neil guthrie
LightNews LightNews
banner
nguthrie.bsky.social
neil guthrie
@nguthrie.bsky.social
1.9K followers 330 following 1.4K posts
Collector. Antiquary. The Material Culture of the Jacobites (2014). Guthrie’s Guide to Better Legal Writing (2017, 2021). Trustee, George R Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art
Posts Replies Media Videos
nguthrie.bsky.social
The mirror room, Residenz, Würzburg #c18th #c18 #18thc
A concoction of gilt rococo tendrils framing mirrors on all surfaces of the room. The panelling and furniture of most other rooms in the Residenz had been removed to safety and were reinstalled after the war, but the mirrors in this room were too heavy to be moved. The heat from Allied bombs in WWII actually melted the glass and scorched the woodwork, so this is an entire reconstruction. The Tiepolo staircase withstood the bombs (and a 19C fire), defying the sceptics who thought Balthasar Neumann's huge vault would collapse shortly after construction
November 14, 2025 at 12:30 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
The Emperor Hall with Tiepolo's frescos of the wedding of Frederick Barbarossa and Beatrice of Burgundy, Residenz, Würzburg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Magnificent, but not as impressive as the staircase with its dramatic progression and dizzying perspective. Here, the Bishop of Würzburg blesses the kneeling couple
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
The White Hall, Residenz, Würzburg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Delicate rococo plasterwork of dragons, birds and putti on a ceiling above similarly elaborate overdoors
November 12, 2025 at 11:26 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
GB Tiepolo's frescos of the 4 continents in Würzburg were the principal objective of my south German tour & did not disappoint. Copious but sublimely controlled, magnificent colour, pure theatre #c18th #c18 #18thc (check the alt, @brophylevey.bsky.social !)
I can't do better than quote the elegant prose of Sir Michael Levey in Painting in Eighteenth-Century Venice (1959; 1994): 'No photographs unfortunately can give a proper conception of the ceiling as a whole, nor of the effect on the visitor slowly climbing the staircase as the vast fresco gradually expands before him. [...] Nothing less than the four Continents of the world are assebled to do homage to the reigning Prince-Bishop, Carl Philipp von Greiffenklau, whose ermine-draped portrait is upheld by putti while Fame trumpets his name to the ends of the earth. The extraordinary apotheosis of this petty and unimpressive person, one of a long line of Prince-Bishops whom the world has forgotten, is a triumph of sentiment over reason. So absurd, indeed, is it to suppose that the Continents would ever pay any attention whatsoever to Carl Philipp von Greiffenklau that the conception is almost imaginative. [...] Tiepolo's felicitous touch ... [keeps] the whole vast scheme fresh and lively and marvellously effortless. Never again could even Tiepolo express himself with such exuberance and enchanted virtuosity. Given the globe to create, his imagination expanded globally. Such an achievement could happen only once.'
November 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by neil guthrie
jessemlocker.bsky.social
Mood
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt (1736-1783) The Yawner, 1771-83 Tin cast Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts), Budapest https://www.mfab.hu/artworks/2941/
November 10, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Reposted by neil guthrie
rhwhite.bsky.social
A Mennecy lobed oval porcelain sugar bowl with painted enamel flower sprays, the lid with a blue painted entwined branch handle and brown painted rim. Circa 1760, on the underside is the factory mark of an incised D.V. Usually with a matching oval stand, but nicely decorated.
MEASUREMENTS 5 3/4” (14.6 cm) long, 4 3/8” (11.2 cm) deep, 4 1/2” (11.4 cm) in height. PROVENANCE Professor Alfred Patterssen Collection, Stockholm. Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, Sale 2909, Important Chinese Export & European Porcelain, 16 October 1969, lot 149. Doyle, New York, Sale 21BG01, The Sarah Belk Gambrell Collection of European Porcelain, 24 June 2021, lot 42.
