The books, globe, rolled documents in the sitter’s left hand, quill in his right, and stack of papers on the desk all signal a man of serious intellect and scholarly pursuit. This portrait shows William Roscoe (1753–1831), a Liverpool banker, lawyer, historian, art collector, poet, botanist, and writer. More importantly, he was one of Britain's … Continue reading Gazing at a Hero: William Roscoe, Charles James Fox, and the Fight to Abolish the Slave Trade
British Monarchy
A Controversy in Color: Finding Harmony in Art
The world had grown too chaotic to navigate. Manhattan held an allure for me, ever since my first visit as a wide-eyed 16-year-old. But maybe it wasn’t the best place to go in search of refuge. When I was barely 19, I moved there anyway, only to see my troubles multiply. My uncle, a Madison … Continue reading A Controversy in Color: Finding Harmony in Art
From Tampongate to Taxpayer Beggars: How 18th-Century Royals Invented Modern Messes
Queen Elizabeth II stood as a pillar against the endless stream of royal scandal. Although she presented herself as a stalwart role model, she couldn’t reliably steer her own children onto a noble path. As much as we wish we could forget the screaming banner headlines in 1993 about Tampongate, it’s hard to purge the … Continue reading From Tampongate to Taxpayer Beggars: How 18th-Century Royals Invented Modern Messes
London Views
Three years ago today, I was sitting in a pleasant apartment on Goodramgate in York, England, just down the street from the Old White Swan. Old White Swan, photo by RGilbert My plan had been to go watch the thoroughbreds run that afternoon at York Racecourse. But I awoke in the morning with severe back … Continue reading London Views
Love and Devotion: The Queen and Mr. Brown
Balmoral Castle, a residence of the British Royal family in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, belonged to the Farquharson family in 1848, when Prince Albert (1819-1861) first leased it for the use of himself and his wife, Queen Victoria (1819-1901). They enjoyed themselves so much at this beautiful Highlands estate, that they purchased it in 1853. Balmoral Castle … Continue reading Love and Devotion: The Queen and Mr. Brown
Seeing and Telling
Even before the last brush strokes had been applied to the canvas, President Theodore Roosevelt was dissatisfied with his official White House portrait. Just the previous year, French artist Théobald Chartran (1849-1907) had painted a dignified yet casually posed portrait of First Lady Edith Roosevelt. Edith Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States; 1902 by … Continue reading Seeing and Telling
The Naked Truth
Have you ever wondered about the origin of the phrase the naked truth? Ever since I began writing historical fiction, I have had this almost obsessive desire to know the etymology of words, slang expressions, and clichés. In my novel A Moon Garden, when I put words in the mouth of an 18th-century gentleman living … Continue reading The Naked Truth
The Brothers in the Tower
In August of 1792, Louis XVI of France was arrested. A month later, the monarchy was abolished. Stripped of his Royal inheritance, the deposed king was now known as Citizen Louis Capet. He was tried and convicted of treason and executed in January in 1793. Louis XVI bids farewell to his family the day before … Continue reading The Brothers in the Tower
Sex, Scandals, and Caricatures
An embarrassment of riches was bequeathed to us from the paintbrushes of Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792), a founder and the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Sir Joshua Reynolds, Self-portrait c 1780© Royal Academy of Arts / Photographer: John Hammond His portraits depict every luminary who lived, loved, fought, performed, wrote, … Continue reading Sex, Scandals, and Caricatures
Art*Connections 