KDC441042: Letter written in Latin from Erasmus to Nicolaas Everaerts concerning the marriage of Martin Luther, stating that 'Luther begins to be gentler... there is nothing so fierce that a wife cannot tame', written at Basel, 24 December, 1525 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

PFH1170530: Iran: Battle scene from Firdausi's 'Shah Nama', c. 1450 / Bridgeman Images

KDC441035: Letter, in French, from Emperor Charles V. to his daughter-in-law, Queen Mary I of England, expressing his desire to see his son King Philip, her husband, in order to consult with him about affairs, expressing regret for the necessity of depriving her of his company for a short time (pour peu de tamps) and hoping for his speedy return, 1555 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635075: France: Francois-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire (1694-1778), French philosopher, historian and writer. Engraving by Jacob Folkema (1702-1767), 1738 / Bridgeman Images

FIA5354242: Maxime Gorki (1868-1936), 1951 (oil on canvas), Kotov, Pyotr Ivanovich (1889-1953) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441062: Letter from Richard Cromwell to George Monck, reporting that his 'present exigencies' were forcing him to 'retire into hiding places to avoid arrest for debts contracted on the public account' and asking for help, April 18, 1660 (pen and ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441070: Letter to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Lord High Treasurer, written on board his flagship, 'Elizabeth Bonaventure' at Plymouth, 26 July, 1586 ( pen & ink on paper), Drake, Francis (c.1540-96) / Bridgeman Images

USB1159640: William Michael Rossetti in his study, London, c.1895 (oil on canvas), Gilchrist,Herbert Harlakenden (fl.1876-1914) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441048: Letter from Prime Minister Lord John Russell to the Bishop of Durham, denouncing the aggression of the Pope by establishing Roman Catholic bishoprics in England, written at Downing Street, 4 November, 1850 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

PFH3122193: France: Bust of Francois-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire (1694-1778), French philosopher, historian and writer. Marble bust, Marie-Anne Collot (French, 1784-1821), c. 1775, State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg / Bridgeman Images

USB160017: Edith Teresa Hutton (d.1972) (oil on canvas), Kelly, Gerald (1879-1972) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441063: Affectionate letter from Charles II to his sister, Henrietta Anne, written in French at Canterbury, the day after his arrival at Dover, 26 May, 1660 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441067: Letter from Thomas More to King Henry VIII, written at his home in Chelcith (Chelsea), 5 March, 1534 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

XLA3758541: Autograph: Dr Jonathan Swift, 1730. / Bridgeman Images

PFH2839073: Greece: A 17th century icon depicting Saint George rescuing the emperor's daughter, Crete, c. 1650 / Bridgeman Images

KDC441052: Letter from Katherine of Aragon as Regent, to her husband, King Henry VIII in France, announcing the English victory over the Scottish army at Flodden and the death of King James IV of Scotland, 16 September, 1513 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

KDC441032: Letter from supporters of Queen Mary I in Kent to Sir Nicholas Pelham and the gentlemen of Sussex, announcing the proclamation of the Lady Mary as Queen and denouncing Lady Jane Grey, 19 July, 1553 (pen & ink on paper) / Bridgeman Images

PFH1167271: Japan: The tombstone of Matsu Basho (1644-1694), Poet and Writer, at Gichu-ji, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189954: Vietnam: Tai women selling vegetables in the market at Thuan Chau (Thu?n Châu), Son La (S?n La) Province, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1773932: England / UK: Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic (1812–1870). Dickens c. 1850 / Bridgeman Images

PFH1773928: England / UK: Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic (1812–1870). Dickens in the 1860s / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635765: Ireland: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright, essayist, socialist and man of letters, 1936 / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635101: Vietnam: A typical Tai house in a small White Tai village near Chan Nua, 30 km south of Pa Tan, Lai Chau, NW Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1175562: Vietnam: White Tai village, Mai Chau, Hoa Binh Province / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189899: Vietnam: White Tai village by Song Da (Black River) at Muong Khoa, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635762: Ireland: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright, essayist, socialist and man of letters, 1905 / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635764: Ireland: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright, essayist, socialist and man of letters, 1929 / Bridgeman Images

PFH1773929: England / UK: Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic (1812–1870). Dickens in the 1860s / Bridgeman Images

PFH1773930: England / UK: Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic (1812-1870), c. 1855 / Bridgeman Images

PFH1773931: England / UK: Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic (1812–1870). Dickens c. 1860 / Bridgeman Images

PFH2635763: Ireland: George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), Irish playwright, essayist, socialist and man of letters, 1914 / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189959: Vietnam: Black Tai woman in the market at Thuan Chau, Son La Province, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189901: Vietnam: Black Tai woman selling meat, Thuan Chau, near Son La town, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189905: Vietnam: Black Tai house near Thuan Chau, Son La Province, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189904: Vietnam: White Tai women near Thuan Chau, Son La Province, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images

PFH1189909: Vietnam: Tai women selling vegetables in the market at Thuan Chau (Thu?n Châu), Son La (S?n La) Province, Northwest Vietnam / Bridgeman Images