“A Dialogue Upon a Kiss” – Henry Lawes

English composer Henry Lawes died on this day the 21st of October, 1662. This piece is beautifully performed by: Francine van der Heijden – soprano. Sytse Buwalda – counter tenor. David van Ooijen – lute.

Happy Birthday, Sir Christopher Wren!

One of the greatest architects of the Seventeenth century, Sir Christopher Michael #Wren, was born on this day 20 October, 1632. So, what were some of the structures Wren designed? Hampton Court Palace, Baroque side, for William & Mary Kensington Palace (it was converted from the smaller Nottingham House to Kensington House). Old Royal Naval College (then a Royal Hospital for… Read on

Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723)

I love Godfrey Kneller. Kneller was a German painter and an exceptionally good painter, in my opinion, and a worthy successor to Peter Lely as a painter to the nobility. Why? His portraits of some of the most influential and important people of the Seventeenth century provide us with fascinating visuals of that beloved time. He’s kinda cute.… Read on

The Death of Jacob Jordaens

Jacob #Jordaens, exceptionally talented Flemish #Baroque painter, died on this day 18th October, 1678. Here is his depiction of the Madonna with Child and Flowers. Simply beautiful.

Domenico Zipoli’s Birthday!

Domenico Zipoli Italian Baroque composer and Jesuit missionary to South America, was born on this day 17th October, 1688. Here is a piece played by the amazing Ernst Stolz: And another, “Confitebor tibi Domine”:

Exciting times ahead?

I feel the 17th century may soon experience a surge in interest. For far too long, the 1600s, sandwiched in between the ever-popular Tudor era and the sexy Enlightenment/Dangerous Liaisons of the 18th century, has been too readily forgotten about. Perhaps I am being too optimistic, I don’t know, but I just have this incredible feeling about my… Read on

Nicolas de Largillière

Nicolas de Largillière, French Baroque painter famous for his portraits, was born on this day the 10th of October, 1656, in Paris, France. Largillière painted many important figures of his day, including famous wit and philosopher Voltaire, and diamond merchant, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Here is a lovely video with images by Largillière and music by Marin Marais:

Smallpox and the Seventeenth Century

I just finished reading this post from the excellent Anne Boleyn Files about Queen Elizabeth I’s bout with smallpox on this day in 1562 and it made me think of how many people throughout history that were affected by this terrible disease. Rich and poor alike, this disease was nasty, and there were varying strains of the disease. The worst, called Hemorrhagic smallpox, was almost always… Read on

The Seventeenth Century Lady

Thy source for the A-Z of 17th-century history!