Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1622-25, Museo Borghese, Rome. This truly is one of the marvels of marble carving – nothing can rival the delicacy of the leaves rustling in the breeze, the firmness of the roots thrusting into the ground, or the varied textures of tree and tresses – nor is there anything to matchContinue reading “Day 56 – Apollo and Daphne”
Author Archives: drrichardstemp
Day 55 – A Straw Hat
Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self Portrait in a Straw Hat, 1782, National Gallery, London. I’m no milliner, but I know a straw hat when I see one. And Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun is wearing one here. This is a defiantly confident self portrait. Doubly confident, in fact, because it is a copy she madeContinue reading “Day 55 – A Straw Hat”
Day 53 – Psyche IV: ‘The Tasks’
Giulio Romano, The Story of Psyche, 1526-8, Palazzo Te, Mantua. Where are we? Back in the Sala di Psiche – or Room of Psyche – in the Palazzo Te in Mantua. And where were we? Oh yes – we left Psyche sitting and snivelling outside Cupid’s castle, having realised how much she loved him, back in Picture OfContinue reading “Day 53 – Psyche IV: ‘The Tasks’”
Day 52 – Three Vices
Giotto, Despair, Envy and Infidelity, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. This week, for Scrovegni Saturday, I thought we should cross to the other side of the chapel and have a look at the Vices which are paired with last week’s Virtues – paired with, or rather, opposed to: they are indeed opposite. I haven’t yet enumerated all Seven VirtuesContinue reading “Day 52 – Three Vices”
Day 51 – The True Cross
Giambattista Tiepolo, The Discovery of the True Cross, Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice. Just over a week ago I talked about Verrocchio’s lively bozzetto, or Model, for the Funeral Monument for Cardinal Niccolò Forteguerri (Picture Of The Day 42), and I mentioned that a bozzetto could be any type of sketch (or model) that an artist creates as part of the development of a newContinue reading “Day 51 – The True Cross”
Day 50 – St George
Paolo Uccello, St George and the Dragon, about 1470, National Gallery, London. It is now two weeks since St George’s Day, and I did say I was going to tell you the full story – at least, the full story as I know it. In the full story St George gets killed several times, and at one point, IContinue reading “Day 50 – St George”
Day 49 – Donatello in Lille
Donatello, The Feast of Herod, c. 1435, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille. There must be something about Donatello that means that I keep coming back to him (Picture Of The Day 25 and 35) – it’s probably the simple fact that he was very good. One of the best, in fact. And this particular image – notContinue reading “Day 49 – Donatello in Lille”
Day 48 – Colour and Design
Angelica Kauffman, Colour and Design, 1778-80, Royal Academy, London. We’re back with the rainbow, again, after yesterday – but seen from a different point of view today. It is now a week since the Royal Academy officially announced that they would be cancelling their exhibition of the works of Angelica Kauffman, which, of all the shows that haveContinue reading “Day 48 – Colour and Design”
Day 47 – Salisbury Cathedral
Day 47 – Salisbury Cathedral John Constable, Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1830-31, Tate Britain, London. Sometimes a painting is asking to be talked about. I heard on the radio – yesterday morning I think it was – that the foundation stone of Salisbury Cathedral was laid on 28 April 1220 – 800 years ago lastContinue reading “Day 47 – Salisbury Cathedral”
Day 46 – Psyche III
Claude, Landscape with Psyche outside the Palace of Cupid (‘The Enchanted Castle’), 1664, National Gallery, London. So… Psyche has done the one thing she was supposed not to do, and has tried to find out who her mystery lover really is (if you missed the first parts of the story, head back to Picture Of TheContinue reading “Day 46 – Psyche III”
dr richard stemp 