Blog - SAXON HENRY

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An Invitation to Vaux-le-Vicomte

In 1641, the 26-year old parliamentarian Nicolas Fouquet, who was then the Master of Requests at the Parlement of Paris, acquired the viscounty of Vaux…

Books Creative Writing Literature

Treasures According to Petrarch

Saxon Henry July 20, 2021 Beinecke Library Dante Alighieri famous writers libraries Medieval Times Petrarch philosophers poetry Renaissance

This essay defining what Petrarch saw as treasures is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book feature…

Books Cultural Explorations Travel

Bookstores

Saxon Henry May 9, 2021 American poets England Ernest Hemingway famous writers London Lost Generation New York City novelists Paris

I’ve had a long and passionate love affair with bookstores since I can remember. Some of my finest hours have been spent perusing shelves to…

Art Nature Writing Travel

Winslow Homer In Situ

Saxon Henry February 17, 2021 authenticity nonfiction writers painters

This essay examining the pragmatic attitudes of Winslow Homer is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book…

Books Cultural Explorations Travel

Tatty Wreckage in Buenos Aires

Saxon Henry December 15, 2020 American poets famous writers keeping diaries novelists

This essay about my frame of mind in Buenos Aires is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in…

Creative Writing Literature Travel

Life Lessons from a Research Library

Saxon Henry November 17, 2020 American poets Beinecke Library Edith Wharton famous writers Gertrude Stein keeping diaries libraries Lost Generation novelists summer reading list

This essay exploring the life lessons I have learned from a research library is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other…

A detail from Francesco Melzi’s “Leda and the Swan” housed in the Uffizi Gallery.

Art Mythology Travel

Debating Da Vinci in Milan

Saxon Henry October 10, 2020 grand residences Greek deities Italy keeping diaries painters poetry

This essay exploring the genius of Leonardo da Vinci in Milan is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in…

“The Funeral of Shelley” by Louis Édouard Fournier (1889); pictured in the centre are, from left, Trelawny, Hunt, and Byron.

Books Creative Writing Interior Design

Leigh Hunt Avid Decorator

Saxon Henry August 24, 2020 British poets England famous writers Great Britain London nobility nonfiction writers poetry salonniere summer reading list

This essay about the decorating exploits of Leigh Hunt is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the…

Julian the Apostate presiding at a conference of sectarians, by Edward Armitage, 1875.

Architecture Cultural Explorations Mythology

The Paris of a Pagan

Saxon Henry July 27, 2020 architectural storytelling books of letters classical antiquity France Greek deities Paris royal palaces

This essay examining the military career of the last pagan emperor while he resided in Paris is included in my most recent book The Modern…

Books Cultural Explorations Travel

Jim Morrison Irreverent Scribe

Saxon Henry July 20, 2020 France Paris poetry The Literary Adventurer

This essay exploring Arthur Rimbaud’s influence on Jim Morrison is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book…