Studying the Study: Joshua Reynold’s Study for a Portrait of Lord George Seymour Conway

Joshua Reynolds needs no introduction.  He served as the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts, was knighted by George III, and has over 1000 of his portraits in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.  His Seven Discourses on Art, a series of lectures delivered to students at the Royal Academy between 1769 and 1790, …

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The Art of the Fold: A History of Decorative Screens in the Interior

Several months ago we looked at Chinese lacquer screens and their history.  Today we will focus on the broader history of screens and how they became a popular and fashionable item in Georgian England and Continental Europe.  The painting entitled The New Song by Jan Josef Horemans depicts an interior scene with a group of men …

A History of Japanning in England: The Lacquer Trade

In honour of our winter exhibition, Looking East: Japanned Furniture of Georgian England, we thought it was the perfect time to look at the history of japanning.  We will share this information over three posts in the coming weeks to coincide with the exhibition. Any history of japanning must start with the lacquer trade. In July …

400th Anniversary for Arita Ware

Technically, we are a year late.  Arita ware, also known as Arita-yaki, has its origins in 1616, when a Korean farmer, Yi Sam-pyeong, discovered white clay kaolin in Arita and used it to create Japan's first porcelain.  Arita was the first place to produce ceramics in Japan. After the discovery, a number of kilns opened …