Raphael’s The Three Graces
Raphael’s “The Three Graces,” is an oil painting believed to have been created between 1503 and 1505, and stands as a significant work from the High Renaissance master’s early period. This relatively small panel painting captures the classical subject of the three mythological Graces Notably, this work is considered one of Raphael’s first explorations of the […]
Michelangelo’s Bacchus
Michelangelo’s Bacchus was executed early in the artist celebrated career (1496-1497). The Bacchus is a captivating and complex portrayal of the god of wine, fertility, and revelry. As one of the artist’s few large-scale works dedicated to a purely pagan subject, the work offers a crucial look at his emerging mastery of form and anatomy […]
Raphael’s Triumph of Galatea
Raphael’s “The Triumph of Galatea” perfectly captures the exuberance and idealized beauty of the High Renaissance. The fresco, completed in 1512, was for the Villa Farnesina in Rome and is one of Raphael’s most celebrated works. The Triumph of Galatea is more than a decorative piece, it is a testament to Raphael’s mastery of composition, […]
Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne
Titian’s “Bacchus and Ariadne,” a vibrant masterpiece from his early career, immortalizes the electrifying moment of Bacchus’s first encounter with the abandoned princess Ariadne, a pivotal scene of love at first sight. Titian: The Venetian Master of Color Titian, the undisputed luminary of 16th-century Venetian painting, revolutionized art with his bold use of color and […]
Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”
Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” is more than just a beautiful painting; it’s a cultural icon, a symbol of beauty, love, and rebirth. Emerging from the sea on a giant scallop shell, Venus, the Roman goddess of love, is a vision of ethereal grace. However, beneath the surface of this seemingly simple image lies […]
Sofonisba Anguissola’s “The Chess Game”
Sofonisba Anguissola’s “The Chess Game,” painted in 1555, transcends a simple depiction of her sisters, Lucia, Minerva, and Elena. It showcases her remarkable ability to capture individual personalities and her innovative approach to portraiture, moving beyond formal rigidity to portray a scene of warmth and spontaneity. Notably, Anguissola subtly challenges prevailing Renaissance gender stereotypes through […]
Titian’s Christ Carrying the Cross
Titian’s Christ Carrying the Cross is one of several Titian painted of this moment in Christ’s life. The close cropping with just the two figures made this an unusual painting for its time. The eyes of Christ, looking out to the viewer, manage to convey the pain and torment of this moment. Titian’s Artistic […]
Rubens’ Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee
Rubens’ Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee is credited to two artists, and is a compelling piece of Baroque art. This work tells the story of Christ joining the religious leaders of his day for a meal, when they are interrupted by a woman who comes in to wash and anoint Jesus feet. […]
Fra Angelico’s The Mocking of Christ
Fra Angelico’s The Mocking of Christ has intrigued me for years! The Mocking of Christ is a fresco painted on the wall of Cell 7 of the Convent of San Marco in Florence. Fra Angelico Fra Angelico was an early Renaissance painter who was also a Dominican friar. When he joined the Order of Preachers, […]
Giotto’s The Kiss of Judas
Giotto’s The Kiss of Judas is a from the cycle of Christ’s Passion in the Arena Chapel, a unique church whose art was created by a singular artist, Giotto di Bondone. The Arena, or Scrovegni Chapel In a Northeast corner of Italy is the city of Padua. Even in 1303, Padua was a cosmopolitan […]
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, was a High Renaissance Italian artist whose career spanned 70 years, The history of the Sistine Chapel is a long and complicated one that has resulted in a depository for […]
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 of the ceiling and how they all come together to support a common theme of reconciliation. I’ve already written about the drama and challenges Michelangelo faced when he was forced […]
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 commission was meant to tarnish, if not ruin, Michelangelo’s reputation. His rivals did not foresee that Michelangelo’s genius and pride would push him to create a work that gained him […]
Tintoretto’s Christ Washing the Disciples Feet
Tintoretto’s “Christ Washing the Disciples’ Feet” is a captivating masterpiece that transports viewers into the heart of a biblical scene. A favorite theme of the prolific Venetian master Tintoretto returned to this powerful scene at least six times, each exploring different facets of the narrative. Among these varied interpretations, the version discussed here is the […]
Botticelli’s Venus and Mars Explained
Botticelli’s Venus and Mars is both beautiful and humorous. Mischievous satyrs, clear bright colors, hidden symbols, and missing legs all deserve a closer look so let’s get started. Botticelli’s paintings of mythological stories are among his most famous. Botticelli’s Venus and Mars is telling the story of the illicit love affair between Venus and Mars. […]
Tintoretto’s The Adoration of the Shepherds
Tintoretto’s, The Adoration of the Shepherds provides the viewer with a unique portrayal of the familiar nativity story. Skillfully using light, and the distinctive architecture of a two story barn, Tintoretto connects the iconography of the Nativity with that of the Last Supper. Providing multiple examples of food, drink and nourishment, Tintoretto links our physical […]
The Annunciation by Titian
The Annunciation by Titian is one of the artist later works displaying his innovative loose brushstrokes and dramatic lighting. Containing more of the heavenly realm than the earthly, Titian alters the traditional Renaissance envisioning of the story. Who was Titian The Venetian master, Titian was born Tiziano Vecelli. He was an Italian Renaissance painter […]
Lippi’s Annunciation with Two Donors
Filippo Lippi’s Annunciation with Two Donors Filippo Lippi’s, Annunciation with Two Donors, is a beautiful Renaissance work that brings together the iconography of the nativity story. Today we’ll explore both the art and the controversial artist. Lippi, Artist and Scoundrel Filippo Lippi…his art and his life are fairly incongruous. He was a bit of a […]
Donatello’s The Annunciation
Donatello’s Annunciation Donatello’s Annunciation is the focus of today’s post. I’m excited that today we get to examine a work by one of the esteemed Ninja Turtles. I have four sons and the Ninja Turtles hold a special place in my heart because my son’s started checking out books from the library about the artists […]
Fra Angelico’s The Annunciation in the Cortona Altarpiece
Fra Angelico’s Annunciation Fra Angelico’s Annunciation in the Cortona Altarpiece is beautiful, and filled with religious symbolism meant to expound on the doctrines surrounding Christ incarnation. You can view this post in a video here. Who was Fra Angelico Fra Angelico was a Dominican friar, who was also an early Italian Renaissance painter. He was […]
The Duccio Maesta Altarpiece Nativity
The Duccio Maesta Altarpiece Nativity is the subject of our tour of Nativity art. You can view this post in video form on my YouTube channel here. Evolutionary thought can blind us In the last article we examined a work by Giotto, who was a contemporary of today’s artist, Duccio. Giotto represented the city-state of […]
Giotto Arena Chapel Nativity
The Giotto Arena Chapel Nativity is the subject for day 3 on our Advent in Art Series. Background of the Giotto Arena Chapel In a Northeast corner of Italy is the city of Padua. Even in 1303, Padua was a cosmopolitan center boasting a prestigious University. One of the residents was a man named Enrico […]
Nicola Pisano Nativity Panel in the Baptistry in Pisa.
Background on the Pisano Nativity Panel The Piazza dei Miracoli The work we will be considering is the Nativity panel in the Baptistry in Pisa from a pulpit designed and sculpted by Nicola Pisano completed in 1260. This information is also available in video here. A bit of background is necessary to put this work into […]