‘I should paint my own places best,’ wrote John Constable; ‘painting is but another word for feeling.’ Based six miles downstream from Salisbury – one of Constable’s ‘places’ – Rupert Muldoon has followed the same line of thought, haunting stretches of the Avon near his home and studio at Trafalgar Park. The name ‘Avon’ is […]
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“Listen to the people, Seek advice from your council, but decide alone.” Instructions to Louis XV from Louis XIV, The Sun King We have recently acquired a Bust of Louis XV. When Louis XV lay dying from smallpox in 1774, France was in turmoil. Having been regarded as Louis the Beloved in his youth, his […]
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This week English period lifestyle blogger Isla Simpson has written about a selection of antique vases including Green Bottle Vases & Imari all of which are available on timothylangston.com. “Timothy Langston’s shop on the Pimlico Road has the most beautiful selection of antique vases I know of” Isla has been writing her blog since 2013 whilst restoring her Victorian flat […]
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Occasionally when buying furniture, a dealer or collector is confronted with an enigma – namely a piece of furniture, made in a style that corresponds with more than one aesthetic or indeed national design identity. We recently bought this unusual pair of Bergere armchairs and in the cataloguing process have spent more time than usual […]
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My love affair with Chinoiserie began in childhood. On a visit to Claydon House in Buckinghamshire, I had my first glimpse into the world of 18th century interiors inspired by China in the magical Chinese Room. I was immediately captivated. In hindsight it was this fascination upon which my entire knowledge of antiques now depends […]
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The rediscovery and excavation of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the mid 18th century renewed fascination with the Classical civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome. Architects such as Robert Adam and William Chambers swiftly embraced the style which rapidly extended to interior design including furniture, ceramics and internal decorations. The new emphasis on form was starkly […]
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The 5 best places to shop in central London must be the following: Portobello Market – drink in the atmosphere of the bohemian district of Notting Hill whilst strolling down Portobello. While fruit, vegetables, trinkets and vintage clothing are offered Saturdays, the real treat is to sample some ethnic food from one of the stalls and embark on a treasure hunt in […]
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The 5 best places to eat on The Pimlico Road and the streets surrounding it must be the following: Daylesford – not only do they have a wonderfully fresh menu with heathy daily specials and the odd celebrity sitting on the next table over, but being so close to Timothy Langston Fine Art and Antiques, we like […]
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The spiritual figure of Guanyin represents compassion, kindness, love and mercy. The bodhisattva “perceiving the cries of the world” originated in the Sanskrit as ‘Avalokiteśvara’ and soon became a respected figure within Taoism, Buddhism, Chinese folk religion and many more. Introduced alongside Buddhism, the story of Guanyin reached China in the 1st century and travelled to […]
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Still life painting was established as an independent genre of art in the 17th century. While it derived from beautiful, well observed and arranged details of larger compositions, there is some evidence of earlier still life depictions. Until the 1600s, however, they were never classified in a category of their own as they were seen merely […]
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As of last month, the Chinese Year of the “Red Monkey”, the ninth of twelve zodiacs, has officially begun. The addition of the colour red refers to the element of fire, one of five elements that accompany the astrological symbol this year. In keeping with this strong colour as well as the Chinese tradition, we at […]
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Fashion Drawings are the basis for any designer’s success and, in time for London’s Fashion Week (18-23 February), we are paying homage to Betty Jones and Sir Norman Hartnell. The former worked as a fashion illustrator for the latter in the late 1960s and together they produced glorious sketches for fashion designs from London’s swinging 60s . The leading British fashion […]
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