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As beautiful as the sculpture of Copenhagen’s Mermaid is, I have always wondered why it has become one of the city’s symbols, given that these mythological creatures have not distinguished themselves for having particularly outstanding qualities. But then again, the mermaid at Copenhagen is the main character of one of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories and, […]

Suzanne Valadon, whose real name was Marie-Clémentine Valade, was born in the Limousin area of France on September 23, 1865, the daughter of a widowed washerwoman and an unknown father. She was an artist, a model for a number of famous painters of her time and later a painter in her own right, a free […]

Lavinia Fontana was an Italian painter who lived and worked during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. She was born in Bologna, Italy in 1552, and was one of the most important portraitists of her time. She became an official painter at the court of Pope Clement VIII and, after his death, was appointed […]

Sofonisba Anguissola, considered to be the first successful woman painter of the Renaissance, was fortunate enough to have been born into a family that encouraged all their children, regardless of whether they were female or male, to be educated and to cultivate their talents. In 1535, Sofonisba was born in Cremona (today part of Italy) […]

Aspasia of Miletus’ influence and importance have come down to us through centuries of history. Although the reason the we know of her today is partly due to the fact that her name is entwined with that of the Athenian statesman, Pericles, from the year 450 – 445 bce until his death in 429 bce, […]

By one of those chance quirks of the Universe, two poems fell into my hands today: The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost, and Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier – actually, this last poem has the famous lines that have remained in my mind since I first read them as a schoolgirl: “For of […]

When out for a walk, I love to observe the houses I pass by and every once in a while, if I’m lucky, I even get a glimpse of the inside through an open window. This allows me to make up all sort of stories about the people who live in each one. Now and […]

                                 In the historic Latin Quarter, you will find a small jewel of a museum dedicated to the Middle Ages. There, among the many medieval objects exhibited, you will be able to admire what I believe is the finest treasure housed […]

If you happen to be in Paris in the springtime, I wholeheartedly recommend that you visit Monet’s house at Giverny – and it really makes no difference if it isn’t spring; every season has its own charm (except in winter when it’s closed). Giverny is located 80 km from Paris, in the Normandy Region, at […]