Joanna Hathaway

Author. Reader. History lover.

[mastersoftheair]

from louis greatorex's instagram

[katybirdy95]

550-year-old hand-written book is signed by Richard III and contains his personal motto. The signed book is one of only 13 of Richard III’s books that is known to still exist. It is especially valuable as he has signed it ‘R Gloucester’ as he was only the Duke of Gloucester as a young man. Above his signature in the book he wrote the words 'Tant le desieree’, which means 'So much desired’.

[domusdraconem]

THE LOST KING (2022) + art Richard III parallel with Graham Turner's painting "Richard III at Bosworth" c.2013

"The decision to depict Richard in gilded armour was reached after much research and consideration. Fifteenth century kings are often depicted in manuscript illuminations wearing gilded armour, and fully gilded armour from the early 16th century survives, so after long discussions with Dr Tobias Capwell (Curator of Arms and Armour at the Wallace Collection in London and renowned expert on the armour of this period, who has researched and spoken on the armour of Richard III) I concluded that it was quite possible that Richard III might also have done so. Here was the king of England facing a challenge to his throne, at a time when visual display played a crucial role in demonstrating an individual's importance - it was imperative that he display his right to wear the crown of England in the most spectacular way. Some sources, such as the Burgundian 'Caesar' tapestries, depict gilded armour also heavily decorated with pearls and precious stones, so it might be that I've actually underplayed it!

I have shown the crown on his salet decorated with precious stones, set in white enamelled roses modelled on those on the surviving crown of Margaret of York, Richard's sister.

Richard's armour would have been bespoke, made to fit him perfectly, and as such would have allowed for the affects of his scoliosis. Plate armour is very supportive, and clever tailoring could have disguised the outward appearance of his condition quite effectively. In my depiction I have shortened his torso slightly and made the right side of the cuirass roomier, but with the surcoat covering much of his body these slightly different proportions are all but unnoticeable. Having amour myself and ridden and jousted in it over several years has provided me with considerable insight into what you can and can't do in it, helping me understand what I paint immeasurably, but how Richard scholiosis affected him, especially when wearing armour, I confess I can only try to imagine. It certainly wouldn't have made it any easier for him, and my respect for what he had to deal with has only gone up since this aspect of his physique was revealed." (source)

[oldpaintings]

Cathedral interior by Wyke Bayliss (English, 1835--1906)

[strawberryjayne]

[english-history-trip]

On this day in history (19 May 1536), Queen Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London.

[english-history-trip]

Yes, outside was the place of choice, this sweet May morning, when all the meadows were springing mint and violets. A warm wind had come up out of the south.

To die on such a morning would require extraordinary courage.

– Margaret George, The Autobiography of Henry VIII

[memories-of-ancients]

"Cats in the Garden" by Mao Yi, China, Song Dynasty, 12th century

[twirld]

Joan of Arc (detail, 1882) Dante Gabriel Rossetti

[irishmansdaughter]

[irishmansdaughter]

[twirld]

Springtime (detail) Pierre-Auguste Cot

[jalowdens]

Jack Lowden in The making of Dunkirk

[oldpaintings]

Moonlight over lake by Anna Gardell-Ericson (Swedish, 1853–1939)

[100493503004422]

Mark Doty, "The Death of Antinoüs"

[twirld]

Eve (detail, 1885) Anna Lea Merritt

[die-rosastrasse]

King by Florence + The Machine

Art by Edmund Blair Leighton

[apenitentialprayer]

from page 112 of a mid-ninth century manuscript of Priscian’s Institutes of Grammar; at the top of this page is a poem written by an Irish monk. Source.

Original Irish

Is acher ingáith innocht fufuasna faircggae findḟolt ni ágor réimm mora minn dondláechraid lainn oua lothlind

English Translation 

Bitter is the wind tonight; It tosses the ocean’s white hair. Tonight I fear not the fierce warriors of Norway Coursing on the Irish sea.