234 – Raphael, after Leonardo, and after Michelangelo

Raphael, St Catherine of Alexandria, about 1507. The National Gallery, London. After discussing Michelangelo and Leonardo, I looked at Raphael on Monday, and so we are all set up for the last of my four talks relating to the Royal Academy’s ‘perfect’ exhibition, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence c. 1504, this Monday 2 December. It willContinue reading “234 – Raphael, after Leonardo, and after Michelangelo”

Re-Announced

Raphael, The Annunciation, c. 1506-7. Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. This week I had planned to write about a drawing by Raphael after a painting by Leonardo – but as predicted, I’ve run out of time. So instead, I will re-post an entry about a drawing by Raphael which may have been made for a painting by someoneContinue reading “Re-Announced”

233 – Leonardo, hatching ideas

As I said on Monday, when talking about Michelangelo, the Royal Academy’s Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence, c. 1504 constitutes, for me, the perfect exhibition. It is beautifully focussed, with great art, all of which has a reason for being there, and it elucidates with clarity a small moment in the History of Art which hadContinue reading “233 – Leonardo, hatching ideas”

Michelangelo, Falling (in love again)

Michelangelo, The Fall of Phaethon, 1533. The Royal Collection/HM King Charles III. I’m too busy seeing art this week to write about it now, I’m afraid! Yesterday I was lucky enough to get to a preview of the Royal Academy’s superb, focussed Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence c. 1504, and will head to Drawing the ItalianContinue reading “Michelangelo, Falling (in love again)”

232 – ‘There’s so much more to say’

Barbara Walker, Vanishing Point 24 (Mignard), 2021. Pallant House Gallery, Chichester. Barbara Walker is an artist I should have been aware of earlier: she has exhibited every year since she graduated from the University of Central England in 1996, and has built up a remarkable body of work, distinguished by its integrity, its compassion, andContinue reading “232 – ‘There’s so much more to say’”

231 – in Waiting

Michael Craig-Martin, (title in waiting, read below), 2001. Gagosian. I’m just back from a fantastic week in Italy following The Piero della Francesca Trail – and looking forward to doing it all again next March (go right to the bottom of the page). I’m also looking forward to picking up on Van Gogh’s idea ofContinue reading “231 – in Waiting”

Sunflowers – a repetition

Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888. National Gallery, London. In 1924, a hundred years ago, The National Gallery acquired Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers. It was the centenary of their foundation. This year, the bicentenary, they are celebrating this acquisition – together with that of Van Gogh’s Chair, bought in the same year – with an exhibitionContinue reading Sunflowers – a repetition”

Piero’s ‘Annunciation’ four and a half years later…

Piero della Francesca, The Annunciation, c. 1455 San Francesco, Arezzo. I’m re-posting this today, because of the date (25 September – two thirds of the way between the Feast of the Annunciation and Christmas), but also because tomorrow I will be on my way to Italy, to remind myself of a few steps on The PieroContinue reading “Piero’s ‘Annunciation’ four and a half years later…”

230 – Mannerly devotion shows in this

Unknown artists, The Palmers’ Window, mid-15th century. St Lawrence’s Church, Ludlow. In the three and a half years I’ve been writing this blog I have only talked about stained glass once (see Day 78 – St Petroc). However, given that this Monday, 16 September at 6pm I will be talking about some English saints, andContinue reading “230 – Mannerly devotion shows in this”

229 – Wise Men, Kings, Saints…

Jacopo di Cione and workshop, The Adoration of the Kings, 1370-71. The National Gallery, London. I know, there are still 118 days to go before Christmas, but even so I have decided to look at a painting of the Three Wise Men. I’ve chosen this painting because the protagonists feature in Jacopo di Cione’s magisterialContinue reading “229 – Wise Men, Kings, Saints…”