Archives
Raphael at the Scuderie del Quirinale – a walk in the exhibition
May 14th, 2020 | Dr Kathleen Olive
When Raphael died on 6 April 1520 – according to tradition, on his birthday – the Italian art world immediately felt his loss. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, and the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome had planned a large exhibition dedicated exclusively to the “infinite riches”...
The Italian Villa: from ancient Rome to the modern era
Oct 11th, 2019 | Dr Kathleen Olive
Over the last ten years I’ve met more and more people making a ‘tree change’, swapping the stress of the concrete jungle for the tranquillity of the country. They plan a garden to please the eye and stock the table, and a comfortable house with space for pursuits they’ve neglected...
Women artists of 16th & 17th-century Italy
Jul 5th, 2019 | Dr Kathleen Olive
It’s easy to feel like we know all there is to know about great Italian art. But as Dr Kathleen Olive has found out while preparing for her Florence study tour this November, there’s still more to learn… When we talk about Italian Old Masters, we’re usually thinking of great...
The Alhambra of Granada
Jan 25th, 2018 | Dr Kathleen Olive
Quien no ha visto Granada. No ha visto nada. (He who has not seen Granada, has seen nothing at all.) Granada is southern Spain’s precious jewel, and for much of the Middle Ages it dangled – like the glowing pomegranate for which it is named – temptingly before the eyes...
Finding tranquility in modern Japan
Oct 31st, 2017 | Dr Kathleen Olive
Japan today is virtually a synonym for hyper-modernity: the Tokyo prefecture alone has a population of over 13 million, for example. Millions of readers worldwide enjoy fast-paced Japanese comics (manga), with their zany, misfit characters and supernatural plots. And the nation’s GDP – the world’s third largest – stands at...
