The flower stalls in the arcades of the Piazza della Repubblica, in the centre of Florence, are a familiar sight brightening up our winter days with the promise of the warmth of spring to come. For us it is an allegory of our Watermill activities, as we plan the burgeoning 2022 season, with an exciting programme of creative courses, in painting, writing, knitting and Italian language. We are Continue Reading
A Monet ‘selfie’ and the gossip on Manet and Morisot
As part of its continuing commitment to the arts, the Watermill today brings you – – Impressionist gossip. We were were talking a couple of days or so about the Impressionist Berthe Morisot, one of my painting heroines, and I suggested that the portrait painted by Édouard Manet (see below) strongly suggested that he was in love with her. Carrying on my studies in the DailyArt online magazine, I Continue Reading
Camillo Negroni, another Italian genius
Today I would like to introduce you to an Italian genius to rank alongside Dante, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci: Camillo Negroni. That's Count Negroni to you! It was around 1919/20 that the count, a frequenter of the Caffé Casoni in Via Tornabuoni here in Florence, told the barman, one Fosco Scarselli, that he was tired of the usual Americano and suggested something different. You’ll Continue Reading
Into the Blue, a sneak preview
To brighten our Winter day, here is a lovely pastel by Watermill painting tutor Rebecca de Mendonça, which she calls Into the Blue. And you can paint it too! It is a sneak preview of the subject of Rebecca’s online interactive session with the Watermill next month. The session is on Thurday 17 February at 3:30pm Italian time (2:30 UK time; please check time in your own time zone) and as well as Continue Reading
The inspiring talent of Berthe Morisot to brighten your Sunday
The fact that the online DailyArt magazine celebrated her birthday on Friday with an interesting article about Berthe Morisot gives me the excuse to brighten our Sunday with one of my favourite paintings, a portrait of Berthe by Edouard Manet. If ever a painting expressed a man’s love it is this one. As well as being Manet’s muse, Berthe was a great painter in her own right, participating in Continue Reading
How to identify a Roman Emperor by his beard
I have been reading a fascinating article by Lauren Dorsey in the online Daily Art magazine on how to identify a Roman Emperor by his beard. Lauren asks: “How many times have you walked into a museum full of statues or busts and not been able to tell one ancient sculpture from another?” Well, Lauren, often, I must admit. I tend to scurry by rooms full of Roman busts, but I was intrigued by the Continue Reading
Come and stay in our Lippi Suite and contemplate art and adventure
I know it is sacrilegious, but I scurry through the first few rooms of Florence’s treasure house of art, the Uffizi Museum. I look neither to right nor to left, passing numerous crucifixions, virgins and child, annunciations, depositions and the like, paintings by mediaeval masters which, I must confess, rather leave me cold. I don’t stop until I reach the room featuring Filippo Lippi and Continue Reading
Our rotund stone man gathers moss
I have always been rather fond of our Fat Man. Even though we leave him outside in all sorts of weather, and often don't even bother to pass the time of day with him, he never complains and he’s always his jovial, laid-back self. He is stone-hearted, of course, and stone everything else: he’s a small statue we bought many years ago from a friend in Scotland, a recumbent figure cheerfully Continue Reading
Today is Epiphany, a special day in the hearts of Italians – and their children
Today is Epiphany, the day when the Three Kings, after their long journey, discovered the Christ Child, paid homage and gave Him gifts. In Italy it is the day when children receive their Christmas presents (or, traditionally, bad ones receive a lump of coal.) They were delivered last night and are being opened today. The purveyor of these gifts is a witch, a hag called Befana, who, despite her Continue Reading
Happy New Year again: The Watermill’s January 2022 newsletter is just out
As well as our very best wishes for a calm, contented and creative New Year, and details about our new series of online, interactive painting sessions, this month’s Watermill newsletter also has stories on Why The Economist made Italy Country of the Year in 2021 Paul Talbot-Greaves is inspired by... cows! Why does painting tutor Pamme Turner always travel with a Continue Reading