Author Archives: drrichardstemp

Day 14 – Self-portrait of the Artist hesitating between the Arts of Music and Painting

Day 14 – Angelica Kauffman, Self-portrait of the Artist hesitating between the Arts of Music and Painting, 1794, Nostell Priory, West Yorkshire. Originally posted on 1 April 2020 Two weeks of #pictureoftheday already! Thank you so much for all your ‘likes’, comments, queries, requests, and ‘shares’ – yes! Especially for the ‘shares’, keep on doing that, I’dContinue reading “Day 14 – Self-portrait of the Artist hesitating between the Arts of Music and Painting”

Day 13 – Chiostro Grande, Certosa di San Martino

Day 13 – Cosimo Fanzago, Chiostro Grande, c. 1623, Certosa di San Martino, Naples. Originally posted on 31 March 2020 Well that’s a surprise! It’s not a painting. I think I did say, almost two weeks ago, that I would be talking about a painting every day, but quickly realised there’s more to life than flatContinue reading “Day 13 – Chiostro Grande, Certosa di San Martino”

Day 12 – The Effects of Intemperance

Day 12 – Jan Steen, The Effects of Intemperance, about 1663-5, National Gallery, London. Originally posted on 30 March 2020 I thought about this painting the other day, as I was taking my daily exercise. I saw someone walking directly towards me right down the middle of the pavement who clearly wasn’t going to shift outContinue reading “Day 12 – The Effects of Intemperance”

Day 11 – Cupid complaining to Venus

Day 11 – Lucas Cranach the Elder, Cupid complaining to Venus, 1526-7, National Gallery, London. Originally posted on 29 March 2020 I’ve had a request to talk about Cranach, partly to make up for the fact that the exhibition at Compton Verney, which opened on 14 March, can no longer be seen. I’m delighted to doContinue reading “Day 11 – Cupid complaining to Venus”

Day 10 – Barge Haulers on the Volga

Day 10 – Ilya Repin, Barge Haulers on the Volga, 1870-73, The State Russian Museum, St Petersburg. Originally posted on 28 March 2020 Russia had the most wonderful artists in the 19th Century, and it surprises me a little that, although we are so familiar with the name ‘Tolstoy’, most of us have never even heard ofContinue reading “Day 10 – Barge Haulers on the Volga”

Day 9 – The Fighting Temeraire

Day 9 – Joseph Mallord William Turner, The Fighting Temeraire, 1839, National Gallery, London. Originally posted on 27 March 2020 Isn’t this a wonderful painting? Evocative, atmospheric, rich in colour, packed with meaning – all in all, it is beautifully painted. Indeed, a few years back it was voted ‘the Nation’s favourite painting’, and has evenContinue reading “Day 9 – The Fighting Temeraire”

Day 8 – The Birth of Venus

Day 8 – Alessandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, c. 1485, The Uffizi, Florence. Originally posted on 26 March 2020 The request I’m following up today is ‘wonky people in early paintings’, and although 1485 is not terribly early from my point of view, a discussion ensued about Botticelli – and as I mentioned Venus yesterday,Continue reading “Day 8 – The Birth of Venus”

Day 7 – The Annunciation

Day 7 – Piero della Francesca, The Annunciation, c. 1455, San Francesco, Arezzo. Originally posted on 25 March 2020 Something to look forward to: it’s only NINE MONTHS to Christmas! And while we’re at it, I’d like to wish all you mothers out there a Belated Happy Mothers’ Day! The two are not unconnected. Admittedly, anyoneContinue reading “Day 7 – The Annunciation”

Day 6 – Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber

Day 6 – Juan Sánchez Cotán, Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber, ca. 1602, San Diego Museum of Art, California. Originally posted on 24 March 2020 If I were to give these musings a title each day, today’s would be ‘The Vengeance of the Vegetables, or, In Search of Celeriac’, and it is a response to theContinue reading “Day 6 – Quince, Cabbage, Melon and Cucumber”