 For a similar example but with a red painted handle, see accession no. 1977-52-27-a/c in the Cooper Hewitt Museum, New York. This is a direct copy by Mennecy of the form and size of Vincennes-Sèvres’ sucrier ovale à compartiments with domed lid, usually sold with a matching oval stand. The cover here displays an identical handle, but unlike the Vincennes-Sèvres version is notched on one end to allow for placement of a serving spoon. Nicely-painted flowers, more lively decoration than you usually see on Mennecy wares.
November 10, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by neil guthrie
alaintruong.bsky.social
Alexander Roslin, The Lady with the Veil. The Artist's Wife Marie Suzanne Giroust, 1768. Oil on canv

www.alaintruong.com/2025/11/exhi...
November 10, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by neil guthrie
antiquaries.bsky.social
The weather may be dreary today, but tomorrow looks better, so why not drop by ours at 1pm for a free talk on a long-lost painting of an 18th-century London amputation scene. www.sal.org.uk/event/amputa...
Amputation: A Dramatic Act - Society of Antiquaries of London
Dawn Kemp Director of Museums of the Royal College of Surgeons of England talks about her recent research into a long-lost painting of an 18th-century London amputation scene, with surprising connecti...
www.sal.org.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:14 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Johann Zick, study for a ceiling depicting the history of the bishopric of Speyer (1752), which looks strangely Futurist or Cubist, especially from a distance. Museum für Franken, Würzburg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Study for an allegorical/historical ceiling with an oddly geometric pattern radiating from the centre that suggests early 20th-century modernism
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Giambattisto Tiepolo, preparatory study for the huge fresco in the Kaisersaal in the Residenz of Apollo leading Beatrice of Burgundy to the emperor Frederick I (Barbarossa) (c1751), Museum für Franken, Würzburg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Apollo in his chariot, floating on sun-diffused clouds, brings an allegory of the county of Burgundy to her bridegroom, the genius imperii or personification of the Empire. The heiress of Burgundy married the emperor in Würzburg in 1154
November 9, 2025 at 12:23 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Pair of silver tureens (Breslau, c1792-93) in the window of an antique shop (fortunately closed for the day) in Bamberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Very tall neo-classical tureens in the window of a fancy antiques dealer on the main drag of Bamberg Very tall neo-classical tureens in the window of a fancy antiques dealer on the main drag of Bamberg
November 8, 2025 at 12:46 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Doorknob (c1720-30) in the municipal historical museum, Bamberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
The face of a jolly little chappie rendered in bronze for a Bamberg burgher's front door
November 7, 2025 at 11:42 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Why be a bishop if you can be a prince-bishop? Here, the very princely reception hall of the palace of the secular and ecclesiastical rulers of Bamberg up to the end of the Empire (not that far in the future when this room was completed in 1709) #c18th #c18 #18thc
Black and white marble floor and flamboyant rococo stoves for heating, large portraits, huge crystal chandeliers, frescoed ceiling. Not spiritual in the least! One of the marble stoves, with a black base and exuberant white putti, allegorical figures and military trophies above, flanked by (quite bad) portraits of past prince-bishops
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Reposted by neil guthrie
antiquaries.bsky.social
"Remember, remember, the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.'
A man comes across the stash of gunpowder in a large building, while a devilish figure looks surprised. A heavenly hand appears in the sky, pointing to the gunpowder.
November 5, 2025 at 1:21 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Four heads of putti (c1760), Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Four carved and painted wooden heads of babies with wings on their shoulders, mounted on a wall. Two look rather bilious.
