Writers 19th century
Louise Abbéma was a French painter, sculptor, and designer, celebrated for her work during the Belle Époque. Born in Étampes in 1853 into an affluent Parisian family, she became well known for her portraits, particularly of the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt, and for decorative panels commissioned for various public buildings in Paris and the Palace of the Governor in Dakar, Senegal.
Abbéma's art often depicted the upper echelons of French society and reflected the Impressionist style through her light and rapid brushstrokes. She was also notable for her involvement in the women's movement, where she contributed to the emerging image of the 'New Woman' by portraying androgynous figures and themes of intellectualism and freedom.
Among her many honors, Abbéma was awarded the Palme Academiques in 1887, nominated as the Official Painter of the Third Republic, and in 1906, she became a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Her works, such as "Lunch in the Greenhouse" and "Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt," have seen a resurgence in popularity as the contribution of women to historical art gains more recognition.
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John Quincy Adams was an American politician and statesman, the sixth President of the United States (March 4, 1825 - March 4, 1829).
John Quincy Adams was the son of John Adams, the second President of the United States, and, of course, public service was his destiny. As a child, in 1778 he traveled to France with his father, who was then U.S. Commissioner to France. At the age of 14, Adams became personal secretary to Francis Dana, the U.S. Minister to Russia, serving as his father's secretary as well during the negotiation of the Treaty of Paris (1783). In 1787, the twenty-year-old Adams graduated from Harvard University and, after studying law, began practicing in Boston.
In addition to numerous diplomatic appointments, Quincy Adams served as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts from 1803 to 1808. President James Madison appointed Adams U.S. minister to Russia in 1809, and Adams served until 1814. And under President James Monroe, he served as Secretary of State from 1817 to 1825 and is considered one of the best Secretaries of State in U.S. history.
John Quincy Adams won the 1824 presidential election in a four-way race against Henry Clay, William Crawford, and Andrew Jackson. As president, Adams supported a program to modernize the U.S. economy. But his popularity declined because of his approach to Native Americans, whom he supported against the demands of settlers from the west.
After losing the 1828 presidential election to Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served as a representative from Massachusetts for the next 17 years. In the House of Representatives, Adams became one of the most vocal opponents of slavery. He consistently defended abolitionist views and policies, denouncing slavery as an immoral institution and attacking the interests of Southern slaveholders. During the U.S.-Mexican War of 1848, Adams was a leading opponent of the annexation of Texas, farsightedly predicting that it would lead to civil war.
After suffering two strokes, Adams died on February 23, 1848, at the age of 80. Had fate not predestined him to pursue politics, John Quincy Adams would have become a famous poet. He spent his life composing poems in various genres. After his death, many of his poems were collected and published in Poems on Religion and Society (1848).
Louisa May Alcott was a 19th-century American writer.
Louisa, the daughter of transcendentalist Bronson Alcott, grew up in the company of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Theodore Parker, and Henry David Thoreau. Her education was largely under the guidance of her father, who, however, did not know how to properly provide for the family.
Louisa was forced to begin writing short stories and publishing in The Atlantic Monthly magazine. It could be said that need forced her to write an autobiographical book, Little Women (1868-69), which immediately became so popular that Louisa was finally able to pay off her debts. The book describes the domestic adventures of an optimistic New England family of modest means, tracing the different characters and destinies of four sisters as they grow up and face work, society, and marriage.
Alcott published sequels to the book, Little Men (1871) and Joe's Boys and What Came of Them (1886). There have been numerous films based on Little Women already in the 20th century, including the classic 1933 film starring Katharine Hepburn as Joe and the 2019 Greta Gerwig adaptation.
Alcott wrote other domestic stories based on her early experiences, and her books for younger children remain enduringly popular. Already in the 21st century, the gothic short stories and thrillers published by Alcott under a pseudonym between 1863 and 1869 have been collected and reprinted.
Richard Alsop was an 18th-century American writer and poet.
Alsop was one of the founders of the later famous literary group, the Hartford Witters. He wrote poetry in the journals The Political Greenhouse and The Echo, the latter soon becoming primarily concerned with satirical parodies of public speeches and articles of a political nature.
Alsop also published various translations from French and Italian.
Guillaume Apollinaire, real name Wilhelm Albert Vladimir Apollinaris de Wąż-Kostrowicki, a French poet of Polish descent, was a towering figure in the early 20th century's literary and art scenes. Known for his experimental verse and support of avant-garde art movements like Cubism and Surrealism, Apollinaire's work pushed the boundaries of traditional aesthetics and inspired a generation of artists and writers.
Guillaume Apollinaire's literary contributions were vast and varied. He was an early advocate for Cubism, a relationship most prominently seen in his collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso. He not only wrote about art but also collected it, surrounding himself with works by modernist masters such as Henri Rousseau and Georges Braque. His Paris apartment was a small museum of modern art, filled with pieces he often sold to support his literary endeavors. This vibrant artistic environment fueled his creativity, leading to major works such as Alcools and Calligrammes, which explored the possibilities of poetic form and typography to represent visual and verbal content in a unified way.
Despite his innovative work in poetry and art criticism, Guillaume Apollinaire's life was marked by personal challenges, including a grievous injury during World War I. Yet, even these difficulties did not hinder his prolific output. Among his notable works during this period was the play Les Mamelles de Tirésias, which was performed in 1917 and is considered a precursor to theatrical Surrealism.
Apollinaire's influence extended beyond his lifetime, particularly through his mentoring of future Surrealist leaders like André Breton. His forward-thinking approach to art and literature made him a central figure in the transition from traditional to modernist forms in both fields.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Guillaume Apollinaire's work represents a nexus of literary brilliance and pivotal artistic movements. His life and work provide fascinating insights into the dynamic and transformative world of early 20th-century art and literature.
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Rodolphe Auguste Bachelin was a Swiss landscape, history and portrait painter as well as a writer, historian and art critic.
He was interested in the Lombardy War of 1859 and in particular in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 to 1871, which provided him with several subjects with its troop surge at Les Verrières. The Neuchâtel painter was greatly influenced by the writings of Rodolphe Töpffer and aspired to become a Swiss national painter.
Robert Baikie was a Scottish-born physician, writer and artist.
Baikie spent more than 17 years as a doctor in India with the East India Company's Madras Army, as Chief Medical Officer of the Nilgiris, and has written extensively about the region. It is a fascinating account of the Nilgiri Mountains with maps of the hills and approaches to them, sketches of the scenery, drawings of the principal buildings and tables of routes. This work by Robert Baikie was later published as Observations on the Nilgiri, including an account of their topography, climate, soil and produce.
Hans Baluschek, full name Alphons Anton Alexander Hans Ernst Karl Maria Baluschek, was a German painter, graphic artist and writer, representative of the New Materiality style.
