Dr Bendor Grosvenor FRHistS
@bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social
Art historian. New book The Invention of British Art, out now.
Tips for the next DG:
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
November 9, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Tips for the next DG:
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
1 - Don't stake your future on impartiality. Perfect impartiality is impossible. Focus on accuracy and accountability. Let journalists and producers do their job. If they get it badly wrong, sack them.
2 - Reverse the deliberate, prolonged cut to arts programming.
New episode of the podcast out today. We ask if art is good for your health; interview Katy Hessel about her new book; and try and work out if the bird lives or dies in Wright of Derby's epic 'Airpump'.
November 6, 2025 at 8:50 PM
New episode of the podcast out today. We ask if art is good for your health; interview Katy Hessel about her new book; and try and work out if the bird lives or dies in Wright of Derby's epic 'Airpump'.
This is a Lidar scan showing the route towards Lauder of Dere Street, the Roman road into Scotland. The proposed Woodhead Energy Park goes directly over the Roman road.
November 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
This is a Lidar scan showing the route towards Lauder of Dere Street, the Roman road into Scotland. The proposed Woodhead Energy Park goes directly over the Roman road.
Here is the view to Threepwood Moss, a rare Lowland bog which is a site of special scientific interest. Just to the right is where a battery storage park will be built, comprising 68 container-sized batteries.
November 6, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Here is the view to Threepwood Moss, a rare Lowland bog which is a site of special scientific interest. Just to the right is where a battery storage park will be built, comprising 68 container-sized batteries.
Came to see the site of a proposed solar farm in the Scottish Borders. What I’m showing you is only about half the site.
November 6, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Came to see the site of a proposed solar farm in the Scottish Borders. What I’m showing you is only about half the site.
A real life art adventure for Waldy and Bendy today, ably guided by Producer Thea, at the National Gallery’s new Joseph Wright of Derby exhibition. Podcast out on Thursday.
November 4, 2025 at 6:14 PM
A real life art adventure for Waldy and Bendy today, ably guided by Producer Thea, at the National Gallery’s new Joseph Wright of Derby exhibition. Podcast out on Thursday.
It’s v interesting, if you look at the footage as they step down from the altar, the Pope clearly says to Charles, ‘did you see the tapestries?’, pointing to them.
November 3, 2025 at 11:18 PM
It’s v interesting, if you look at the footage as they step down from the altar, the Pope clearly says to Charles, ‘did you see the tapestries?’, pointing to them.
Not only a great portrait by Gainsborough (of his nephew, Gainsborough Dupont), but in as-new condition. Once upon a time, all Gainsboroughs looked like this, but the delicacy of his technique means many have suffered over the years.
November 3, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Not only a great portrait by Gainsborough (of his nephew, Gainsborough Dupont), but in as-new condition. Once upon a time, all Gainsboroughs looked like this, but the delicacy of his technique means many have suffered over the years.
Made a late afternoon visit to Waddesdon. Many fine pictures of course, but also some superb historic toilet action. Including an all-Delft bathroom, and this commode chair (which I think you sat on backwards, so to speak).
November 3, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Made a late afternoon visit to Waddesdon. Many fine pictures of course, but also some superb historic toilet action. Including an all-Delft bathroom, and this commode chair (which I think you sat on backwards, so to speak).
They have a splendid Lego recreation of Cirencester Abbey, once one of our finest monasteries. Of course it was thoroughly destroyed by Henry VIII.
November 1, 2025 at 6:30 PM
They have a splendid Lego recreation of Cirencester Abbey, once one of our finest monasteries. Of course it was thoroughly destroyed by Henry VIII.
Quick recce in Cirencester’s glorious church of St John the Baptist, before my talk later. One of England’s finest ‘wool’ churches.
November 1, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Quick recce in Cirencester’s glorious church of St John the Baptist, before my talk later. One of England’s finest ‘wool’ churches.
The second shows the moment before the conversion of St Paul, a figure central to the breakaway Church of England. What better way to show, through art, a wish that King Charles III might yet go beyond today's service, and convert to Rome?
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October 23, 2025 at 10:05 PM
The second shows the moment before the conversion of St Paul, a figure central to the breakaway Church of England. What better way to show, through art, a wish that King Charles III might yet go beyond today's service, and convert to Rome?
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So, we don’t need to be too conspiratorial to wonder if the two tapestries hung in today’s service have any meaning. The first showed a key moment of St Peter’s conversion, his transformation into Christ’s catcher of men, and thus the foundation of the papacy.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:05 PM
So, we don’t need to be too conspiratorial to wonder if the two tapestries hung in today’s service have any meaning. The first showed a key moment of St Peter’s conversion, his transformation into Christ’s catcher of men, and thus the foundation of the papacy.