November 5, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by neil guthrie
drgsespinosa.bsky.social
Trompe l’oeil –o trampantojo– de 'Mesa revuelta del Marqués de Astorga, Conde de Altamira', 1787, por Miguel Malmonge, procedente de la colección de dicho aristócrata, adquirido por el estado español en 9000 euros. Incluye un ejemplar del número CXXIX del periódico ilustrado ‘El Censor’ #XVIII #C18
November 4, 2025 at 7:48 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
St Notburga with the miraculous sickle which remained suspended in the air to allow her to skive off work in order to feed the poor with the bread she holds in her apron (Munich, c1775-80), Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Polychrome (well, hands and face - her dress, footwear and hat are entirely gilt) wooden figure, almost life-sized, holding a sickle aloft and with an apron full of bread rolls. Notburga, pious Tyrolean peasant girl, wasn't canonised until 1862, but venerated since the Middle Ages
November 4, 2025 at 11:16 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Harlequin costume (German, #c18th #c18 #18thc), Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg
Wool jacket and trousers with inlaid patchwork in yellow, white green and red with animals embroidered in wool and silk
November 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Memento mori (c1720-25) carved by Paul Egell of Mannheim, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
Pearwood carving of a largely decomposed human head (right ear, beard and some hair intact) resting on a tasselled cushion. A snake (its head broken off) is coiled around the edge
November 2, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Reposted by neil guthrie
leocadogan.com
Typographical decoration, Madrid, c.1732.
Two manicules each pointing on opposite direction on either side of a small cross with below three groups of three asterisks to two designs. Small cross within parentheses flanked on each side by manicule to same design, each pointing in opposite direction. Two groups of six asterisks to two designs, with below, a signature (A4) and a guideword (FA-).
November 1, 2025 at 10:35 PM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Christian Seybold, self-portrait (1759), Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg #c18th #c18 #18thc
One of Seybold's many self-portraits, here in middle age wearing a blue velvet jacket and an open-necked shirt, a loose cap on his head
November 1, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by neil guthrie
georgianlords.bsky.social
Died #OnThisDay 1786 Princess Amelia, the last of the children of George II and Queen Caroline. She had a particularly bad relationship with her brother, Frederick, Prince of Wales.
Super portrait of her by Hudson at the Yale Center for British Art.
#skystorians
painting of a woman in 18th-century costume. She wears a black riding hat over her curled grey hair, and a close fitting blue riding costume with gold frogging and edging.
October 31, 2025 at 10:04 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
The Chinese tower and guesthouse (the latter geschlossen for renos), plus urban surfer dudes, English Garden, Munich (1792) #c18th #c18 #18thc
The pagoda-like tower (now surrounded by the inevitable beer garden) The guesthouse, yellow plaster with curved choinoiserie gables and copper roofing, recently a fancy-ish restaurant Surfers in wetsuits on the banks of a swiftly flowing manmade channel Another shot of the dudes on the bank. Couldn’t manage to catch them in action
October 31, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by neil guthrie
rhwhite.bsky.social
A circa 1745 Chantilly porcelain wine bottle cooler (seau à bouteille) lobed and decorated with a multi-flower plant on two sides, the twig handles with small encrusted flowers. The painting inspired by Meissen decoration, a short and sweet container for a half bottle of wine.
MEASUREMENTS Height 6 1/8” (15.5 cm), 5” (12.7 cm) diameter. PROVENANCE Sotheby’s, New York, Sale N10014, The Gilded Age Revisited: Property from a Distinguished American Collection, 2 February 2019, lot 789. Property of a California Collector. Hindman, Chicago, Sale 6408, Dining at Home, 9 September 2025, lot 134. A fanciful plant with several different flowers. Nicely shaped and painted flowers where the twig handle attaches to the body. A brown rim that copies Asian decoration.
October 30, 2025 at 10:36 AM
nguthrie.bsky.social
Porcelain from the Nymphenburg factory in a small museum at the palace #c18th #c18 #18thc
White porcelain figure of a lady striking a pose. And the category is ... Bavarian! Tureen painted in red, green and blue on white in a pattern derived from ikat textiles, topped with a lemon and its sliced end Plate painted to look like a piece of natural pine panelling, with trompe-l'œuil engravings of landscapes in black and white 'pinned' to the centre of the plate and around the rim Ecuelle and stand - white with sprigs of flowers
October 30, 2025 at 10:07 AM