Baluschek studied at the Royal Academy of Arts, and in 1900 became a member of the Berlin Secession, a group of artists that also included Ernst Barlach, Max Beckmann, and Wassily Kandinsky. Baluschek was always socially critical, which was reflected in the subjects of his paintings. Many of his paintings are dedicated to the working class of Berlin, he addressed the gray everyday life of Berlin: gray air, gray walls, gray people. Baluschek is often categorized as a German Expressionist because of his emotional style, but his style has something of New Objectivity, Impressionism, and naive painting. He also drew illustrations for the popular children's book Little Peter's Trip to the Moon, and collaborated with periodicals as an illustrator.
World War I instilled patriotic feelings in Baluschek, and he painted a number of subjects on this theme. After the war, he joined the Social Democratic Party and became involved in labor movements. In 1926 he helped establish an artists' relief fund and later became director of the annual Berlin Exhibition. The German Nazis, who came to power in 1933, declared Baluschek a Marxist and a "degenerate artist," suspended him from all positions, and banned him from exhibiting.
Sabine Baring-Gould was a Victorian British clergyman, poet, writer and folklorist.
He traveled extensively in Europe, studied at Clare College, Cambridge, was ordained in the Church of England in 1864, and was appointed vicar at Horbury. Baring-Gould was a polyglot and knew six languages. Despite his ministry, he had a serious interest in supernatural phenomena and in 1865 published a book called The Book of Werewolves.
In addition to this, Baring-Gould was interested in a wide range of subjects. His work is diverse and covered theology, history, poetry, hymns, fiction, biography, travel, social commentary, and folklore. Baring-Gould collected the folk songs of old English singers, personally visiting them and recording the words and music. In 1889 he published a collection of Songs of the West in four parts, of which he was proud, and also wrote several patriotic hymns.
Baring-Gould was a very prolific writer: during his life he wrote many novels, published short stories in periodicals, the popular "Curious Myths of the Middle Ages," and others, his bibliography numbering some 1,250 works.
Matthew Henry Barker is a British writer, journalist and editor.
Barker is known by his pen name The old Sailor. As a young man he served in the Royal Navy and worked for the East India Company before commanding his own schooner and spending several months in captivity.
From 1825, Barker worked as an editor and author for several periodicals and wrote many fascinating accounts of the sea from his own rich experience. Many of these stories, popular at the time, were illustrated by the famous 19th-century artist George Cruikshank.
Ernst Heinrich Barlach was a German expressionist sculptor, medallist, printmaker and writer. Although he was a supporter of the war in the years leading to World War I, his participation in the war made him change his position, and he is mostly known for his sculptures protesting against the war. This created many conflicts during the rise of the Nazi Party, when most of his works were confiscated as degenerate art. Stylistically, his literary and artistic work would fall between the categories of twentieth-century Realism and Expressionism.
Joel Barlow was an American statesman, diplomat, French politician and poet.
A graduate of Yale University, he briefly served as a chaplain in the Revolutionary Army. In 1784, Barlow founded the American Mercury, a weekly newspaper in Hartford, Connecticut, and was admitted to the bar in 1786. Along with John Trumbull and Timothy Dwight, he was a member of the Hartford Witters, a group of young writers.
Joel Barlow's fame was brought to him by his poetic work The Vision of Columbus (1787). It is a dialog between Christopher Columbus and an angel and covers the entire history of America to the end of the American Revolution. The poem was signed by many leading figures of the time, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, and was popular on both sides of the Atlantic. The author later reworked the poem into a more cynical epic called Columbiad.
In 1788, Barlow traveled to France as an agent for the Scioto Land Company and persuaded a group of Frenchmen to emigrate to America, who eventually founded the town of Gallipolis, Ohio. In Paris he became a liberal in religion and an advanced republican in politics; he took part in the French Revolution and was granted French citizenship.
In the literary field, Barlow is also known for his work The Hasty Pudding (1796). It is a humorous poem inspired by a longing for New England and cornmeal, containing vivid descriptions of rural scenes.
In 1795-97. Barlow was sent to Algeria on a diplomatic mission and returned to the United States in 1805. In 1811 he was appointed U.S. plenipotentiary to France. Barlow participated in Napoleon's retreat from Russia and died in Poland.
Pierre-François Hugues d'Hancarville, better known as Baron d'Hancarville, was an art historian, writer, and adventurer who lived most of his life in Italy.
To advance from the merchant class to high society, he studied mathematics, physics, history, literature, ancient languages, and English, Italian, and German. Traveling in Europe, he presented himself as an aristocrat under various names. Under the name Baron d'Hancarville, he was known as a connoisseur and art dealer, which is apparently why he was approached by Sir William Hamilton (1731-1803), who was ambassador to the British embassy in Naples and had amassed a large collection of ancient vases. Before selling this collection to the British Museum in 1772, Hamilton asked d'Hancarville for help in creating a complete catalog of it in descriptions and illustrations. The baron also wrote a detailed essay.
This catalog, entitled The Complete Collection of Antiquities from the Cabinet of Sir William Hamilton, is itself a neoclassical masterpiece in French and English. Antique vases have never before been depicted with such precision and aestheticism.
Joseph Bartlett was an American lawyer, politician, and poet.
Bartlett graduated from Harvard and began his law practice in Woburn. In 1782, he was elected a member of the Harvard chapter of the PBK. In 1803 he moved to Saco, Maine, where he was elected state senator the following year.
Joseph Bartlett was a man of eccentricity, with a very peculiar taste. His charisma and sharp wit ensured the success of his lectures. Bartlett is the author of the satirical poem Physiognomy, a Poem (1799).
Henry Walter Bates was a British naturalist, biologist and traveler.
As a young man, Henry worked in a factory and attended the local mechanical institute, where he excelled in Greek, Latin, French, drawing and composition, later learning German and Portuguese. He also practiced classical music and was an avid entomologist.
In 1844, Bates met entomologist Alfred Russel Wallace, who a few years later invited him to go to the tropical jungle on a scientific expedition. In May 1848, they arrived in Para, Brazil, near the mouth of the Amazon River. Wallace returned to England four years later, but Bates remained there for a total of 11 years, exploring the entire Amazon Valley, where he collected some 14,712 species, mostly insects, of which 8,000 were previously unknown.
On his return to England in 1859, Bates began working on his vast collections and preparing a famous paper published in 1862 entitled Contributions to an Insect Fauna of the Amazon Valley. In 1864 Bates was appointed assistant secretary of the Royal Geographical Society (London), a position he held until his death. He wrote The Naturalist on the Amazon River (1863), as well as many works on entomology.
Bates's work in demonstrating the action of natural selection in animal mimicry (imitation of other living organisms or inanimate objects) provided strong support for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Much of Bates's insect collections are in the British Museum.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, full name Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe, was an American writer and poet, an activist for the eradication of slavery in the country.
Beecher Stowe is the author of the world-famous novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Published first in a newspaper and first published as a book in 1852, it aroused widespread anger in the country and galvanized the fight against slavery in the southern United States. This novel was later reprinted many times in all languages of the world and has been screened more than once.
