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Day 66 – Joachim and Anna

Giotto, The Story of Joachim and Anna, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. Time to get going with the stories! From the past few weeks we know, when looking down the chapel towards the altar, that the Last Judgement (Picture Of The Day 38) is behind us, with the Virtues at the bottom of the walls on our rightContinue reading “Day 66 – Joachim and Anna”

Day 65 – Venice

Canaletto, Venice: The Basin of San Marco on Ascension Day, about 1740, National Gallery, London. Yesterday was Ascension Day, and in Venice that always used to be one of the great days of the year. The celebration, known in the Venetian dialect as the Festa della Sensa, was associated with two historical events. On 9 May in the yearContinue reading “Day 65 – Venice”

Day 64 – Ascension

Pietro Perugino, The Ascension of Christ, 1495-98, Musée des beaux-arts, Lyon. Today is the Feast of the Ascension, forty days after Easter, when Jesus went up into Heaven – Jesus himself makes three references to it, before it has happened, in the Gospel of St John, and it is described in both the Gospel of St LukeContinue reading “Day 64 – Ascension”

Day 63 – Ecstasy

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Ecstasy of St Theresa, 1647-52, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. I’ve said it before: the Baroque is theatrical. Well, the audience is gathering… Already the Cornaro family have bagged the best spots in the boxes on either side of the stage – those Venetians like a bit of theatre. They are theContinue reading “Day 63 – Ecstasy”

Day 62 – Portia

Elisabetta Sirani, Portia wounding her Thigh, 1664, Cassa di Risparmio, Bologna. One of the questions I have been asked several times while teaching – although not often – is ‘How do you know that? Is it the artist’s idea, or is it your interpretation?’ and it can be a difficult question to answer, because, after aContinue reading “Day 62 – Portia”

Day 61 – …the Virgin and Child

Sir Peter Lely, …the Virgin and Child, 1664. National Portrait Gallery, London. Last Monday we looked at Sir Anthony van Dyck’s Cupid and Psyche painted for Charles I (Picture Of The Day 54), which I suggested was quite possibly more than a little sacrilegious from a Catholic point of view. My precise words were ‘It’s entirely outrageous’.Continue reading “Day 61 – …the Virgin and Child”

Day 60 – Psyche VI: ‘Resolution?’

Workshop of Raphael, The Story of Psyche, 1518-19, Villa Farnesina, Rome. I had no idea this rom-com would involve so many episodes! But it is a great story, with some lovely paintings associated with it. And even if Apuleius didn’t tell it exactly as I am – well, my version seems to match the paintings… ThisContinue reading “Day 60 – Psyche VI: ‘Resolution?’”

Day 59 – Virtues vs Vices

Giotto, The Cardinal Virtues, and opposing Vices, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. We have spent the last two Saturdays looking at the Theological Virtues, and their opposing Vices (Picture Of The Day 45 & 52)– and this week we will put together the remaining imagery along the lowest level of the Scrovegni Chapel. All eight ofContinue reading “Day 59 – Virtues vs Vices”

Day 58 – Ottobeuren Abbey

Johann Michael Fischer, Ottobeuren Abbey, 1737-1766, Bavaria, Germany. Frescoes: J.J. and F.A. Zeiller; Stucco: J.M. Feichtmayr. Today’s picture is a building! Or rather, the decoration of a building. I’ve named Fischer as the architect, although, to be honest, so many people were involved that it is hard to know who did what – but Fischer isContinue reading “Day 58 – Ottobeuren Abbey”

Day 57 – Tobias revisited

Gian Antonio Guardi, The Story of Tobias, c. 1750, Arcangelo Raffaele, Venice. I’ve told you the story of Tobias and the Angel before (Picture Of The Day 4), so if you’d like to refresh your memory, do have a look there. At the time somebody mentioned the wonderful version of the story as told by a memberContinue reading “Day 57 – Tobias revisited”