Author Archives: ronald972

John Dryden poet

Posted on 22/10/2026 by ronald972

On my bookshelf sits a large octavo (14″ x 9″), which is considered to be one of the greatest achievements in English literature.. #JohnDryden (1631-1700) was a playwright, a poet, a literary critic, and Britain’s first poet laureate in 1688. … Continue reading →

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A Sparsity of Colour

Posted on 08/10/2026 by ronald972

One might think that having a very small colour pallette would hinder the effect z picture might have. We look at two pieces with restricted pallettes and yet are both fabulously beautiful. We begin with a piece that relies heavily … Continue reading →

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Pamela Jane Crook artist

Posted on 01/10/2026 by ronald972

#PamelaJaneCrook is better known as PJ Crook (b. 1945). She is a British painter and sculptor who resides in Cheltenham. From her studio, she creates many of  her works in oils, acrylics, and gesso. Often portraying crowds in an urban … Continue reading →

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A Point of Evolution

Posted on 24/09/2026 by ronald972

Lithography was one of the major reproduction processes for artworks. Usually printed in one colour and then labouriously hand-coloured. Around 1837 came the process of using several stones (chromolithography), each for an individual colour. A few years later came the … Continue reading →

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Karel Dujardin engraver

Posted on 17/09/2026 by ronald972

Today, we look at two etchings by/after engraver #KarelDujardin (1622-1678). Dujardin was a Dutch painter and printmaker who is best remembered for his etchings of farm animals. Donkeys, pigs, goats, sheep, and cows appear in his etchings in their natural … Continue reading →

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John Gould artist

Posted on 10/09/2026 by ronald972

You will likely recognise the name #JohnGould because he is, after John James Audubon, the greatest illustrator of birds ever. However, this is not quite accurate. Gould’s speciality was in the drawings and sketches he produced. He was an observer of … Continue reading →

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Jean Daullé engraver

Posted on 04/09/2026 by ronald972

If you have read previous chapters of my blog, you will know that I have a weakness for black and white. Whether they be drawings, prints, or photographs. So today, from my collection, we look at a small engraving by … Continue reading →

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John Albert Cooper artist

Posted on 09/08/2026 by ronald972

I thought we would visit an artist who built a reputation as a landscape painter who worked the gap between realism and Impressionism. #JohnAlbertCooper (1894-1943) was born in Leeds, first training at the Leeds School of Art and then following … Continue reading →

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Edward Horace Thompson artist

Posted on 26/07/2026 by ronald972

We go back to the Lake District and visit another artist who painted this area of England. #EdwardHoraceThompson (1879-1949) was born in Seaton, Workington, in Cumbria. His artistic talent was seen early, and he began painting at the age of … Continue reading →

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Sir Hugh Hasting and St. Mary the Virgin Church, Elsing

Posted on 19/07/2026 by ronald972

About an hours drive from where I live stands #StMarytheVirginChurch in Elsing. The church is a 14th-century structure and was built at the behest of #SirHughHastings. The church has a number of features that make it a standout. The church … Continue reading →

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