In her youth, Beecher Stowe received an academic education, wrote poetry, notes and essays on social topics. In addition to "The Shack", she wrote several other novels and was engaged in teaching.
Marcus Behmer, full name Marcus Michael Douglas Behmer, known by the pseudonyms Marcotino und Maurice Besnaux, is a German artist, graphic designer and illustrator.
Marcus was the son of the painter Hermann Behmer, participated in World War I and painted miniature portraits of fellow soldiers. From 1900 he began to collaborate with Munich periodicals and book publishers. Bemer drew hundreds of drawings and illustrations and published a series of engravings that were recognized and successful. He also designed typefaces.
In 1936, Behmer was convicted of homosexuality and spent a year and a half in prison, where the artist also found the strength to draw. During World War II, almost all of Bemer's creations were lost or destroyed.
Alexandre Nikolayevich Benois (Russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Бенуа́) was a distinguished Russian artist, art critic, and historian, celebrated for his pivotal role in the art world, particularly in painting and stage design. Born into a family deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Russia, Benois was instrumental in the development of the Russian artistic movement at the turn of the 20th century. His contributions to art and culture extend beyond his vivid paintings; he was a founding member of the World of Art (Mir iskusstva), a significant art movement and magazine that sought to elevate Russian artistry on the global stage.
Benois' work is notable for its intricate detailing, vibrant use of color, and the ability to convey deep narratives within each piece. His designs for ballets such as "Petrushka" and "The Sleeping Beauty" remain iconic, showcasing his mastery over the fusion of visual art and performance. This synthesis not only enhanced the ballets’ visual appeal but also deepened the audience's engagement with the narrative. Museums and galleries around the world, including the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg and the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, house his works, underscoring his global recognition and the enduring appeal of his artistic vision.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Benois' oeuvre represents a fascinating exploration of early 20th-century Russian culture, art, and the avant-garde movement. His ability to blend traditional Russian themes with the modernist trends of his time makes his work a valuable study in the evolution of modern art. Those interested in the rich tapestry of Russian cultural history and the interplay between art and performance will find Benois' contributions invaluable.
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Hector Berlioz, full name Louis-Hector Berlioz, was a French composer, conductor, and music critic of the Romantic era.
Berlioz received his primary education from his father, an enlightened physician, who gave him his first lessons in music and Latin. By the age of 12, he was already composing music for local chamber ensembles and learning to play the guitar and flute with virtuosity. In 1821 his father sent him to Paris to study medicine, and he received his first scientific degree. But in parallel, he often visited the Paris Opera, where he studied the entire repertoire on the score.
Against the will of his parents, Berlioz took a compulsory course of study at the Conservatory of Paris and in 1830 received the Prix de Rome. In Italy he met the Russian composer Mikhail Glinka and became lifelong friends with Mendelssohn. From 1832 Berlioz worked for 30 years as a music critic for periodicals. He was acquainted with many of the leading writers and musicians of his time, including Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Niccolò Paganini, and George Sand.
Berlioz adored the works of Weber and Beethoven, as well as Gluck, and tirelessly introduced audiences to their works. As a result of his many trips as a conductor to Germany, Belgium, England, Russia, and Austria-Hungary, he taught the leading orchestras of Europe a new style.
Berlioz during these years wrote, among other things, the "Symphonie Fantastique" (1830) that made him famous, and the symphony "Harold in Italy" (1834). After a concert in 1838, where he conducted their performance, the famous violin virtuoso Paganini declared Hector Berlioz a continuator of Beethoven's musical traditions and presented him with 20,000 francs. A grateful Berlioz wrote a choral symphony, Romeo and Juliet, dedicated to Paganini.
In 1844, Berlioz created "Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration", which is not just a technical manual, it served as an introduction to the aesthetics of expression in music for generations to come. Among Berlioz's dramatic works, The Damnation of Faust (1846) and The Nativity (1854) are world-famous.
Charles Best or Carl Conrad Best was a German-born British army officer who served in the armies of the East India Company.
Best served for over seventeen years in the Hanoverian forces stationed in India and in the British colonial administration. In his notes, published in 1807, he describes parts of India, including a description of Madras. The work also covers the East Indies, the Cape of Good Hope, and St. Helena, and is illustrated with landscapes and inhabitants of these places. The author also writes about the Hindu and Muslim religions, cults and customs, temples and mosques.
Abijah Bigelow is an American legislator, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, poet and publicist.
Bigelow attended Dartmouth College in Hanover and became a lawyer. Between 1810 and 1815, he represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he strongly opposed the War of 1812. He also served as a justice of the peace from 1809 until his death.
As an author and poet, Bigelow published his work in Worcester newspapers throughout his life. Six essays entitled "Political Reflections" were published in the Massachusetts Spy in 1812, and a series of articles on slavery, signed by him as "The Unprofessional," were printed in the Worcester Palladium in 1838. Bigelow was also a member of the American Antiquarian Society.
Edmond Bille was a Swiss artist. Bille engaged in intense and varied activity as painter, engraver, stained glass artist, journalist, writer, and politician. He is the creator of the stained glass windows around the altar of the Cathedral of Lausanne, capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud.
Jan Bleuland was a Dutch physician, medical scientist, educator and writer.
Bleuland was an intellectually advanced man, a sought-after physician, and a rich lover of the arts. Jan Bleuland taught anatomy, physiology and obstetrics for 31 years and was professor and rector of Utrecht University. His talents as a physician and medical researcher were recognized not only by his patients and the scientific community, but also by the highest authorities.
During his lifetime, Jan Bleuland amassed a large collection of medical specimens of the human body, which he used for research. Part of this significant collection is still on display in the original wooden Bleulandkabinet in the Utrecht University Museum. The Bleulandkabinet contains an extensive collection of skeletons, embryos in alcohol and wax preparations of body parts. His pioneering preparations were acquired by Utrecht University by royal decree of King Willem I in 1815 and are still used as teaching material.
Aimé Bonpland, born Aimé Jacques Alexandre Goujaud, was a French and Argentine natural scientist, traveler, physician, and botanist.
Bonpland became famous for his participation in an expedition to the Americas. Together with the explorer Alexander von Humboldt, he traveled through much of the American territory, from Cuman to the United States, passing through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, and Cuba, in addition to Venezuela. In all these places he did a great deal of botanical work, describing and collecting six thousand species of American plants, many of which were new. The scientist made them known in Europe after his return in 1804, publishing several scientific papers. Four years later, Bonpland was appointed botanist of the Empress's Garden.
After more years, he returned to Buenos Aires and continued numerous botanical, zoological, and medical studies in various regions of South America. Bonpland sent plants to the Museum of Natural History in Paris and maintained correspondence with its naturalists.
Giuseppe Bossi was an Italian painter of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He is considered a representative of the neoclassical style of the New Lombard school. Bossi is also known as a writer, art theorist and collector of paintings of ancient masters.
