Harriet Devine's Blog

Mice Reading

Chris Dunn is a British watercolorist and book illustrator. I'm guessing from his bio here that he's in his thirties. He's had a great deal of success and recognition since he graduated in 2008. You can see many more of his extraordinarily brilliant paintings and illustrations on his website.

Girl with Book

This mesmerising portrait shows Vera Alexeievna Shevtsova, the future wife of Russian painter Ilya Efimovich Repin  (1844 – 1930). I think this was painted in 1869, when he first met her - she would have been fourteen. They married in 1874 and had four children but sadly his frequent infidelities meant their marriage was not happy. Repin was one of the most celebrated Russian artists in the 19th century.

Woman with Book

This is 'October' by the celebrated French artist Jacques Joseph (or James) Tissot (1836-1902). He moved to London in 1871 and became much sought after for his beautiful paintings of society women. His St John's Wood house apparently had 'a studio with a waiting room where, at all times, there is iced champagne at the disposal of visitors'. 

Woman Reading

Thanks to Rob Spence for this lovely image, which is by the British painter  Gerald Gardiner (1902-1959). Painted in 1935, it's called 'The Artist's Wife, Evelyn, Seated, Reading'. 

Woman Reading

The painter of this lovely image is Charlie Mackesey. He was born in Northumbria, England, in 1962.. According to Wikipedia, he is a former atheist who has 'found Jesus' and sees his work as a way to "introduce God to the people he loves". You may have heard of him in another context, as he's the author of a massively best-selling book, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. 

Woman Reading

This is 'Marguerite', painted in 1918 by the American Impressionist Guy Orlando Rose (1867-1925). Born in California, he studied art in Paris, and bought a cottage in Giverny where he and his wife lived for eight years, becoming friends with Claude Monet.

I'm fairly sure I've posted this before, but I don't keep a record and anyway it's pleasing enough to deserve a second showing.

Boy with Cat

It's time for another cat. The boy is really sweet too. This one is by the English artist Lilian Lancaster (1852-1939). 

Girl on Beach with Book

This is what we'd all like to be doing this summer. Here's hoping.

Girl Reading

The is 'The Hammock' (or 'Le Hamac') by the inimitable James (or Jacques Joseph) Tissot (1836-1902). He was best known as a society painter, first in Paris and then in London. Several of his paintings have appeared on here over the years, but this of course is not a painting but an etching. Lovely peaceful scene. 

Girl Reading

Here's one by the Hungarian painter Robert Berény - or Berény Robert, as his name would have been in his native country (1887-1953). It reminds me so much of what I was like as a teenager - I basically spent my life just lying on the sofa with a book. 

An interesting bit of trivia from Wikipedia:

A Berény painting titled Sleeping Lady with Black Vase, whose whereabouts had been unknown since 1928, was re-discovered by chance in 2009 by art historian Gergely Barki upon watching the 1999 American film Stuart Little with his daughter, where the piece was used as a prop. An assistant set designer had bought the painting cheaply from a California antique store for use in the film, and had kept it in her home after production ended. The painting was sold at auction in Budapest on 13 December 2014 for €229,500.