National Portrait Gallery

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Painting of 18th Century Feminist Unearthed

The National Gallery have announced their rediscovery of a portrait of Elizabeth Carter in a private collection. The painting, done by John Fayram circa 1735-1741, shows Carter as the Roman Goddess Minerva (or the Greek Goddess Athena, if you prefer), goddess of wisdom and war. …

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Arts Ahead

There’s something of a Valentine’s theme to the Arts of choice taking place in the capital this week. But Londonist knows for every young Juliet embracing the idea of timeless romantic love, there’s a Bridget hugging her near-empty vodka bottle, crooning to Chaka Khan. So, …

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The Book Grocer: Valentine’s Events Preview

Congratulations – you can read! (Presumably. Unless you just look at Londonist for the pictures.) Literacy is sexy. Hyper-literacy, even sexier. Or so we at Londonist tell ourselves as we don our Coke-bottle glasses and curl up each night with a bottle of wine and …

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London On The Cheap

Is it just us or was January rubbish? Nice then that February, with its special extra day this year, commences with Brazilian Carnival, yummy pancakes and Chinese New Year… it’s like a whole new start for 2008 and lots of it totally FREE! Monday: Get …

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The Book Grocer

A conspiracy is afoot. Literary London is listless and lethargic these next few days – after back-to-back Burns Night and Australia Day outings this weekend, we can relate – yet there’s an explosion of midweek activity, leaving us paranoid that the powers-that-be are plotting to …

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Footballing Philanthropist Gives NPG £5m

Staff at the National Portrait Gallery may seem especially cheery today in response to the news that the Aston Villa boss, Randy Lerner, has made a gift of £5 million towards the development of the collection of faces as well as vital display, education and …

Week Around the -Ists

Photograph of the Trump Soho by Riccardo Sinti Gothamist went to the scene of the Trump Soho construction collapse, which left one construction worker dead and others injured (an indirect culprit – Manhattan’s hot real estate market, causing rushed construction jobs). Shanghaiist is confused by …

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London On The Cheap

Three weeks into the New Year, probably one week until payday and telly’s rubbish (except for new CSI), the weather’s grey and the detox is wearing thin. Don’t give in to those January blues! Here’s what can get you out of the house for not …

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The Book Grocer

Ahoy hoy, book grocery shoppers! The metaphorical book grocer aisles are stocked high with choice meats and sweet confections this December, so whatever your tastes, fill up your shopping cart and gorge yourself on this week’s selection of literary events – they’ll give you much …

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The Book Grocer

After a 2-month hiatus spent reading Finnegans Wake (alright, would you believe rubbish romance novels?), The Book Grocer returns, with a continually evolving format and its diary stuffed full with book-ish events. Here are our picks for the week: Tuesday: Anne Sebba, author of Jennie …

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October Lates Across London

The Mayor of London wants you to stay up late. Stay up late for the Lates October season. He wanted you to cut back on sleep and catch up on culture back in May when the first Lates season was launched, now it’s October, he …