Giuseppe Bossi was appointed assistant secretary of the Milan Academy of Arts at the age of 23, and soon became secretary of this prestigious organization. In this position he proposed a series of educational reforms. Bossi also found time to paint. His artistic legacy includes works of historical genre, single and group portraits of contemporaries, as well as a large number of drawings of all kinds.
Bossi devoted a lot of time and energy to the study of Leonardo da Vinci, and wrote a series of books detailing all periods in the life of his famous countryman. He created a masterful copy of Da Vinci's famous painting The Last Supper, which was in badly damaged condition.
Désiré-Magloire Bourneville was a French physician, neurologist, innovator and educator, and statesman.
Born into a modest family, Bourneville began his medical education in 1860 and for about ten years worked as an assistant to Jean-Martin Charcot, where, together with Paul Régnard, he supervised the publication of "Photographic Iconography of Salpetriere". During the Franco-Prussian War, he served as both surgeon and physician's assistant. Appointed physician at Bissetre, Borneville devoted himself to the medical and educational care of "idiots and epileptics" for whom he organized a service, and later directed the Fondation Vallée in Gentilly until his death. He is considered one of the earliest child psychiatrists.
In 1876, Bourneville was elected a municipal councilor of Paris, three years later he became a general councilor of the Seine, and then a deputy. In this capacity, Bourneville carried out several health reforms: he became the rapporteur for the public assistance budget and the budget for psychiatric asylums, achieved the creation of the first special classes for mentally retarded children, and the first municipal nursing school in Salpêtrière.
Bourneville had many very different talents. Very early on he became interested in medical journalism, where he made a name for himself through the vividness of his articles. In 1873, he founded the journal Progrès Médical, which promoted the tenets of avant-garde medicine, open to pioneering scientific developments (Bourneville published Charcot's lessons) and social issues. He fully developed the theoretical and practical foundations of teaching for the nursing profession. Outraged by the lack of practitioners' professional knowledge of obstetrics, he worked to create a new medical specialty, gynecology. But his main purpose in life was to educate and nurture those who were labeled "idiots" and mentally retarded.
René Boylesve, birth name René Marie Auguste Tardiveau, is a French writer and literary critic, a member of the Académie Française.
Boylesve was educated at Poitiers, Tours, and Paris, studying humanities and fine arts, natural sciences, and law. Ten years later, under his mother's maiden name, he wrote his first novel, The Physician of the Lady of Nean (1894). These were followed by other books, and then came the series known as the "Touraine novels": "Mademoiselle Cloke" (1899), "Beke" (1901), "The Child at the Balustrade" (1903), "The Educated Girl" (1909) and others. In these works, the author expertly depicts the mores of the provincial petty bourgeoisie. With a richly detailed style and characteristic irony Boylesve tells about the triumph of conventional values over artistic and spiritual aspirations.
In 1918 René Boylesve was elected a member of the French Academy.
Selina Bracebridge, née Mills, was a British artist, medical reformer, writer and traveler.
Selina studied art with the painter Samuel Prout and traveled extensively, married Charles Holt Bracebridge, and lived in Athens. During the Crimean War, she and her husband worked in the hospital with Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
Among Selina Bracebridge's paintings are a famous panorama of Jerusalem taken from the roof of the Governor's Palace, landscapes of Athens and others.
Hugh Henry Brackenridge was an American writer and poet, jurist and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice.
Hugh Henry graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), learned Latin and Greek, and became a teacher. He later served in George Washington's army and published two verse dramas on revolutionary themes. He worked with the poet Philip Morin Freneau (1752-1832) on satirical and political publications.
Hugh Henry Breckenridge founded the Pittsburgh Academy, now the University of Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Gazette, which is still published today.
Breckenridge is also known as the author of the first novel about frontier life in the United States after the Revolutionary War, Modern Chivalry. Considered one of the earliest American novels, this book was published in installments beginning in 1792 over a period of 23 years. In the latest edition, Captain John Farrago, along with his own Sancho Panza, Teague, leaves his farm in western Pennsylvania and sets out to find adventure in the big world.
Edward Wedlake Brayley was a British writer, historian, archaeologist and topographer.
Notable among Brayley's works are A Topographical History of Surrey, Lambeth Palace, Topographical Sketches of Brighthelmston, and Londiniana. Braley often collaborated with the topographer and antiquarian John Britton in the creation of his books. The text in his books was illustrated with woodcuts and engraved steel plates.
Britton and Brayley's long-standing collaboration also resulted in the popular series "Beauties of England and Wales," published from 1801 to 1818. Several volumes were planned, dealing with the history and topography of England and Wales, illustrated with views of picturesque scenes and important places. The series eventually expanded to twenty-five large volumes, published over a period of nearly twenty years.
Jules Adolphe Breton was a French artist celebrated for his realistic portrayals of peasant life in 19th-century France. His work, deeply influenced by the rural landscapes and traditions of Artois, reflects a bygone era increasingly threatened by industrialization. Notable for capturing the dignity and toil of peasants, Breton's paintings like "The Gleaners" and "The Blessing of the Wheat" earned accolades for their heartfelt depiction of rural customs and their socio-economic undertones, particularly during a period when the rights of the rural poor were heavily debated.
Jules Breton's artistic merit extended beyond painting; he authored several books and volumes of poetry that provide insights into his life and the era's art scene. His notable works such as "The Song of the Lark" and "The End of the Day" are housed in prestigious institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, demonstrating his posthumous recognition. This piece, in particular, was famously declared a favorite by Eleanor Roosevelt at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair, marking a peak in his acclaim.
For art collectors and experts, Jules Breton's oeuvre offers a poignant glimpse into 19th-century rural France, preserved through his exceptional skill and emotional depth. His works not only depict the daily lives of peasants but also resonate with broader themes of tradition and change, making them significant both historically and artistically.
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Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Breton de la Martinière was a French stenographer, journalist, translator and writer.
Breton was a founding member of a group of stenographers of the Legislative Assembly and stenographed debates from 1792. He became parliamentary reporter in 1815 and remained so until his death. He was also one of the founders of Le stenographer of the Chambers and the Gazette des tribunals. A polyglot and knowing almost all the languages of Europe, Breton often acted as an interpreter in the courts.
Breton de la Martinière published books on China, as well as on Egypt and Syria, where he used materials by the scholar Jean-Joseph Marcel, who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt in 1798. The text contains much information on the customs, religion, and antiquities of Egypt, as well as a fascinating description of the recent French occupation.
Mathurin Jacques Brisson was a French zoologist, ornithologist, naturalist and physicist, a member of the Academy of Sciences.
He is known for his published works in natural history: Le Règne animal ("The Kingdom of Animals", 1756) and Ornithologie ("Ornithology", 1760), in which he described 1,500 species of birds grouped into 115 genera, twenty-six orders, and two classes. Brisson was one of the first to come close to the concept of "type" in zoology, although he does not use the term, but his classification was used for about 100 years. He translated a number of important books on zoology for his time into French.
