour of his birthday, we’d like to shed some light ourselves onto the Spanish master’s remarkable life and career. A Brief...
Continue readingAs we enter a brand new year, a time of rejuvenation and fresh starts, we look ahead with joy to the wonderful annual National Storytelling Week that begins in the UK on Saturday 1st of February. This glorious week of celebration presents us with an opportunity to look at a range of paintings in which...
Continue readingFor many people around the world, this is a very special time of year. Perhaps for ecclesiastical reasons but for many, the simple pleasures of community gatherings, reconnecting with loved ones, festive lights and the comfort and joy of festive rituals. I love this time of year. I am often asked if attending so many...
Continue readingAn art form that many will recognise but few may know much about, illuminated manuscripts exhibit some of the most delicate and detailed illustrations dating back to the Middle Ages. Within the pages of these age-old works of art and literature, are some of the most beautiful demonstrations of decorative illustrations and the use of...
Continue readingToday we are celebrating the birthday of French Neo-Impressionist painter, Paul Signac. Born in Paris on the 11th of November, 1863, Signac is often referred to as a follower and disciple of George Seurat (the father of Neo-Impressionism and the Pointillist technique). Seurat was also a close friend and colleague of Signac and, having looked...
Continue readingOne of the greatest joys of studying the history of art is getting to learn about the evolution of art movements over time, and the techniques which often played a part in defining them. A significant moment in that evolution can be recognised in the late 1700s to early 1800s, during which time the academic...
Continue readingWhen you look at yourself in a mirror, takes a selfie or even glance at your reflection in a shop window, we are reminded not only of what we look like but of the environment around us. We can see more about ourselves than probably anyone else can: bags under our eyes, freckles from...
Continue reading