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February 8, 2021 The Rokeby Venus (also known as The Toilet of Venus, Venus at her Mirror, Venus and Cupid, or La Venus del espejo), ca 1648, by Diego Velazquez (1599-1660), oil on canvas, 122x175 cm. Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images); London, National Gallery. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) Credit: De Agostini via Getty Images
Wendy Philips, deputy chairman of Sotheby’s, chooses a classic Velázquez.
Wendy Philips on
Rokeby Venus, by Diego Velázquez
‘The “Rokeby Venus” is, to me, a particularly inspirational painting, not only because of the sheer beauty of the work itself, its perfection in composition and its teasing and enigmatic messages, but also because its acquisition by the National Gallery marked the first successful public campaign, in 1906, to save a masterpiece for the nation, spearheaded by the newly formed National Art Collections Fund.
Country Life
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Robin Muir on
The Hon Lois Sturt by Ambrose McEvoy
‘Wealthy Lois Sturt had a brief career as an actress, making three films, all forgettable. Thereafter, she became a cheerleader for the Bright Young People, who cut a swathe across London.
‘Her next public appearance was at Marylebone Court. She had devised an all-night drive-by treasure hunt and been summonsed for narrowly avoiding a policeman. “But I had to get there before some-one found the next clue!” she wailed.
‘In 1926, she ran over and killed a pedestrian. Neither incident changed her lifestyle in the slightest and, in 1937, she died suddenly in Budapest. All this lay before her when she sat for this vivid portrait. Perhaps the sparks of explosive colour indicated what was to come?’
1970 and the living was easy… a family barbecues at the top of Black Mountain. Photo: ACT Archives
“Whatever the future holds, our wondrous capital city, rich with character, learning and politesse, is undoubtedly the place to be,” writes “The Gadfly” columnist
ROBERT MACKLIN.
ON New Year’s Day, after a splendid dinner with the extended family, we headed home along Adelaide Avenue. Suddenly, we were propelled back 50 years in time – there were so few cars on that beautiful smooth road that it was 1970 once again.
Robert Macklin.
That was when Canberra’s “rush hour” was 10 minutes around 8.30am and 20 from 4.53pm to 5.13pm. And the most dangerous time, we joked, was mid-morning when ladies of a certain age went shopping in their Morris Majors.
News by Kathleen Skene
Premium Content PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is expected among the mourners gathering at a state funeral for Australia s longest serving deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Doug Anthony this morning. Mr Anthony was leader of the Country Party/National Party for 13 years and deputy prime minister for nine, serving under six prime ministers and influencing Coalition policies for much of the 1970s and 1980s. His funeral is scheduled for 10am Queensland time at Twin Towns in Tweed Heads. Follow our updates below.
Anthony very much a man of the Tweed region Mr Anthony s family said he died peacefully in the Heritage Lodge aged-care home in Murwillumbah.
Nationals who attend Thursday’s memorial service in Tweed Heads for Doug Anthony, who died last month aged 90, may muse on the contrast between the state of their party when he led it and now.
Anthony took over the then Country party from the legendary John McEwen in 1971; he served as deputy prime minister under John Gorton (briefly), William McMahon, and throughout the Fraser government.
He held the powerful trade portfolio, now out of the Nationals’ hands.
Most importantly, the junior Coalition partner in those days had not just a strong leader effective at juggling his party’s interests with those of the joint team, but an extremely forceful troika – including heavy hitters Ian Sinclair and Peter Nixon – in the upper reaches of government. The party was also united.