Brisson's works in physics are related to the measurement of specific gravity of various bodies, the study of gases and refraction of light, mirrors, magnetism, atmospheric electricity, and barometers.
Giovanni Battista Brocchi was an Italian mineralogist, geologist and paleontologist.
Brocchi studied law at the University of Padua, but was seriously interested in natural sciences and mineralogy. In 1802, Brocchi became a teacher of natural history at the Brescia Gymnasium. Appointment in 1808 as inspector of mines in Milan gave him the opportunity to travel extensively in Italy, making extensive notes and collecting numerous samples. The fruits of these labors appeared in various publications, notably his "Treatise mineralogical and chemical on the iron mines of the department of Mella" (1808). He then obtained a position as inspector of mining in the newly created kingdom of Italy.
In 1811 Brocchi wrote a valuable essay entitled "Mineralogical Memoirs on the Fassa Valley in the Tyrol." He made his first extensive exploration of central Italy in 1811-1812, witnessed the eruption of Vesuvius, and was able to compare the condition of its crater before and after the eruption. But his most important work is Fossils of the Sub-Apennines with geological observations on the Apennines and adjacent soil (1814), which contains precise details of the structure of the Apennine ridge and an account of the fossilization of Italian Tertiary strata in comparison with existing species. Brocchi also wrote several significant works on biology.
In the fall of 1822 he sailed from Trieste to Egypt, whence he made excursions up the Nile and into Syria and Palestine. In 1826 he contracted the bubonic plague, of which he died. His last journals and collections are preserved at the Museo Civico in Bassano. In all, Brocchi published five voluminous books and about seventy articles in various journals.
Charles Brockden Brown was an American writer, historian, and editor.
Brown took up literary endeavors early in life. In 1798, his first mystical and psychological novel, Wieland, was published. Brown also wrote the novels Ormond (1799), Edgar Huntley (1799), and Arthur Merwin (1799-1800).
Brown's works interweave fiction, history, fantasy, psychology, and liberal politics. Brown is considered the father of the American novel. His American-style Gothic novels pioneered and paved the way for two of the greatest early American writers, Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Charles Brown also wrote a great deal of journalism on political, educational, and historical topics.
Solyman Brown was an American dentist, creator of the first U.S. National Dental Society and the first U.S. Dental Journal, as well as a poet and artist.
Brown received his bachelor's, master's, and doctor of medicine degrees from Yale University, and also worked as a minister. He wrote many articles explaining dental principles and regulations and became one of the editors of the American Journal and Library of Dental Sciences.
Essentially, in the 19th century, American dentistry was in a terrible state. And Solyman Brown, through all his activism, contributed to the enlightenment and establishment of dentistry in the United States as a true profession and science.
Brown also wrote poetry, articles and essays, and was constantly published in the periodical press. He gained fame and notoriety as a dental poet with his epic "Dentology, a poem on the diseases of the teeth and their proper remedies," which he wrote in 1833. And many more of his poems were devoted to dental diseases, their prevention and treatment. Soliyman Brown, in addition, was a painter and sculptor, painting portraits and creating furniture in wood.
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright of the Victorian era.
Browning's father, a bank clerk in London, was a very accomplished man, a collector of books and paintings, an artist and a scholar. He gave his son the basics of Greek and Latin, as well as classical literature. Browning re-read many books from his father's extensive library and also attended classes at the University of London. In 1834 Robert Browning traveled to St. Petersburg and later visited Italy. Between
1832-46 he wrote his early long poems and most of his plays. Browning's first published work was "Pauline" (1833); this dramatic monologue was highly emotional. In 1835 he published the poems "Paracelsus" and in 1840 "Sordello," which are about men of great talent trying to come to terms with the demands of the world.
In 1868-69. Browning published his major work, a novel in verse, The Ring and the Book, based on the trial of a murder case in Rome in 1698. Grand in conception and execution, it was immediately well received by the public, and Browning became a major figure in the history of English poetry.
Eugène Burnouf was a French Orientalist scholar, linguist, and researcher of Buddhism in the mid-19th century.
Burnouf studied at the School of Law and the Collège de France. In collaboration with the Norwegian orientalist Christian Lassen, he published Essai sur le Pali (1826) in one of the languages of Indian Buddhism. He then undertook the decipherment of Zoroastrian manuscripts.
As professor of Sanskrit at the Collège de France (1832-1852), Burnouf made a significant contribution to the study of Zoroastrianism. He also made a Sanskrit edition and French translation of the important Hindu text Le Bhâgavata Purana (1840) and published a history of Buddhism (1845).
Stephen Burroughs was an American adventurer and con man, impostor and counterfeiter who became a writer and preacher.
Stephen Burroughs as a child moved to Hanover, New Hampshire, and as a child earned and proudly carried the reputation of an incorrigible bully, everywhere and always looking for trouble. During the Revolutionary War at the age of 14, he ran away several times, then in the Continental Army, then left it. In the eyes of society Burroughs was a scoundrel: a fugitive, a deserter, pretended to be a ship's doctor, a pastor, escaped from several prisons, including the island fortress and even by burning the prison. The fame of his exploits often ran ahead of himself.
Stephen later moved to Canada and led a group of counterfeiters, and a few years later suddenly decided to reform himself and became a youth pastor.
By the age of 33, Burroughs had accomplished so many daring "feats" and adventures that he decided to write a story about himself in his own words. His full of adventures book "Memoirs of the Notorious Stephen Burroughs" was published in 1798 and then reprinted under different names many dozens of times. And Burroughs himself died in 1840 in Canada as a free and wealthy man.
Augustin Louis Cauchy was a French mathematician and mechanic, military engineer, and founder of mathematical analysis.
Cauchy studied at the École Polytechnique and at the Paris School of Bridges and Roads. After becoming a military engineer, he went to Cherbourg in 1810 to work on harbors and fortifications for Napoleon's English invasion. Here he began independent mathematical research. Cauchy returned to Paris in 1813, and Lagrange and Laplace convinced him to devote himself entirely to mathematics. The following year he published a memoir on definite integrals, which formed the basis of the theory of complex functions. From 1816, Cauchy held professorships at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Collège de France, and the École Polytechnique in Paris.
Cauchy developed the foundation of mathematical analysis, and made enormous contributions to analysis, algebra, mathematical physics, and many other areas of mathematics. He almost single-handedly founded the theory of functions of a complex variable, which has extensive applications in physics. Cauchy's greatest contributions to mathematics are published primarily in three of his treatises, "Courses in Analysis at the Royal Polytechnic School" (1821), "Summary of Lessons on Infinitesimal Calculus" (1823), and "Lessons on the Application of Infinitesimal Values in Geometry" (1826-28). In all, Augustin Louis Cauchy wrote about 800 scientific articles.
Cauchy was a member of the Paris Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of London, the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, and other academies.
