Very sad to learn of the passing of The Duchess of Alba. If you know my work, you know I've done quite a bit of peerage research over the years. She was the most titled aristocrat alive, and at the time had "the most expensive wedding in the world". In fact, here are all her… Continue reading Goodnight to The Duchess
Tag: history
One Of My Favorite Places
I'd like to mention a fun gift for any doctors, history nerds, or the plain morbidly curious people on your gift list. A membership to the Dittrick Museum! At the Friend level you get this sweet book. Even my husband was like 'woa this book is nice!' and he's not even into that kind of… Continue reading One Of My Favorite Places
Forceps, Stethoscopes, and Ivory Babies
What are some of the things I do on weekdays? Well, go to the Dittrick Medical History Center, of course. I'm gearing up for my next solo show, and although I know what I'm going to do as far as the medical history inspiration, one can never have done enough research. For the show my… Continue reading Forceps, Stethoscopes, and Ivory Babies
Shoes*Socialites*Patrons*Gluttony: My Book List
Here are a list of some books I've enjoyed over the past year (there were plenty I didn't care for) and thought they'd make good gifts for anyone interested in culture, art, vapid socialites, decor, history, and so forth. The Louboutin monograph. Jesus! It's huge, and covers all of his collections. It has a photo… Continue reading Shoes*Socialites*Patrons*Gluttony: My Book List
Beware the Female Imagination
The other night, I learned the origin of this image that has appeared and changed over centuries in Aristotle's Masterpiece. The hairy woman, and the black baby. Although originally having nothing to do with each other aside from illustrating the dangers of maternal imagination, they were together on a single woodcut on accident, and thus,… Continue reading Beware the Female Imagination
A Gold Digger with Style
Peggy Hopkins Joyce Ziegfeld girl, minor actress, the original gold digger, once owner of the Portuguese Diamond, and famous for quotes such as, ''true love was a heavy diamond bracelet, preferably one that arrived with its price tag intact.'' She was one of the original 'famous for being famous' women who married often and had… Continue reading A Gold Digger with Style
Twelve Years of Portraits
The National Portrait Gallery of Kessa: The Art of Arabella Proffer will be coming out this December. It won't include all the portraits I have done over the last twelve years or so, but well over 40 of them including some family trees. The family trees actually started as a way for me to keep… Continue reading Twelve Years of Portraits
Short Trip to the Museum of Medical History
My friend Dott and I went to the Museum of Medical History on the Case Western Reserve campus. It has hours that are weird, and the rare books section was by appointment (bah) but we are both very fast when it comes to museums so an hour was all we needed. We do plan on… Continue reading Short Trip to the Museum of Medical History
Living Beyond Your Means Never Goes Out of Style
An excerpt from Universal Courtier's Grammar by Denis Fonvizin, published in 1783. Question: What Verb is conjugated most frequently of all at Court, and in what Tense? Answer: Even as at Court, so in the Captial, no one lives out of debt; therefore, the Verb conjugated most frequently of all is: to be in debt.… Continue reading Living Beyond Your Means Never Goes Out of Style
Books About Hot Bitches!
Some things I'm trying to read, or am about to read depending when I get my attention span back to normal. La Belle Otero: The Last Great Courtesan The out-of-print English version is short and sweet and gets to the point -- although I am curious about the Spanish volume that is thicker and with… Continue reading Books About Hot Bitches!
Arty Farty 