I'd forgotten he headlined the (apparently well received) English language remake of the lovely (and heartbreaking!) Icelandic film Rams. I'll have to seek that out...

Aw man, farewell Sam Neill. Żuławski's Possession one of my favourite films, I think he goes a long way to making the film bearable, injecting unexpected jittery humour into his manic, fearless performance. Played the Antichrist the same year, what a dude...

In further stock update news: I have eight copies left of this numbered 'Laura Silver Bell' lino print illustration from Damnable Tales. Once they're gone they're gone..! 👁️ slipperyjack.bigcartel.com

'Dost Thou See a Book Before Thee?' 🔥 Packing prints ready for posting tomorrow, in the Haunted Cupboard I found another *two* copies of this old lino print on grizzled handmade lokta paper, if anyone wants one... 👁️ slipperyjack.bigcartel.com

BEWARE THE GAPERS OF THE NETHERLANDS! Pharmacy figureheads dating back to the 16th century. The gaping mouth represents the intake of medicine, and the often 'exotic' look symbolizes the origin of the ingredients. Around 50 gapers remain scattered across the country, fun to spot..!

- And finally here's a 17th century stilt walker! Four is a good number, I think. A nice square. Definitely don't need any more now, nope... That classic combo: two gladiators, a woman in mourning and a bloke on stilts. A short story exercise for you...

- I caved and bought another two, bloody hell... Here's a 17th century lady in a huik (a Dutch mourning dress), the ghostly look appealed..!

On the last day I walked past an antiques shop in Amsterdam that always seemed to be closed on my previous trips... Open sign on the door..!

Here's a second guy I acquired, a second gladiator (who kind of looks like he's dressed as a baby) ready to battle the other. Same age as the other, presumably they came from the same collection...

Three of Vermeer's works painted between 1657-1672 in Delft. Zoom in to spot the tiled skirting. Perhaps he painted my tile..!

I fell prey to my collecting brain in Delft and finally acquired my first antique tiles. This fella, a Gladiator, dates somewhere between 1620-1650. The fact that it was created and displayed right around the time Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen et al were in operation is hugely thrilling to me..!

- And the dude loved cats, as evidenced by his early woodcuts. This white fella was given to Escher by his landlady when studying in Haarlem...

Returned to the Escher museum while I was in The Hague. Particularly love his geometric repeating patterns. In my telly job I occasionally have to create designs for printed wallpaper, I hate it. In awe of a mind that combines mathematical precision with beautiful illustration, what a bastard...

I'll tell you who likes medieval church pillar biters...

Oh yeah! I see she repurposed the goaty boi figure for this new piece...

I'll have a fresh batch of Professionally Defaced copies of my spooky book available in the shop next Friday, I'll make a post about it next week, thnx...

Also in Amsterdam's Oude Kerk I accidentally managed to summon a rare tarpaulin phantom (!), but luckily I was able to get some scaffold bars blessed and managed to trap it just in time, phew..!

Last morning of the Netherlands trip. Good to return to Amsterdam's Oude Kerk with their handsome clutch of recently restored 15th century carved weird guys. Seeing these on my first trip here a few years back got me hooked on misericords...

Just passed the safe deposit demon of Amsterdam at the city archives...

Lots of gorgeous original illuminated manuscripts and classic medieval demonic imagery. I made a note of some artists to seek out further - how about this stunning four horseman illustration by Hans Feibusch! Reminded me a little of the work of Clive Hicks-Jenkins...

It's pretty cool when a museum curator contacts you out of the blue on Instagram and invites you to an exhibition! Had a great time at the Apocalypse, Fear and Hope show at Rijksmuseum Meermanno (the world's oldest book museum!) in The Hague 🔥...

Yeah I love the depth of his domestic interiors, I always want to know what's happening back there. And here the distortion of the buildings outside through the warped handmade glass window panes, perfection. My favourite in the Wallace Collection..!

Bumbling around town I by chance walked by the home of another of my favourite Delft lads, Pieter de Hooch! You can see his masterpiece, The courtyard of a house in Delft (1658), at the National Gallery. I do love a seventeenth-century Dutch backstreet..!

Three apple tarts with whipped cream deep on this Netherlands trip. Might set up an Instagram account like the STP guy...

Also at the Rijksmuseum I took a gander at my favourite Vermeer, The Little Street (1658/59), and back in Delft stood in the spot where it was painted. Look at this art nerd over here...

From the Rijksmuseum collection, how about this neat 17th century travel case for your miniature skull. Just the thing I need, a shame they don't sell them in the gift shop ..

Landed in Amsterdam and took a gander at the restoration of Rembrandt's Night Watch, a team of 8 removing layers of yellowed varnish (last applied in 1975) ready for a fresh coat. I find painting conservation immensely satisfying, maybe it's why I love The House with Laughing Windows so much...

No one worked it out, the clue was in all of my recent Delft posts - it's another Nosferatu location (where Jonathan collapses after returning from Transylvania). Herzog shot at the Paul Tétar van Elven Museum, the decor largely unchanged since the late 19th cen. I'm keeping those bonus points...

This is one of the downstairs rooms. 100 bonus points if you can pinpoint why this is exciting to me...

The design was heavily inspired by / ripped off from this old Royal Doulton ceramic figurine. My process generally is to look at something and go 'Ok, but what if demonic..?'