Petr Ilich Chaikovskii (Russian: Петр Ильич Чайковский) was a great Russian composer, teacher, conductor and music critic.
Petr was born into the family of a mining engineer; later his father became manager of the Alapaev and Nizhnekamsk factories and director of the Technological Institute in St. Petersburg. Already at the age of five Peter began to learn to play the piano and compose. Educated as a lawyer, he was appointed to the Ministry of Justice and retired in 1867.
In 1865, Chaikovskii graduated with honors from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, composing several significant works during his years of study. From 1866-1878, Chaikovskii was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, translated several musical-theoretical works, and wrote A Guide to the Practical Study of Harmony. In 1868 he made his first appearance in the press as a music critic, and later worked as a music reviewer for the Moscow newspapers Sovremennaya Annals and Russkiye Vedomosti.
Petr Ilich destroyed his first operas - "Voevoda" and "Undina" - apparently dissatisfied with the result, but his next concertos and symphonies, the operas "Oprichnik" (1874) and "Vakula the Blacksmith" (1876) were already quite successful. In 1877 patron of the arts and admirer Nadezhda von Meck arranged for Chaikovskii to receive an annual subsidy of six thousand roubles, thanks to which he devoted his later life to composing, and from 1888 the composer also received an annual pension of three thousand roubles from the Russian Emperor Alexander III.
From the 1880s Chaikovskii became known not only in Russia but also abroad: he gave numerous concerts in European cities, and his music was recognized and loved in the USA.
A man of extraordinary sensitivity, Petr Chaikovskii revealed in music the inner world of man from lyrical intimacy to the deepest tragedy, creating the highest examples of operas, ballets, symphonies and chamber works. During this period he wrote the operas "Eugene Onegin" (1878), "The Maid of Orleans" (1879), "Mazepa" (1883), "Cherevichki" (1885), "Queen of Spades" (1890), "Iolanta" (1891) and others. And also ballets "Swan Lake" (1876), "Sleeping Beauty" (1889), "The Nutcracker" (1892). All of these works are still going with enduring success in all the world's theaters.
His cycle The Seasons and his Sixth Symphony ("Pathetique") are also widely known. Chaikovskii 's six symphonies, the symphony "Manfred" (1885), "Italian Capriccio" (1880), three concerti for piano and orchestra (1875-93), a concerto for violin and orchestra, "Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra" (1876), a piano trio "In Memory of the Great Artist" (1882), and romances belong to the world's masterpieces.
Chaikovskii died unexpectedly, having contracted cholera during an epidemic in St. Petersburg. In honor of the composer in 1958, one of the most prestigious performing competitions was organized - the International Chaikovskii Competition, which is held in Moscow every four years. The city of Chaikovskii in the Perm Region, streets in many cities in the former Soviet Union, and a crater on Mercury are named in the composer's honor. The Moscow State Conservatory bears Tchaikovsky's name. Petr Chaikovskii is one of the most performed composers all over the world.
Owen Chase was an American sailor and writer.
Chase became famous after publishing his detailed account of how a whaling ship, on which he was first mate captain, rammed and sank a sperm whale. The captain and crew spent three months at sea in open boats. Of the twenty crew members, eight survived when they managed to reach land.
This book, published in 1821, inspired the writer Herman Melville to write his famous novel Moby Dick.
Lydia Maria Child, née Francis, is an American writer and journalist, women's rights and Indian rights activist, and a prominent abolitionist.
Lydia Francis was born into a family of abolitionists, which shaped her worldview. From the age of 18, she taught, wrote historical novels and in 1826 founded a periodical for children "Juvenile Miscellany".
Her first novel, Hobomock, was published in 1824 - set in colonial New England and based on the marriage of a white woman, Mary Conant, and a Native American named Hobomock. In 1833, Lydia Child published An Appeal in Favor of the Class of Americans Called Africans, which recounted the history of slavery and decried the educational and employment inequalities of the black population in the United States. As a result, she was expectedly publicly condemned and her magazine collapsed. But this book united and empowered like-minded people in the abolitionist movement.
On the subject of inequality, Lydia Child wrote throughout her life, and she also spoke out on behalf of Native American peoples. In 1861, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" was published. Her many books also include Flowers for Children (1844-47), Facts and Fictions (1846), The Freedmen's Book (1865), and An Address to the Indians (1868).
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, full name Pierre Ambroise François Choderlos de Laclos, was a French politician, inventor, military leader, and writer.
De Laclos initially pursued a military career, but soon abandoned it, deciding that he would achieve greater fame by becoming a writer. He wrote poetry, erotic stories. His first novel "Dangerous Liaisons" (Les Liaisons dangereuses, 1782) immediately made a great impression and caused a mixed reaction in society. This is one of the masterpieces of novelistic literature of the XVIII century, which describes the love affairs of the aristocracy. On its motives, a large number of commentaries were later written, plays were staged and movies were filmed.
Later, Pierre Choderlot de Laclos worked for some time as secretary to the Duke of D'Orleans, writing several treatises on military and political topics. And in 1792 he again joined the army, where under Napoleon he rose to the rank of general, participated in the Rhine and Italian campaigns.
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a British statesman, soldier and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. Apart from two years between 1922 and 1924, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1900 to 1964 and represented a total of five constituencies. Ideologically an economic liberal and imperialist, he was for most of his career a member of the Conservative Party, which he led from 1940 to 1955. He was a member of the Liberal Party from 1904 to 1924.
Thomas Cole, an English-born American artist, stands as a foundational figure in the Hudson River School, a movement that significantly shaped the course of American landscape painting. Born in Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, England, in 1801, Cole moved to the United States in 1818, where he embarked on a journey that would see him become one of the most influential artists of his time.
Thomas Cole's artistry is renowned for its romantic portrayal of the American wilderness, imbuing his landscapes with a spiritual and almost sublime quality that reflects his deep appreciation for nature. His works, such as "The Course of Empire" series and "The Voyage of Life," not only depict the beauty of the American landscape but also convey profound messages about humanity's relationship with the natural world. These series, showcasing the rise and fall of civilizations and the stages of human life against the backdrop of the natural world, highlight his philosophical and environmental concerns.
His technique of sketching directly from nature before creating detailed, idealized compositions became a hallmark of his style and influenced future generations of artists, including Frederic Edwin Church and Asher B. Durand. Thomas Cole's legacy extends beyond his paintings, as he played a pivotal role in the development of an art movement that celebrated the unique character of the American landscape, which was seen as a reflection of the nation's identity.
Thomas Cole's works are preserved in prestigious institutions like the New-York Historical Society, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, serving as enduring testaments to his artistic genius and his profound connection to the American landscape.
For collectors and art enthusiasts, understanding Thomas Cole's influence and the themes he explored offers invaluable insights into the evolution of American landscape painting. If you're interested in staying updated on exhibitions, sales, and events related to Thomas Cole's works, consider signing up for updates to deepen your appreciation and knowledge of this iconic artist's contributions to American art and culture.
