Queen Victoria in her Coronation Robes by Charles Robert Leslie

'Queen Victoria in Her Coronation Robes' (1838) by Charles Robert Leslie; Victoria & Albert Museum, London

I had already chosen a historical event for today, together with a painting, so I didn't have to go and search for an artist. On Saturday 2nd of February, 1901, the funeral of Queen Victoria was held in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, following the instructions she had written down in 1897. She wanted her funeral to be military and white instead of black. She was put in her coffin dressed in a white dress with her wedding veil. If you are interested in reading about Queen Victoria, the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Britain, click here. Numerous portraits have been made of the Queen and I chose her in her beautiful coronation robes, portrayed by the English painter Charles Robert Leslie.

Margaret of Parma, Regent of The Netherlands, by Anthonis Mor

'Margaret of Parma' (ca. 1562) by Anthonis Mor; Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin 

Today was a difficult day. I could not find any artists that I liked well enough and even struggled with historical events and figures. But I found Margaret of Parma at last. She was governor of The Netherlands, an illegitimate daughter of Emperor Charles V, and she became Duchess of Parma. She died on the 18th of January, 1586. Antonis Mor, a Dutch portrait painter, was popular at the European courts and did this portrayal of Margaret of Parma. I chose it for this post because I like her friendly smile and again, I'm fascinated by the robes and collar. 

Sir John Everett Millais and Joan of Arc

'Joan of Arc' (1865) by John Everett Millais; Private Collection

Joan of Arc is said to be born on January 6, 1412, and although there is no official record of it, the people of the town where she was born remembered that it had happened on Epiphany, Twelfth night, thus the 6th of January. The British painter John Everett Millais, whose work I absolutely love, immortalised the heroine on canvas. I know a lot of his work and saw the wonderful Millais exhibition in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2008, but I had never seen this painting before. It's so beautiful and the pre-raphaelite style is so unmistakable. Just look at that face!