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And in a further British legacy of Raphael’s Sistine cartoons, when in 1715 James Thornhill came to paint the Dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, he based his images on the scenes of St Paul in the Raphael Cartoons then in the Royal Collection.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:05 PM
And in a further British legacy of Raphael’s Sistine cartoons, when in 1715 James Thornhill came to paint the Dome of St Paul’s Cathedral, he based his images on the scenes of St Paul in the Raphael Cartoons then in the Royal Collection.
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For example, in Holbein’s frontispiece for the Coverdale Bible, we see Henry VIII beside St Paul (on the right with his sword). And *all* the apostles are shown holding keys to heaven, not just St Peter (that is, not just the Pope).
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October 23, 2025 at 10:04 PM
For example, in Holbein’s frontispiece for the Coverdale Bible, we see Henry VIII beside St Paul (on the right with his sword). And *all* the apostles are shown holding keys to heaven, not just St Peter (that is, not just the Pope).
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The second tapestry shows the Stoning of St Stephen. This is one of three tapestries for which King Charles owns no surviving cartoon. It shows the death of the first Christian martyr, at which St Paul was present before his conversion to Christianity.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
The second tapestry shows the Stoning of St Stephen. This is one of three tapestries for which King Charles owns no surviving cartoon. It shows the death of the first Christian martyr, at which St Paul was present before his conversion to Christianity.
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The Pope of course is the successor to St Peter. The Vatican is built around St Peter’s tomb, and St Peter’s iconography - the keys to heaven - has become a papal symbol.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
The Pope of course is the successor to St Peter. The Vatican is built around St Peter’s tomb, and St Peter’s iconography - the keys to heaven - has become a papal symbol.
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But let’s look at the tapestries on display today. The first was The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. This was Raphael’s most dramatic composition. It shows the key moment of St Peter’s conversion, after which Christ says to him, “from now on you will be catching men.”
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October 23, 2025 at 10:02 PM
But let’s look at the tapestries on display today. The first was The Miraculous Draught of Fishes. This was Raphael’s most dramatic composition. It shows the key moment of St Peter’s conversion, after which Christ says to him, “from now on you will be catching men.”
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Today, these cartoons are still in the Royal Collection, and so belong to Charles III (though they're displayed at the V&A). The inclusion of two of the tapestries for today’s service celebrated a common artistic connection between the Pope and the King.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Today, these cartoons are still in the Royal Collection, and so belong to Charles III (though they're displayed at the V&A). The inclusion of two of the tapestries for today’s service celebrated a common artistic connection between the Pope and the King.
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The ten tapestries were then woven in Brussels, using the cartoons. Seven of these cartoons survived and were later bought in 1623 by Charles I, who wanted to make his own tapestries in England to Raphael’s designs.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:02 PM
The ten tapestries were then woven in Brussels, using the cartoons. Seven of these cartoons survived and were later bought in 1623 by Charles I, who wanted to make his own tapestries in England to Raphael’s designs.
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The tapestries were designed by Raphael, showing four scenes from the life of St Peter and six from the life of St Paul. Raphael’s compositions were first drawn and coloured on large pieces of paper, or 'cartone'. From this we get the word cartoon.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
The tapestries were designed by Raphael, showing four scenes from the life of St Peter and six from the life of St Paul. Raphael’s compositions were first drawn and coloured on large pieces of paper, or 'cartone'. From this we get the word cartoon.
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Ten tapestries were commissioned in c.1515/16 by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel. We don’t regard tapestry that highly today, but then it was considered the most magnificent art form available.
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October 23, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Ten tapestries were commissioned in c.1515/16 by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel. We don’t regard tapestry that highly today, but then it was considered the most magnificent art form available.
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I was intrigued to see which two of the Vatican’s ten Raphael tapestries were chosen for today’s unprecedented service in the Sistine Chapel. The tapestries are very rarely shown - was Pope Leo XIV conveying any message in the choice?
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October 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I was intrigued to see which two of the Vatican’s ten Raphael tapestries were chosen for today’s unprecedented service in the Sistine Chapel. The tapestries are very rarely shown - was Pope Leo XIV conveying any message in the choice?
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Latest episode just out: this week we discuss the Louvre robbery, ask if Tudor art is any good, and disagree about the merits of Manet.
October 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Latest episode just out: this week we discuss the Louvre robbery, ask if Tudor art is any good, and disagree about the merits of Manet.