John Maler Collier was a British painter and writer. He painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, and was one of the most prominent portrait painters of his generation. Both of his marriages were to daughters of Thomas Henry Huxley. He was educated at Eton College, and he studied painting in Paris with Jean-Paul Laurens and at the Munich Academy starting in 1875.
William Combe was a British writer and poet.
Combe authored a variety of prose and satirical verse, but is best known for the popular Dr. Syntax series of books published between 1812 and 1821, for which he wrote the text and artist Thomas Rowlandson did the drawings. The first book in the series, The Journey of Dr. Syntax: In Search of the Picturesque (1812), was published by the publisher Rudolf Ackerman, and he oversaw further collaboration between Combe and Rowlandson. William Combe's poems about Dr. Syntax with Rowlandson's illustrations were immensely popular in their day.
James Fenimore Cooper is an American writer and the founder of the Western genre.
Cooper is the first major American novelist, he wrote a whole series of novels from American life: "The Pioneers" (1823), "The Last of the Mohicans" (1826), "The Prairie" (1827), "The Pathfinder" (1840), "The Beastmaster, or the First Warpath" (1841). The author fascinatingly and vividly describes how Europeans waged wars among themselves on the American continent, involving Indian tribes in these strife. All of these works were a huge success in 19th century Europe and are still being reprinted today.
At the height of his popularity, Cooper spent seven years in Europe, and then returned to the United States, where he wrote works on military-historical and maritime themes until his advanced old age. Among them are "The Pilot, or Maritime History" (1823), "The Red Corsair" (1827).
George Cumberland was an English art collector, writer and poet. He was a lifelong friend and supporter of William Blake, and like him was an experimental printmaker. He was also an amateur watercolourist, and one of the earliest members of the Bristol School of artists. He made use of his wide circle of connections to help its other members, in particular assisting and influencing Edward Bird and Francis Danby.
Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly, born Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly, was a French writer, critic and essayist.
After studying law at the University of Caen, d'Aurevilly gained popularity in 1852 as a literary critic for the Bonapartist newspaper Le Pays, which was influential among the decadents of the late 19th century.
In literature, d'Aurevillys specialized in tales of macabre mysteries that explored ulterior motives and hints of evil, but without the supernatural. He was a decisive influence on writers such as Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam, Henry James, and Marcel Proust.
Charles d'Éon de Beaumont, known as Chevalier d'Éon and with many other names, was a French nobleman, diplomat, and secret agent who belonged to the Royal Secret diplomatic network. This amazing and versatile man was forced to live the second half of his life as a woman by virtue of his activities.
D'Eon participated in the Seven Years' War and spied for France while in Russia and England. In France and England he was known for his adventurous life and his many talents: he was an ambassador and secret agent in the service of Louis XV, a captain of dragoons during the Seven Years' War, a skilled swordsman, and a man of letters. After several missions to Russia, more often under the guise of a woman, he was sent to London in 1762 to assist the ambassador in the peace negotiations with England. For his contribution to the Treaty of Paris, signed the following year, he became a Knight of the Order of Saint Louis.
Needing money, and in order to receive a pension, he increasingly entered the role of a woman. In 1777 he received an order: "By order of the King: Charles-Geneviève-Louise-Auguste-Andrée-Timotheus d'Eon de Beaumont is ordered to remove the dragoon uniform she wears and to dress in accordance with her sex. Henceforth he always wore women's dress. Returning to London in 1785, d'Eon died there 25 years later. An autopsy conducted two days after his death found him to be male.
Eduard Adolf Daelen is a German artist, writer, and journalist.
He studied at the Düsseldorf Academy of Art and the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Daelen was a member of the Malkasten Society of Artists (Malkasten) and was chairman of the local association Allgemeine Deutsche Kunstgenossenschaft. During World War I he took up drawing patriotic posters and war postcards.
Daelen also became known for the first biography of Wilhelm Busch, which he wrote in 1886. He also wrote art history articles that were published under pseudonyms in various newspapers.
Richard Henry Dana Jr. was an American lawyer, politician, and writer, and a prominent abolitionist.
His father was the Romantic poet and critic Richard Henry Dana Sr. (1787-1879). Richard Jr. did not finish his studies at Harvard College and went to California as a sailor. Two years later, having gained a wealth of experience, he completed his studies and became head of the American bar, an expert on maritime law and an advocate for the rights of merchant seamen.
In 1840, Dana published his autobiographical book Two Years to the Mast, which immediately gained wide popularity. Dana's description of his voyage to California, which was virtually unknown to Americans at the time, became the best contemporary description of the territory captured by the United States just a few years later. He describes the lives of sailors in the ports and their work processing hides on the coast, and pays close attention to the daily lives of the peoples of California, including Hispanics, Native Americans, and Europeans.
In 1841, Dana published The Seafarer's Friend, which became the standard reference book on the legal rights and responsibilities of seamen. He defended many ordinary seamen in court. Despite vigorous opposition, Dana provided free legal aid to blacks as well. Both as a writer and a lawyer, he was a defender of the oppressed, from sailors to runaway slaves and freedmen.
He was U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts from 1861 to 1866 and a member of the Massachusetts legislature from 1867 to 1868.
Charles Robert Darwin was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for contributing to the understanding of evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended from a common ancestor is now generally accepted and considered a fundamental concept in science. In a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history, and he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey.
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist and short-story writer, best remembered for his sentimental tales of provincial life in southern France. Born in Nîmes in 1840, Alphonse Daudet's early life was marked by financial hardship, influencing much of his later work. He moved to Paris with his brother Ernest and quickly immersed himself in the literary world, publishing his first collection of poems, Les Amoureuses, at a young age.
Alphonse Daudet's career flourished with notable works such as Le Petit Chose, Tartarin de Tarascon, and Lettres de Mon Moulin, which highlighted the charm and simplicity of rural life in Provence. His storytelling, often infused with humor and satire, made significant contributions to French literature, capturing the essence of Provencal culture.
Despite his literary success, Alphonse Daudet's personal life was fraught with challenges, including a long-term illness that he bravely depicted in his later works. He passed away in Paris in 1897, leaving behind a legacy celebrated for its profound impact on regionalist literature and its vivid portrayal of French life and culture during the 19th century.
For those interested in the intricate tapestry of French literature and the enchanting allure of Provence, Alphonse Daudet's works offer a gateway to the past, brimming with the richness of its regional heritage and the timeless appeal of its narratives. To delve deeper into Daudet's life and explore his contributions to literature, subscribing to updates on related sales and auction events can be a rewarding pursuit for collectors and enthusiasts alike, ensuring they remain informed about opportunities to engage with his enduring legacy.
Alfred de Marbot, full name Baron Alfred-Charles-Adolphe de Marbot, was a French writer, historian and illustrator, a specialist in military uniforms.
