The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.
The purpose of art is to lay bare the questions that have been concealed by the answers.
Articles
Aertsen’s Meat Stall with the Holy Family: The Reading
Aertsen’s Meat Stall is an inverted still life, full of veiled symbols and spiritual lessons that we will explore in this post. This is a
Aertsen, The Backstory of A Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms
Aertsen’s, A Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms, is an inverted still life that presents an allegory of physical and spiritual food. Layered
Michelangelo’s Isaiah
Michelangelo’s Isaiah is one of the iconic prophets from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Known during his lifetime as the Divine One, Michelangelo Buonarroti,
Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling: Uncovering Its Message
Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling astounds with its beauty and complex theological messaging. In this post we will be exploring the meanings behind the various elements
Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling, The Backstory
Michelangelo’s Sistine Ceiling is considered one of the greatest art cycles to ever be created. Ironically, the backstory to the Sistine ceiling reveals that the
Rembrandt’s Storm on the Sea of Galilee
On the surface Rembrandt’s Storm on the Sea of Galilee is the visual retelling of a pivotal story in the gospel narrative. Beneath the surface,
The Nativity at Night
The Nativity at Night by Geertgen tot Sint Jans, painted in 1490, was a devotional tool. Encouraging believers to contemplate the nativity was thought to
IThemba Tower, Communicating Hope
IThemba Means Hope The iThemba tower, is a permanent public art installation that symbolizes the collective hopes of the residents of Troyeville in Johannesburg, South
JMW Turner’s The Slave Ship
The Judgement of JMW Turner’s The Slave Ship Years ago, when I first saw this painting, I assumed I was just looking at another seascape
We Light Amsterdam
Festival of Lights in Amsterdam During the long, cold winter months of December and January a magical Festival of Lights takes place in Amsterdam. Lighting
Isenheim Altarpiece – The Crucifixion
Crucifixion Panel of the Isenheim altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald which was created between 1510 and 1516. Sister Wendy had this to say about the Crucifixion
Grünewald’s Resurrection from the Isenheim Altarpiece
Matthias Grünewald‘s Resurrection painting is one of many works that make up the Isenheim Altarpiece. Painted between 1512 and 1516, this Altarpiece is unique and
Peter Paul Rubens’ Descent from the Cross Triptych
Peter Paul Rubens’ Descent From the Cross Triptych is a stunning Flemish Baroque work that thematically explores what it means to “bear Christ.” While the
Georges De La Tour’s Magdalene and the Smoking Flame
Georges de La Tour’s, Magdalene with the Smoking Flame, is a French Baroque work that envisions Mary Magdalene in a state of deep contemplation. With
Harry Watrous’ The Drop Sinister
Harry Watrous’, The Drop Sinister, What Shall we Do With it?, is a departure for Watrous, an exploration of the moral and social issue that
Jacques Louis David’s Death of Marat
Jacques Louis David’s, Death of Marat, was a ground breaking painting of the assassination of Jean-Paul Marat, the radical revolutionary who condemned thousands to the
El Greco’s Cleansing of the Temple
El Greco’s Cleansing of the Temple (1600) is a cautionary work, admonishing the Church to remember that money, power, and politics can be corrupting influences,
Jacques Louis David’s Death of Socrates
Jacques Louis David’s, Death of Socrates, embodies both the neoclassical movement and the ideals of the French Revolution. Socrates, a harsh critic of the Athenian
Caravaggio’s Seven Works of Mercy
Caravaggio’s Seven Works of Mercy is an oil painting that was completed in 1607. The work shows a set of compassionate acts that humans can perform
Jacques Louis David’s Oath of the Horatii
Jacques Louis David’s Oath of the Horatii defines the Neoclassical painting style. Creating a sensation due to its striking aesthetic, the work soon became a
Simonet’s Then He Wept
Enrique Simonet’s Then He Wept depicts the Biblical story of Christ standing on the Mount of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem and grieving for the city. Intimate
Gauguin’s Vision After the Sermon
Paul Gauguin’s painting, Vision After the Sermon, is a work about the struggle of temptation, the pain of love, and the conflict of the artist.
Holbein’s The Body of the Dead Christ
Holbein’s, The Body of the Dead Christ, is a gruesome picture meant to shock. Confronting the viewer with such a realistic painting of Christ in
Sandro Botticelli’s Mystic Nativity
Botticelli’s Mystic Nativity is as beautiful as it is mysterious. With this work we venture into the realm of speculation and conjecture. I hope you
Teaching Botticelli’s Venus and Mars
Teaching Botticelli’s Venus and Mars, a lighthearted painting perfect Valentine’s Day study. It’s a fun way to incorporate art history into your February homeschool plan?
Hidden Meanings in Robert Campin’s Merode Altarpiece
The Hidden Meanings of the Merode Altarpiece by Campin Robert Campin’s Annunciation triptych, the Merode Altarpiece, is full of hidden symbols meant to lead the
The Backstory of the Merode Altarpiece Robert Campin
The Merode Altarpiece,by Robert Campin, is an annunciation triptych full of symbolic meaning, that was intended to lead the faithful into deep contemplation of the
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