Aquamanile in the Shape of a Lion at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge

May 10, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Aquamanile in the Shape of a Lion at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. This aquamanile is from the middle ages. In Latin water is aqua and hand is manus. This kind of ewer was meant to wash your hands hands but also to create a bit of fun. The museum tells us: “Probably made in Lower Saxony in the Hildesheim area, c.1250-1350; the left hind leg and tail are of later date. Brass. Zoomorphic aquamaniles (vessels for pouring water) were made in pottery and metalwork. Lions may have been used for liturgical or a domestic purpose. This example later belonged to the painter, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-82) Given by

The Story of Abraham Tapestries at the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace in England

May 10, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting The Story of Abraham Tapestries at the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace in England. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Filling the walls of the Great Hall are a series of tapestries depicting scenes from the life of the patriarch Abraham, as recounted in the Book of Genesis. It is likely that these tapestries were commissioned by Henry VIII and were first displayed in the Great Hall in 1546. Crafted in Brussels from a combination of wool, silk, and threads of gold and silver, these tapestries were assessed at a remarkable £8,260 during the valuation of the Royal Collection following the execution of Charles I in 1649. This valuation established them as the most

Rick Kirby Sculpture at the Great Fosters

May 9, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the metal Rick Kirby Sculpture at the Great Fosters 16th-century mansion. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Rick Kirby who was born 1952 is an artist from England, originally from Gillingham, Kent. He used to teach art for a long time but then decided to focus only on his own art. He likes making sculptures that look like people, especially their faces and bodies. Most of his sculptures are made from steel because it lets him make really big artworks that have a lot of impact. Kirby once said, “Steel changed everything for me. It allowed me to make huge sculptures, which I couldn’t do with stone… it is the juxtaposition of steel in its

Pleasure Boats, Argenteuil by Claude Monet

May 9, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be taking a quick look at Claude Monet’s Pleasure Boats, Argenteuil. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. By Anthony King (c)

English garden art at Great Fosters, a 16th-century mansion in Surrey

May 8, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting a piece of English garden art at Great Fosters, a 16th-century mansion in Surrey. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Great Fosters, a 16th-century mansion, once stood within Windsor Great Park near Egham, Surrey, England. Legend has it that King George III found respite there in his final days, as the mansion served as a care facility from 1818 onward. But its royal ties don’t stop there. The entrance proudly displays Queen Elizabeth I’s crest from 1598, possibly commemorating her visit. During summers, the queen and her court embarked on countryside tours, dubbed ‘progresses’, fleeing London’s diseases and heat. By Anthony King (c)

Scene at Sumburgh Airfield at Shetland Museum & Archives in Shetland

May 8, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Scene at Sumburgh Airfield (painted in 1989 and signed Edmund Miller) at the Shetland Museum & Archives in Shetland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Sumburgh Airport is the main airport serving Shetland in Scotland. This painting commemorates it’s first air service in 1936. Venturing up to the Shetland Isles was quite the wild ride! My journey kicked off with a ferry ride from Aberdeen, lasting a solid 12-13 hours – talk about an adventure! Despite the lengthy voyage, it was filled with memorable moments. Upon reaching Shetland, one spot not to miss is the Shetland Museum & Archives. The staff there were fantastic, adding to the charm of the experience. And let me tell

Children at Play by Edward Atkinson Hornel at the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland

May 7, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Children at Play by Edward Atkinson Hornel at the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. We’ve previously visited another of Edward Atkinson Hornel’s paintings on the other side of Scotland at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow called “The Dance of Spring”. I described that one as “a standout and bizarre, beautiful and peculiar all at the same time”. Now, this painting, Children at Play from 1893 has a magnetism! The Museum tell us that he “become drawn to the symbolism of religious and Celtic motifs. His technique favoured thick ‘impasto paint and rich colour that emphasised pattern and texture. Children at Play, depicting madcap children

The Riders of the Sidhe By John Duncan at The McManus Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum in Dundee, Scotland

May 7, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting The Riders of the Sidhe By John Duncan at The McManus Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum in Dundee, Scotland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. John Duncan was born in Dundee, Scotland in 1866 and painted The Riders of the Sidhe in 1911 with Tempera on canvas. Tempera, also called egg tempera, is a long-lasting paint that dries quickly. It’s made by mixing pigments with a water-soluble binder, often egg yolk. Interestingly, although this is spelt S-I-D-H-E it’s actually pronounced “Shee”. In Celtic mythology the Sidhe are the mystical fairies. The museum tells us that the name is known locally in the Sidlaws or ‘Fairy Hills’. On the frame we read; “The riders of the

Claude Monet’s The Seine at Bougival

May 7, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be taking a quick look at Claude Monet’s The Seine at Bougival. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. We usually only catch glimpses of these pieces in old books or a private place, if we’re lucky. By Anthony King (c)