Portraits

portraits

Ernst Linder: the Swedish general who rode into battle for Finland’s freedom

In Finland’s David vs Goliath struggle against the Soviet Union, Ernst Linder, a 71-year-old cavalryman, led Swedish volunteers into combat, creating a legendary chapter in the his..

Gordon F. Sander March 25, 2026

portraits

Katsushika Oi: The hidden hand behind Hokusai

Katsushika Oi, historically overshadowed by her father Katsushika Hokusai, should be recognised as a pivotal figure in the history of Japanese art.

Katherine Govier March 20, 2026

portraits

The courage of Noor Inayat Khan

The British-Indian spy Noor Inayat Khan was moved by a moral aversion to Nazism that overcame her pacifist convictions, a source of inner strength that allowed her to defy her Germ..

Helen Fry March 13, 2026

portraits

Isabella d’Este, first lady of the world

Long overshadowed by her notorious sister-in-law Lucrezia Borgia, Isabella d’Este was among the most astute diplomats and influential cultural patrons of the Renaissance.

Cath Pound February 20, 2026

portraits

Knud Rasmussen and the making of modern Greenland

The explorer Knud Rasmussen helped define Denmark’s Arctic ambitions while documenting Inuit culture at the very moment it was being transformed.

Felice Basbøll January 19, 2026

portraits

Orde Wingate, always audacious

The debate continues over the maverick general’s tactics, strategy and character. Did his unorthodox genius ultimately serve or damage the Allied cause?

Gordon F. Sander December 11, 2025

portraits

Andrew Fletcher: modern patriot, tragic hero

The conclusion of Fletcher’s life might conjure the image of an embittered quasi-exile who had heroically fought for the lost cause of Scottish sovereignty. Yet he was also a polit..

Barnabás Szabó December 3, 2025

portraits

Michaelina Wautier’s great talent

The scale and diversity of her oeuvre, which includes portraits, allegorical series and still-lifes, was unmatched by any female painter of her era.

Cath Pound November 24, 2025

portraits

Ralph Adams Cram’s king of America

The 20th-century American writer and architect was a passionate advocate for monarchy and medievalism. Echoes of his aristocratic, anti-democratic conservatism are now being revive..

Christian Ruth November 4, 2025