Portraits

portraits

Priaulx Rainier: Fearless and pioneering composer

This astonishingly inventive, often radical, composer and musician, Priaulx Rainier, whose influence, imagination, and friendship were cherished by her artistic contemporaries – Ba..

Oliver Soden August 17, 2021

portraits

Raïssa Maritain: more than a mystic

Driven by a desire for intellectual and spiritual truth, Raïssa Maritain's writings search for peace and justice - but are sadly forgotten in our own time.

Marie Daouda August 9, 2021

portraits

René of Anjou — an Arthurian king

'Good King René' is remembered for the chivalry of his words and deeds, despite his numerous setbacks in the cruel arena of medieval politics.

David Abulafia July 29, 2021

portraits

Edward Daniel Clarke – collector of the world

Dreamer, looter, pyromaniac, fantasist, Edward Daniel Clarke brought back from Egypt the single most important find in the history of Egyptology - the Rosetta Stone.

Edmund Richardson July 16, 2021

portraits

Maria Antonia of Bavaria — Electress of many talents

Maria Antonia, Electress of Saxony, was an artistic polymath who helped re-shape elite culture in the Enlightenment age.

Catherine Ostler July 7, 2021

portraits

The moderate life of Decimus Magnus Ausonius

The Bordeaux-born teacher and scholar, Decimus Magnus Ausonius, exemplified broad-mindedness. His life offers us a glimpse into the last days of the Roman Empire and the value of t..

Bijan Omrani June 29, 2021

portraits

Nafissa Sid Cara — an ambiguous pioneer for Muslim women

All but forgotten, Sid Cara played a pioneering role in French and Algerian politics and left behind a troubled legacy.

Arthur Asseraf June 22, 2021

portraits

Anna de Noailles — a prodigious life

Socialite and literary pioneer - Anna de Noailles was a bright star in the firmament of the Parisian Belle Époque.

Agnès Poirier June 16, 2021

portraits

Guittone d’Arezzo – Dante’s forgotten muse

At a time of moral and political crisis, the medieval poet pioneered a daring and emotive vernacular style which inspired generations of Italian literature.

Alexander Lee June 9, 2021