About 18th Century
The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 to December 31, 1800 in the Gregorian calendar. During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian revolutions. This was an age of violent slave trading, and global human trafficking.
Four in court over Blenheim Palace gold toilet theft
... As it was plumbed in at the time, its removal caused flooding and damage to the 18Th Century stately home in Woodstock...
Sir Rod Stewart to sell items from his Essex home after a declutter
... Also among the lots are a set of six 18Th Century Italian engravings of classical statues and a George II-style carved pine pier table, which could attract bids of between £2,000 and £4,000...
'Joyful' art helps shine new light on colonial history
... So it may come as something of a surprise to discover that the inspiration behind the picture came from a map showing the details of a much less idyllic place - a sugar plantation in 18Th Century Jamaica, worked by slaves, who could conceivably be the distant ancestors of those happy children...
Game of Thrones: Safety team on site to cut down six Dark Hedges trees
... Dark Hedges history The Dark Hedges were planted in the 18Th Century by the Stuart family who lived in the nearby Georgian mansion, Gracehill House...
Welcome to Wrexham, Philadelphia and the Welsh language
... However, the first Welsh language book to be published in the USA was in Philadelphia in 1721 and there were Anglican clergymen conducting services in Welsh in the early part of the 18Th Century...
Letters from Seven Years' War opened 250 years later
... " " These letters are about universal human experiences, they re not unique to France or the 18Th Century, " Prof Morieux said...
Four men charged over Blenheim Palace gold toilet theft
... As it was plumbed in at the time, the heist caused flooding and damage to the 18Th Century stately home in Woodstock...
'Lost demon' uncovered in Joshua Reynolds painting
...By Ian YoungsEntertainment & arts reporterA devilish figure that disappeared from a celebrated and controversial 18Th Century painting for decades has been rediscovered in a recent restoration...
'Lost demon' uncovered in Joshua Reynolds painting
By Ian YoungsEntertainment & arts reporter
A devilish figure that disappeared from a celebrated and controversial 18Th Century painting for decades has been rediscovered in a recent restoration.
Sir Joshua Reynolds painted a demon lurking in The Shadows in His picture The Death of Cardinal Beaufort , based on a Shakespearean Death scene.
But " The Fiend " eventually disappeared beneath layers of paint and varnish.
The 1789 artwork has now been put back on display at Petworth House in West Sussex , with The Demon in full view.
The fanged creature can be seen at The Head of The Bed , in The Shadows , as Cardinal Beaufort lies dying, with King Henry VI and two lords at His bedside.
It was based on a scene in Shakespeare's Henry Vi , Part II, and depicts the power-hungry and conspiring Cardinal in The Final throes of Death .
In The Play , King Henry laments The Cardinal - His great Uncle 's - Death , saying: 'O! beat away the busy, meddling fiend that lays siege unto this wretch's soul'.
That " fiend's" inclusion in the picture stirred controversy at The Time it was created because some thought Sir Joshua - considered one of The Greatest painters of His age - should not have explicitly shown an imaginary creature.
One critic described it as " too ludicrous and puerile to escape censure" while another said it " does no credit to The Judgement of the painter".
Monstrous figureJohn Chu, The National Trust's senior national curator for pictures and sculpture, explained: " It didn't fit in with some of the artistic rules of The Times , to have a poetic figure of speech represented so literally in this monstrous figure.
" When it was first shown at The Shakespeare Gallery in 1789 it generated more controversy than any other work on show.
Critics argued that " while it was considered acceptable in literature to introduce the idea of a demon as something in the mind of a person, to include it visually in a painting gave it too physical a form" said Mr Chu.
Several Friends and commentators tried to persuade Sir Joshua not to include it - or, on The Painting 's completion, to paint it out.
'A mess of misinterpretation'Over The Years , the disputed figure has faded into The Shadows , as the artwork was overpainted and given numerous layers of varnish by restorers.
Early conservators appeared to have " misunderstood" the figure, Mr Chu added, and within decades " that area seems to have deteriorated into small islands of paint and become less clear".
" Degradation of successive varnish layers over The Years made it even less visible, " he added.
Becca Hellen, The National Trust's senior national conservator for paintings, said the area around The Fiend was " especially difficult" to restore.
" With the layers added by early restorers, it had become a mess of misinterpretation and multiple layers of paints. "
The National Trust marked The Demon 's reappearance in the Painting With a timely announcement on Halloween.
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com
18th century Photos