He was born into the family of Lieutenant General Baron Marcelin Marbot (1782-1854). As a historian of the post-Napoleonic era, Marbot did extensive research and illustrated many types of infantry and cavalry uniforms, uniforms of the National Guard, volunteer and allied French Legions.
From 1836 to 1860, together with Baron Dunoyer de Noirmont (1816-1896), Alfred de Marbot published in Paris a series of "French military costumes from the organization of the first regular troops in 1439 to the present day", and in 1854 published the work "Synoptic tables of French infantry and cavalry and foreign regiments in the service of France from 1720 to 1789".
Dunoyer de Noirmont, full name Baron Joseph-Anne-Emile-Edouard Dunoyer de Noirmont, was a French writer, historian, and draftsman.
Baron Dunoyer de Noirmont wrote books on the history of hunting in France. Among his other famous works is the voluminous tome French Military Costumes, which describes the organization, arms, clothing, and equipment of the various army corps. It is the joint work of Dunoyer de Noirmont and the historian and artist Alfred de Marbeau (1812-1865). This monument to French military costume from 1439 to 1815 consists of hand-colored lithographed plates with explanatory texts.
François Joseph de Pons, full name François Raymond Joseph de Pons, was a French traveler, writer, and diplomat.
De Pons, during his stay in Venezuela in the early 19th century, served as a political and diplomatic correspondent in Caracas, gathering information for the French government. This prompted him to write a book entitled: "A voyage through the eastern part of Terre Ferme, North America, made in 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1804; containing a description of the general chapter of Caracas and the provinces of Venezuela, Maracaibo, Varinas, Española Guiana, Cumana and Margarita Island", which also included a geographical map and plans of the capital Caracas and the main ports.
Contemporaries praised the work as "an important account of Venezuela, containing a description of the country and people, as well as a description of the growth and production of cacao, indigo, sugar, cotton, coffee, and tobacco." The first edition was published in Paris in 1806. This work was so popular and significant that in the same year it was translated by the writer Washington Irving and published in New York and London.
Maurice de Vlaminck was a French artist renowned for his vibrant use of color and contribution to the Fauvist movement. Born in Paris in 1876, Vlaminck's early work was marked by a passionate application of paint and a bold palette, drawing inspiration from Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse. His participation in the 1905 Salon d'Automne, alongside other Fauvist painters, was met with critical disdain, leading to the term "fauves" (wild beasts) being coined to describe their unorthodox use of intense color.
Vlaminck's career was characterized by a continuous exploration of color and form. Early on, he depicted scenes of daily life, landscapes, and portraits, imbuing them with a sense of motion through his dynamic brushwork. Notable works from this period include "Sur le zinc" (At the Bar) and "L'homme a la pipe" (Man Smoking a Pipe), which highlighted his departure from traditional portraiture and landscapes towards more expressive and mood-driven compositions. His landscapes, in particular, showcased a disregard for detail in favor of conveying atmosphere, a technique that was revolutionary at the time.
Throughout his life, Vlaminck's style evolved, showing influences from Post-Impressionism and later, a more monochromatic palette reminiscent of Paul Cézanne. Despite this evolution, he maintained a critical stance towards Cubism and its leading figure, Pablo Picasso, believing that Cubism had led French painting into a "wretched dead end". In his later years, Vlaminck's work adopted a darker palette and more naturalistic style, moving away from the Fauvist emphasis on color to explore the dramatic and expressive potential of landscapes and seascapes.
Vlaminck's impact on modern art is undeniable. His works are held in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, attesting to his enduring influence and the continued fascination with his bold, expressive approach to painting.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Vlaminck's oeuvre represents a pivotal moment in the history of modern art, where the emotional intensity and visual impact of color were explored as never before. To stay informed on new product sales and auction events related to Maurice de Vlaminck, signing up for updates is recommended, offering exclusive insights into the vibrant world of Fauvism and modernist painting.
Joseph Dennie was an American writer, journalist, and major literary figure of the early 19th century.
Dennie graduated from Harvard College, became a lawyer, but became active in writing. In 1801, he founded a periodical called The Port Folio, which became the most prominent literary weekly of its time in America. It was also the first important political and literary journal in the United States.
As founder of the Tuesday Club, Dennie was the center of Philadelphia's aristocratic literary circle in the early 19th century and for a time was the leading literary critic in the country. He ridiculed the simplistic and crude nature of Native Americans and opposed democratic innovations. He also encouraged talented young writers.
Sherman Foote Denton was an American naturalist, inventor, illustrator, and writer.
Denton was one of the best later natural history artists. He served as an artist for the Smithsonian Institution's U.S. Fish Commission and was commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution to create the book Game Fish of New York. And the annual reports of the Fish and Game of New York State for 1895-1909 featured 99 species of freshwater and marine fish, as well as a number of other items, including lobsters, oysters, ring-necked pheasant, and Virginian deer. These have been published in both book and folio form. Denton also developed a method of mounting fish that preserved their lifetime color.
Along with his brothers Shelley Wright and Robert Winsford, Denton founded the Denton Brothers Butterflies Company, which sold butterfly specimens. Sherman invented and patented in 1901 the mounting of scale specimens on a white plaster tablet under glass instead of the traditional mounting.
Charles Dickens, full name Charles John Huffam Dickens, is the most famous British writer of the Victorian era, a classic of world literature.
From childhood the future writer learned all the hardships of life in poverty: his father in prison for debts, hard work in a factory. Then service stenographer in court and reporter developed in him a strong attachment to journalism and contempt for both the law and parliament.
Dickens had many talents: in addition to literary work, he was an actor, published periodicals, arranged numerous literary readings, where he reveled in the admiration and love of the public. Fecund and versatile, Charles Dickens wrote many brilliant and often comic works. His novels cover a wide range of social, moral, emotional and other aspects. As a subtle psychologist, he is also very interested in the most ordinary people, but also the eccentric, the flawed, and even the insane.
Dickens was immensely popular around the world during his lifetime. His intellect, worldview, and deep reflections on society and its faults enriched his novels and made him one of the great figures of nineteenth-century literature, an influential spokesman for the conscience of his time.
Dickens' best-known and most popular novels are The Pickwick Club Posthumous Notes, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, Cold House, A Tale of Two Cities, Our Mutual Friend, Great Expectations, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was a 19th-century American lyric poet.
Emily led a secluded and rather unusual lifestyle, preferring active correspondence instead of personal communication. In addition to many brilliant and witty letters to her family and friends, she wrote about two thousand poems during her lifetime, but only about ten were published during her lifetime.
Dickinson possessed an extraordinary brilliance of style and integrity of vision and, along with Walt Whitman, is today considered one of the two leading American poets of the nineteenth century. She easily ignored the usual rules of versification and even grammar, and in the intellectual content of her works showed exceptional courage and originality. It is known that the poetess was particularly impressed by the poetry of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and with Charles Wadsworth she corresponded.
Today, the work of Emily Dickinson is evaluated as a bright forerunner of modernism, it is widely studied in educational institutions in the United States and Europe.