Kirsty Stonell Walker

LATEST ARTICLES ( 598 )

• A Family of Art

  

  When I started this post, I was sure I was just writing about one artist who had an artistic father. I have a bit of a weakness for parent-child artistic duos... Read more

  Posted on 24 October 2025 CULTURE

• A Dragon, the Brontës and Two Doomed Marriages

  

  There are moments when I am busy researching one thing, and another small item comes across my desk and I'm hooked into a search for a story. Read more

  Posted on 10 October 2025 CULTURE

• Simply the Best (Known)

  

  I've now returned from Paris, but whilst there I got into a very interesting and lively discussion with Mr and Miss Walker. It was after an exhausting trip to... Read more

  Posted on 28 September 2025 CULTURE

• Following Fanny's Footsteps

  

  Bonjour! I am in Paris, which is awfully fancy and filled with delicious things to see and eat. Other than trying to see how many moelleux au chocolat I can pac... Read more

  Posted on 20 September 2025 CULTURE

• How Cicely Mary Barker Saved Scalextric

  

  Recently, I was clearing out nonsense from our attic and came across something very precious indeed...This is, of course, a letter from the tooth fairy, Fairy... Read more

  Posted on 10 September 2025 CULTURE

• The Lady Landseer

  

  There are some artists who were so famous in their own lifetimes that I feel a bit of a fool writing about them. With my normal subjects, I start scratching... Read more

  Posted on 31 August 2025 CULTURE

• Review: May Morris Designs

  

  May Morris seems to be having a bit of a moment. Not only is she the subject of various exhibitions (especially this one, wombats ahoy!) but I was delighted to... Read more

  Posted on 18 August 2025 CULTURE

• Come On, Feel the Noyes

  

  Occasionally, Mr Walker, in his infinite wisdom, will say to me 'what do you know about so-and-so?' Now, normally I can give him something, after all these year... Read more

  Posted on 26 June 2025 CULTURE

• Miss Mab Paul is Too Good at Kissing

  

  I seem to begin every post at the moment with 'This is going to be a bit ramble-y/cross' but I promise I'm not intentionally in my Grumpy Era. However, saying... Read more

  Posted on 30 May 2025 CULTURE

• A Thruple, a Lemur and a Thigh Tattoo

  

  Whilst researching, I also seem to have moments of thinking 'Well, that's bonkers, I really want to tell someone about that!' but unfortunately most people I... Read more

  Posted on 16 May 2025 CULTURE

• Fake Nudes

  

  This is a grumpy post, so strap in. It all began by an innocent flick through a 1907 copy of The Green Room Book looking for info on Ethel Warwick. What I came... Read more

  Posted on 07 May 2025 CULTURE

• Review: May Morris at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

  

  It feels like forever since I went to an exhibition so you can imagine how excited I was when the ever-adorable Mr Walker, curator of the Russell-Cotes Art... Read more

  Posted on 29 April 2025 CULTURE

• The Fate of Fairies

  

  To be honest, the subject matter of today's post made me quite cross. Not the person themselves, but the action of their parent, which arguably had some tragic... Read more

  Posted on 28 March 2025 CULTURE

• Nepo Baby

  

  In my continuing research around the life, times and connections of Miss Ethel Warwick, I was interested to see how many members of the acting profession were... Read more

  Posted on 15 March 2025 CULTURE

• A Stunning Man

  

  I love finding the names of models behind Pre-Raphaelite paintings as I think the histories of these (often working-class) women are important in regards to... Read more

  Posted on 21 February 2025 CULTURE

• Mrs Shepherd's Locket

  

  Sometimes the most innocent of items can have a history that makes you feel in awe. After my Ma-in-Law's sudden passing last year, the redoubtable Mr Walker... Read more

  Posted on 18 February 2025 CULTURE

• The Accidental Pre-Raphaelitism of Miss Gabrielle Ray

  

  Today's post is a bit of fun, but don't worry if you just read my stuff for the words 'then everything took a tragic turn...' because I promise you there is a... Read more

  Posted on 07 February 2025 CULTURE

• Miss Dorothy Tennant and Mrs Dorothy Stanley and Lady Stanley

  

  I had a moment of foolishness the other day. I was idly leafing (digitally) through the Royal Academy catalogue for 1900, looking for names of artists to have... Read more

  Posted on 30 January 2025 CULTURE

• Everyone Must Have the Right to Be Equally Bad

  

  This one might be a bit ramble-y, so I apologise in advance. It is the upshot of a conversation I had with the ever-patient Mr Walker about female artists and... Read more

  Posted on 16 January 2025 CULTURE

• The Shock of the Neo

  

  We all know what Pre-Raphaelite art is, right?Yes, that's the stuff. Glad we all agree.Oh yes, them as well. Smashing.Hang on then, what about this?Or this? Read more

  Posted on 08 January 2025 CULTURE