Beau Brummel, 1778-1840. His contribution to fashion is undeniable, as he is attributed with creating the man’s suit, its basic construction which is still used to this day. While his contribution to fashion is great, his personal life was one of struggles and tragedy.
Catherine the Great, 1729-1796, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1762-1769.
Marie Antoinette, 1755-1793, was Queen of France married to King Louis XVI. Her intrigue continues some 300 years after her death. Her tragic and untimely death at age 37 came as a result of the French Revolution. This period in time had immense impacts on the world as we know it from politics to fashion – it changed the world.
Madame Pompadour, 1721-1764, was mistress to King Louis XV of France. She possessed great style and is an excellent example of the luxurious costume worn by those on court at Versailles.
Queen Elizabeth I, 1533-1603, was Queen of England, and daughter of Henry VIII. Her reign saw numerous historical changes throughout Europe. She is nicknamed ‘the virgin queen’ as she was never married. Although, a virgin she was not. Her many lovers of her lifetime have been a great topic of discussion and have been the theme of numerous movies.
Ivan Vasilyevich, aka Ivan the Terrible, 1533-1584. Infamous as the Tsar of Russia who killed his own son.
Henry VIII, 1491-1547, was King of England. His historical importance exists on many levels. During the Tudor time period he broke away from the Catholic Church, then the strongest organization in all of Europe to form the Church of England in order to divorce his first wife Katherine and marry Anne Bolelyn. He infamously had several wives sentenced to death. In his portrait here, one can see a (perhaps unfortunate) fashion trend of the time, the codpiece.
Lorenzo DeMedici, 1449-1492. The Medici family sponsored works of art by such artists as Raphel and Michalangelo. They were at the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Their story is one of great historical importance as their efforts in art and architecture can still be seen widely across Europe today.
Circa 1436, Pisano, Portrait of a Princess of the House of Este. This is a classic representation of Italian Renaissance costume. Notice the full forehead, during this time period hair was shaved high back, this was considered an ideal of beauty of the time.
Queen Nefertit of Egypt’s 18th Dynasty circa 1350 B.C.
“Mahone’s Counterattack” by Don Troiani. Troops of the 9th Corps take on the 6th Virginia during the Battle of the Crate, Petersburg, Virginia July 30th, 1864.
The French Revolution as interpreted by Eugene Delacroix, “Liberty leading the People”. The French Revolution is a defining moment in history where everything changed; the ways that were cease to exist and the common people took charge. A fascinating period in time for its extravegance and indulgence.
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821) later known as Emperor Napoleon I, was a military and political leader of France. His reign was one that was far reaching, his existence changed history forever.
Rembrandt, Captain Frans Banning Cocq Mustering His Company, 1642. A wealthy civic-guard company commissioned the painting to create a large group portrait for the meeting hall (this is a unique group portrait and as characteristic of Baroque art, it attempts to capture the group's real personality).
Battle scene with a Roman army besieging a large city by Juan De La Corte (1590-1662). He specialized in the painting of landscapes, battle scenes and studies in perspective, genres that had a long tradition in Flanders but not in Spain.
Portrait of a Military Commander 1550-55 by Tiziano Vecellio (1490 – 1576) Known as Titan, he was the leading painter of the 16th-century Venetian school of the Italian Renaissance.
A Spanish soldier of the 16th Century by Robert Atkinson, 1885.
Edward IV enters London through Bishopsgate to reclaim the throne on the 11th April 1471.
Byzantine Soldier. The Byzantine army was the most successful and well organized army in the west at the time. While the rest of Europe was seeped deep in the Dark Ages, the Byzantine Empire soared in part due to its military forces.
The Hoplites were the heavily armed infantry soldiers of the Greeks. It is thought by many that the name "hoplite" comes from a Greek word "hoplon" for a specific shape (large and round) of shield with a "flat offset rim (itus)" and two handles on the inside, that Paul Cartledge says was invented by 700 B.C. It was usually bronze-rimmed wood. By 425, the Spartan shield generally had a thin sheet of bronze over it. Its size depended on the length of the wearer's forearm.
