Young Woman Powdering Herself (c. 1888-90)

by Georges Seurat (French, 1859-1891)

The Courtauld Gallery, London

"This sampler includes a range of repeating patterns suitable for the decoration of linen, and also a figure of a woman or girl alongside the maker's name, perhaps a self-portrait." https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70232/sampler-piccolomini-gullia/

Presumed self-portrait next to the name GIULIA PICCOLOMINI https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O70232/sampler-piccolomini-gullia/

Early 17th-century Italian sampler, signed in stitch by one Giulia Piccolomini, next to a self-portrait (?) (Victoria and Albert Museum, London)

You found a crane to match the colour of your building. 😀

Sitting cat shaped teapot with a paw raised

Oval shaped teapot with a short upper spout and rounded handle

Teapot shaped as bamboo storks, illustrated with birds and leaves.

Traditional shaped pot illustrated with koi carp and plants

To mark #NationalTeaDay we've found an interesting selection of teapot drawings from 'Talking of Tea' by Gervas Huxley, published in 1956 (AS 2815) Illustrations by Acanthus.
Our favourite is definitely the cat-shaped teapot...🐈‍⬛🫖

Congratulations!

✋️ #TorontoPublicLibrary

It is National Infertility Awareness week - a week to acknowledge the impact of infertility on millions of people around the world. An appropriate time to share the programme for the Locating Loss conference, which will take place @unioflimerick.bsky.social on 27 May

Guffaw.

Please join Pieter van Roestraten for an elegant & delicious 17th-century tea on #nationalteaday

Giovanni Paolo Pannini Gallery of Views of Ancient Rome 1758 Oil on canvas, 231 x 303 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

Giovanni Paolo Pannini Gallery of Views of Modern Rome 1759 Oil on canvas, 231 x 303 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris

Giovanni Paolo Pannini View of the Forum Looking towards the Capitoline 1751 Oil on canvas, 58 x 94 cm Private collection

Giovanni Paolo Pannini Interior View of the Pantheon, Rome 1732 Oil on canvas, 119 x 98 cm Private collection

Happy 2,779th birthday to Rome, founded on this day 753 BC

[Some semi-imaginary views by Giovanni Paolo Pannini]

Because soldiers, sick in bed, are more effective?

21 Apr 1521: Assembly of theologians summoned by Cardinal Wolsey condemns Luther's doctrines #otd To commemorate the occasion, they commissioned a sundial for St. Mary's University Church #Oxford (CCO)

So, heresy averted. Now here's a timepiece.

This one may be my favourite by him. Such an adorable Christ Child!

Bargellini Madonna: totally beautiful painting, with a little inspiration from Titian, by Ludovico Carracci of Bologna in 1588. Today is his day, too.

A suburban front garden in the sun, with yellow, white, and dark red tulips, euphorbia, and various grasses.

The front garden is beginning to fill out once more

Yixing teapot & Chinese porcelain: Tete-a-Tete ready for you to celebrate #NationalTeaDay along with painter Pieter Roestraten. He was, by amazing coincidence, born OTD in 1630.

A Bmbearded man in dark blue coat stands on rocky coast amidst spraying waves. A castle is seen on a nearby island.

I was fascinated to see the Chappe optical telegraph in last night's episode of The Count of Monte Cristo, @pbs.org . The Count spread false news by drugging the telegraph operator. Think how much mischief he could have done with Internet access.

The series, directed by Bille August, is excellent.

Astonishingly unlike Perugino.

In late spring, we see a low full moon beautifully illuminating an entire landscape. And in the foreground are long, thin older trees encircling an old dirt path that leads down to a shimmering, placid lake…and in the distance, are low, rolling hills lush and green in the springtime moonlight.

‘Moonlight,’ Henri-Joseph Harpignies, circa 1916

#OTD 21 April 1509 Henry VII died at Richmond Palace, likely from tuberculosis. He outlived his wife, Elizabeth of York, who died in 1503, and his eldest son and heir, Arthur, Prince of Wales, in 1502.

Born on this day in 1555, in Bologna, Ludovico Carracci. Cousin of & collaborator with Annibale & Agostino. Here, lovely Annunciation from 1583.

Two men playing chess, with dog, 1590. By Ludovico Carracci, whose birthday we are celebrating today.

That's great!

2/2 Girl. Fish. Cat. What do you suppose story was there? By Jacob Cuyp, whose day is today.

Michiel Pompe van Slingelandt, aged 6, painted in 1649 with his hawk and his hound. Future hunter! By Jacob Cuyp of Dordrecht, whose day is today.

Turning image upside down in philatelist.

Latest on the blog: a look at a classic of the American gilded age. robspence.org.uk/2026/04/20/f...

Loads of great tips there fo all sorts of writers

Good morning! This week's theme is London Sunshine 🌞
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'London Cherry Tree in Sunlight' by Melissa Scott-Miller
scottmillerart.com

Every time I feel like I screw up as a parent, I remind myself that Hemingway used to leave his kid with his cat as a babysitter.