Explore the history, design, and appeal of Queen Anne furniture. Learn what defines early 18th-century English pieces - from cabriole legs to burr walnut veneers - and why they remain among the most sought-after antiques.
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Rediscovering the lustrous nature of Sang de Boeuf Glazes Today in our Antique Lighting Series, we invite you to discover the hypnotizing beauty of Sang de Boeuf glazes. Known in Chinese as 郎窯紅 (láng yáo hóng), or “Lang-kiln red,” the colour and technique became known in Europe as ‘Ox Blood.’ The colour melts across the […]
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Shining a Light on Double Happiness Marriage Vases In this first edition of our Antique Lighting Series, we invite you to explore the significance and intricate beauty of Double Happiness Marriage Vases. Gaining significant popularity in the mid-nineteenth century, these vessels were traditionally gifted to newlyweds with wishes for eternal happiness and longevity. The repetitive […]
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An Exhibition and Book Launch An important Greek classicist unearthed in a house clearance; the King of France uncovered in a small country auction room; a star of the Georgian stage forgotten in a cupboard: these are just some of the lost portraits rediscovered. Rescued from obscurity these paintings introduce the reader to a fascinating variety […]
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This October we are showcasing the work of Henry Dawnay in an exhibition of London landscapes. I first met Henry 15 years ago when I opened my first gallery in Pimlico, London and have commissioned two portraits by him over the years. On leaving school, Henry pursued his passion as a painter, travelling to Italy […]
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This Wednesday, July 8th Nicolaes Maes: Dutch master of the Golden Age hails the beginning of exhibitions after lockdown.
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During this strange period we are currently living through my mind as been drawn to some of the walls of my house. During our normally very busy lives we sometimes don’t have the luxury of time to dwell upon those interior dilemmas closer to home. Fuelled with a sense of purpose and urgency I launched […]
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I must pay tribute today, for it is his birthday, to the poet Alexander Pope, born in London on May 21st 1688. His poetical works are not as favoured as they once were which is a shame as they are colourful and full of wit and elegance. Here’s his epitaph to the painter Godfrey Kneller […]
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The archive of the late great art historian Brian Sewell has just become available to view online you can find it here. Whether you loved or hated him – and many in the art world did – he was a fascinating and colourful writer who stood out as extraordinary in an extraordinary profession. The Paul […]
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Happy Birthday Thomas Gainsborough, born this day in 1727. The history of British Portraiture wouldn’t be the same without him, nor indeed, British art history. At the beginning of the 20th century wealthy Americans couldn’t get enough of his works. The great art dealer Joseph Duveen brokered some amazing deals between impoverished aristocrats in Britain […]
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On the wall above where I write is a fine engraving of a tragic politician whom I’m reminded about today, for on this day 208 years ago the first and only British Prime Minister to date was murdered in the House of Commons. Poor Spencer Perceval had been minding his own business and making his […]
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Today and over the weekend many will be commemorating VE Day – May 8th 1945 being the day that hostilities in Europe ceased and people were insanely happy to be rid of war – well mostly, though there was the matter of the continuing hostilities with Japan which would be resolved three months later. However, […]
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