Marie Spartali Stillman: A Leading Female Artist of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement

Marie Spartali Stillman (1844–1927) was a British painter of Greek descent and one of the most accomplished and prolific female artists associated with the second generation of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Born in London to a wealthy Greek merchant family, she trained under Ford Madox Brown and quickly gained recognition for her luminous watercolors, often inspired by literary themes from Dante, Boccaccio, Shakespeare, and classical mythology.

Stillman was also a celebrated model for artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones, admired for her striking beauty and classical features. After marrying American journalist and artist William James Stillman in 1871, she divided her time between England and Italy, where the Renaissance atmosphere deeply influenced her romantic, detailed style characterized by rich colors, intricate backgrounds, and poetic sensibility.

Though somewhat overlooked for much of the 20th century, her work is now celebrated for its technical mastery and significant contribution to Pre-Raphaelite art.

A Florentine Lily

A Lady in the Garden at Kelmscott Manor, Gloucestershire

A May Feast at the House of Folco Portinari

A Wreath of Roses (A Crown of Roses)

Afternoon in the Colonna Garden

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Blitz Canteen: Photos Show Women of the Women’s Voluntary Service Running a Mobile Canteen in London During WWII

During WWII’s Blitz (1940–1941), “Blitz Canteen” typically refers to the mobile canteens operated by the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS) in bombed areas of London. These were not a single fixed location but a network of mobile units, often adapted vans or cars with trailers, that provided essential refreshments, food, and comfort to civilians, rescue workers, firefighters, and others amid the devastation.

They delivered hot tea, buns, pies, sandwiches, and sometimes cigarettes or other small comforts to shelterers emerging from the night’s bombings, rubble-clearing crews (like the Pioneer Corps or Royal Engineers), bombed-out residents, and emergency services. Tea was a huge morale booster, often called Britain’s “secret weapon,” and the canteens operated at cost with no profit.

Volunteers started shifts as early as 2:30 a.m. to catch people heading to work after sheltering. They worked in dangerous conditions near bomb sites, during or right after raids, often under blackout rules with torches and basic equipment like primus stoves and Thermos urns.

The WVS (founded 1938) had around a million members by the end of 1941. Many were women from various social backgrounds, including “society girls.” They also helped with evacuations, clothing distribution, and other civil defense work. Mobile canteens were funded through donations and fundraising.

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Colorful Photos of Shelley Duvall on the Set of “Mother Goose Rock ‘n’ Rhyme” (1990)

Produced by her own company, Think Entertainment, Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990) was one of Shelley Duvall’s brilliantly eccentric passion projects for television. Following her success with Faerie Tale Theatre, she took on the role of Little Bo Peep in this musical television film, sporting her signature avant-garde, storybook-style costuming—including a vibrant red wig and an oversized, striped bonnet.

It’s a colorful, star-studded fantasy-musical where she teams up with Dan Gilroy (as Gordon Goose) to find the missing Mother Goose (Jean Stapleton) and her lost sheep in Rhymeland. The film features a wild array of cameos from musicians and actors like Little Richard (Old King Cole), Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Woody Harrelson, Paul Simon, ZZ Top, Bobby Brown, and more.

Filming happened over about 21 days in a repurposed warehouse on a $2.5 million budget, with vibrant, whimsical sets designed by Allee Willis and costumes by Patricia Field (which won an Emmy).

Duvall and Gilroy met on this project and later became longtime partners. The movie has a cult following for its campy, trippy 1980s-90s charm, think a rock ‘n’ roll nursery rhyme world.

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Helen Rose: The Queen of Hollywood Glamour

Helen Rose (1904–1985) was a legendary American costume designer who became one of the most influential figures in Hollywood during the Golden Age. As head costume designer at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) for over two decades, she created some of the most iconic and glamorous gowns in film history.

Rose was renowned for her elegant, feminine designs and her ability to enhance an actress’s natural beauty. She designed memorable costumes for stars such as Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, and Ava Gardner. Among her most famous creations are the wedding dress worn by Grace Kelly in High Society (1956) and the costumes for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958).

Rose won two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and left an enduring legacy as one of Hollywood’s greatest costume designers. These exquisite vintage photos showcase the timeless elegance, impeccable craftsmanship, and sophisticated glamour of Helen Rose, one of the greatest costume designers in Hollywood history.

Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord in the film "High Society" with her wardrobe designed by Helen Rose, co-starring Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, 1956

Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord in the film "High Society" with her wardrobe designed by Helen Rose, co-starring Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, 1956

Grace Kelly at the 28th Academy Awards wearing this beautiful dress by Helen Rose, 1956

Princess Grace in wedding gown by Helen Rose and Prince Rainier's marriage ceremony at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco, April 19, 1956

Carmen Dell' Orefice in pink silk dress radiating in minute tucks from a giant rose worn with brocade coat in the same shade of mallow pink by Helen Rose, photo by William Helburn, Harper's Bazaar, October 1959

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Chinese Beauty Jacqui Chan in Venice, 1956

Trinidad-born British actress Jacqui Chan is caught turning the heads of uniformed passers-by in this impromptu snap taken in Venice in 1956 by Anthony Armstrong-Jones (later Lord Snowdon), the British socialite photographer who eventually married Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth II’s sister. Chan was also a photographic model and, at the time, was Armstrong-Jones’s girlfriend.

Chan had met him in March of 1955, when the 25-year-old photographer took the 18-year-old dancer’s portrait, when she was starring in the play Teahouse of the August Moon. Armstrong-Jones, however, went on to marry Princess Margaret in 1960 during the time of his relationship with Chan. When Chan heard the news of her former lover’s engagement to Princess Margaret, she reportedly said, “Well, I hope she can cope better than I could.”

In an interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly in February 1961, Chan wanted to make it clear that she had her own success apart from her relationship with Armstrong-Jones. “I do not owe my career to all that sort of publicity,” she said. “The suggestion that I had never been offered a job until all this business is what makes me so mad. It just isn’t true.”

Indeed, Chan, who was born in 1939, has had a long and varied career, both as a dancer on stage, and an actress on the silver screen. She rose to fame thanks to her turn as Gwennie Lee in a 1959 West End stage production of 'The World of Suzie Wong.

During the 1960s, she had roles in several television series including Dixon of Dock Green, The Hidden Truth, Armchair Theatre and Ghost Squad. She played handmaiden Lotus in the 1963 film Cleopatra that starred Elizabeth Taylor. Chan also lent her vocal skills to Simon Dupree on his 1967 hit record Kites.

Some of her notable works include the role of Mrs Liu in Moving Parts (2017), a film by American director Emilie Upczak; Sherlock in 2012; Mutant Chronicles (2008); Wake of Death (2004); and Netflix drama Marco Polo.

Jacqui Chan, cousin of famed Trinidadian painter Carlisle Chan and sister of Gary and Ian Chan of Woodbrook, continues to fetch TV and film roles, and has been visiting Trinidad over the years.

The Beatles Celebrating Ringo Starr’s 24th Birthday on July 7, 1964

On July 7, 1964, The Beatles celebrated Ringo Starr’s 24th birthday while recording a special lip-sync appearance at BBC’s Lime Grove Studios in London. They were at the height of Beatlemania, fresh off the success of A Hard Day’s Night.

The Fab Four recorded mimed performances of three tracks for the hit BBC television show Top of the Pops. They performed both sides of their brand-new single, “A Hard Day's Night” and “Things We Said Today,” alongside their explosive cover of “Long Tall Sally.”

Behind the scenes, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison celebrated Ringo by giving him the traditional British “birthday bumps.” Photos from the day show the lads in their sharp suits having a playful time. The band members playfully grabbed the drummer by his arms and legs, lifting and bouncing him into the air once for each year of his life.

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Sylva Koscina: The Stunning Croatian-Italian Star of Postwar European Cinema

Sylva Koscina (1933–1994) was a stunning Croatian-born Italian actress who became one of the most popular and glamorous stars of European cinema in the 1950s and ’60s.

With her striking beauty, long legs, and confident, playful screen presence, Koscina epitomized the modern, liberated European woman of the postwar era. She gained international fame for her roles in films such as The Loves of Hercules (1960), The Bacchantes (1961), and especially the popular Don Camillo series. She also appeared in several Hollywood and international productions.

Known for her bold, sensual style and natural charisma, Koscina remains a classic symbol of 1950s–60s European cinematic glamour. These glamorous vintage photographs capture the striking beauty, confident charm, and timeless allure of Sylva Koscina, one of the most captivating and memorable European actresses of the postwar era.

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