On 31st December 1842 Giovanni Boldini was born at Ferrara. The son of a painter of religious subjects, and the younger brother of architect Luigi (Louis) Boldini.
1872. Giovanni Boldini [aged 29]. "The Guitar Player".
1873-75. Giovanni Boldini [aged 30]. "Crossing the Street".
1874. Giovanni Boldini [aged 31]. "Washerwomen".
1875. Giovanni Boldini [aged 32]. "The Letter".
1875. Giovanni Boldini [aged 32]. "Young Woman Crocheting".
1875. Giovanni Boldini [aged 32]. "Woman at a Piano".
1875. Giovanni Boldini [aged 32]. "Peaceful Days".
1879. Giovanni Boldini [aged 36]. "Return of the Fishing Boats, Étretat".
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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1886 or 1892. Giovanni Boldini [aged 43]. Portrait of Madame Gabrielle Rejane.
1887. Giovanni Boldini [aged 44]. Portrait of Contessa de Leusse.
1888. Giovanni Boldini [aged 45]. Portrait of Emiliana Concha de Ossa.
1888. Giovanni Boldini [aged 45]. Portrait of Signorina Concha de Ossa.
1889. Giovanni Boldini [aged 46]. Portrait of Princesse de Carman Chimay.
1889. Giovanni Boldini [aged 46]. Portrait of a Lady.
1890. Giovanni Boldini [aged 47]. Portrait of John Singer Sargent [aged 33].
1892. Giovanni Boldini [aged 49]. Self-Portrait.
1892 to 1894. Giovanni Boldini [aged 49]. Portrait of Signora Bruna.
1896. Giovanni Boldini [aged 53]. Portrait of Madame Charles Max.
1897. Giovanni Boldini [aged 54]. Portrait of Gertrude Elizabeth Blood.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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1898. Giovanni Boldini [aged 55]. Portrait of Maria Eualia of Spain.
1899. Giovanni Boldini [aged 56]. Portrait of La Contessa Speranza.
1901. Giovanni Boldini [aged 58]. Portrait of Lina Cavalieri.
1901. Giovanni Boldini [aged 58]. Portrait of Lina Cavalieri.
1901. Giovanni Boldini [aged 58]. Portrait of Gladys Marie Deacon Duchess of Marlborough [aged 19].
Gladys Marie Deacon Duchess of Marlborough: On 7th February 1881 she was born. In 1921 Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough and she were married; she had previoiusly been his mistress. She by marriage Duchess Marlborough. He the son of George Charles Spencer-Churchill 8th Duke of Marlborough and Albertha Frances Anne Hamilton Duchess of Marlborough. On 13th October 1977 she died.
1903. Giovanni Boldini [aged 60]. Portrait of Lady Nanne Schrader.
Around 1905. Giovanni Boldini [aged 62]. Portrait of Marthe de Florian.
1905. Giovanni Boldini [aged 62]. Portrait of Mrs Henry Lehr aka Elizabeth Wharton Drexel Baroness Decies [aged 36].
1905. Giovanni Boldini [aged 62]. "La Divina in Blue".
1906. Giovanni Boldini [aged 63]. Portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough [aged 28] and her son Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill [aged 7].
Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill: On 14th October 1898 he was born to Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough and Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough. The Duke's secondd wife Gladys Deacon apparently later implied that Ivor's father was Winthrop Rutherford; source unknown. On 17th September 1956 Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill died. He was buried at St Martin's Church, Bladon [Map].
1906. Giovanni Boldini [aged 63]. Portrait of Mrs Howard Johnston.
1907. Giovanni Boldini [aged 64]. Portrait of Mlle Lantelme.
1907. Giovanni Boldini [aged 64]. Portrait of Gladys Dacon.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
1908. Giovanni Boldini [aged 65]. Portrait of Mlle Nemidoff.
1908. Giovanni Boldini [aged 65]. Portrait of Mrs Whitney Warren.
1910. Giovanni Boldini [aged 67]. Portrait of Princess Cécile Murat.
1911. Giovanni Boldini [aged 68]. Portrait of Princess Martha Bibescu nee Lahovary [aged 24].
Princess Martha Bibescu nee Lahovary: On 28th January 1886 she was born. In 1902 Prince George Valentin Bibesco and she were married. On 28th November 1973 she died.
1911. Giovanni Boldini [aged 68]. Portrait of Rita de Acosta Lydig [aged 35].
Rita de Acosta Lydig: In October 1875 he was born at New York. On 27th October 1929 he died.
1912. Giovanni Boldini [aged 69]. Portrait of a Lady.
1913. Giovanni Boldini [aged 70]. Portrait of Lina Bilitis with two Pekingese.
1914. Giovanni Boldini [aged 71]. Portrait of Luisa Adele Rosa Maria Amman Marchesa Casati [aged 32].
1924. Giovanni Boldini [aged 81]. Portrait of Donna Franca Florio.
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. Portrait of Luisa Adele Rosa Maria Amman Marchesa Casati [aged 49] With A Greyhound.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. Portrait of Cleo de Morode.
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. "The Black Sash".
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. "Lady in Red".
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. "Portrait of a Lady".
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. "Spanish Dancer at the Moulin Rouge".
Before 1931. Giovanni Boldini [aged 88]. Portrait of Madame Josephina Alvear De Errazuriz.
On 11th January 1931 Giovanni Boldini [aged 88] died. The New York Times: "Boldini was a fashionable portrait painter. He 'did' all the grandes dames of Paris, and at a certain period to have a portrait painted by Boldini was a crowning event of social season. His style was racy and advanced for his time, and he believed that his décolleté paintings touched the extreme limit of convention. His work was the talk of numerous salons. And then he was superseded by Vandongens and Etcheverrys and Domergues and others whose daring shocked and discouraged Boldini. He had not painted for many years before his death. His body was taken to Ferrara, his native city, for burial."