Author Archives: lots4218

Eve Arnold

It’s a good time to write a brief article about the life and career of the American photojournalist Eve Arnold. She died only recently, on January 4th 2012, at the impressive age of 99 at a nursing home in London.  … Continue reading

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J.M.W. Turner

Joseph Mallord William  Turner was born in London on 23rd April, 1775, although we can probably give or take a couple of days on that date.  Turner was clearly an outstanding talent from an early age; by his early teens … Continue reading

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William Wordsworth’s ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge’

Unlike William Blake’s ‘London’ , ‘Composed upon Westminster Bridge‘ was not a critique of the social values of the times in which he lived.  Wordsworth was certainly capable of that; in the same year (1802) in which he wrote ‘Composed….’, he … Continue reading

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William Blake’s ‘London’

Born in London in 1757, William Blake is a poet who we now view as one of the most talented of his era but who, during his lifetime, went largely unrecognised.  Although we regard him as a London poet, he … Continue reading

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David Bailey – Part Two

David Bailey’s progress through the ranks of London’s talented photographers was as rapid as it’s possible to be.  While working for the John French Studio, one of London’s major advertising photographers, he took the opportunity to move on to John … Continue reading

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David Bailey – Part One

In the world of photography, and especially in the confines of British photography there can surely be no more famous name than that of David Bailey.  Best known now for his participation in, and capturing on film of, London’s ‘swinging … Continue reading

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Hidden Images of London

This article is prompted by a ongoing investigation by the BBC into some 200,000 paintings that belong to the general public as taxpayers.  These 200,000 are the culmination of year’s of donations and investments and the works have been painted by a … Continue reading

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André Derain – French Fauvist

Ok, so André Derain was not a Londoner but the time he spent in London was an incredibly prolific one.  In 1906, Derain spent enough time in London to paint 30 pictures, 29 of which are still thankfully in existence. … Continue reading

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London Quotes – Miscellaneous

Samuel Johnson and Oscar Wilde have provided us with a wealth of witty and telling comments regarding life in London in the eras in which they resided.  Of course there are many other notable characters who have provided us with … Continue reading

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History of the East End – Part Six

Today the East End of London has in some ways changed beyond recognition from what we have been writing about in previous articles; in other ways it has changed very little and many commentators regard the East End as a … Continue reading

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