Fra Angelico, Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven, about 1423-24. The National Gallery, London. I have just returned from my first visit to the glorious exhibition Fra Angelico in Florence. Spread across two venues – Palazzo Strozzi and San Marco – it is the most comprehensive collection of works by this Dominican master thatContinue reading “257 – Unite the Kingdom (of Heaven)”
Category Archives: Angels
The Annunciation, again (again)
Veit Stoss, The Annunciation, 1517-18, St Lorenzkirche, Nuremberg. Another repost, as I’m on holiday in Shetland (although for obvious reasons I wrote this before I left home). As my talk, this Monday 4 August at 6pm, will be particularly concerned with Duccio’s Annunciation, I thought I’d look back to a far different version of the narrativeContinue reading “The Annunciation, again (again)”
Still Triumphing…
Bartolomé Bermejo, St Michael Triumphs over the Devil, 1468. The National Gallery, London Today I’m reposting something from the early days of this Blog. It was written on the very first day of Lockdown 1 – the day that everyone in the UK was told to stay at home. I’ve gone back to this one because theContinue reading “Still Triumphing…”
252 – Beauty and the Beast
Netherlandish or French, The Madonna and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret, about 1510. The National Gallery, London. My first talk about the newly refurbished Sainsbury wing, this Monday, 30 June at 6pm, is entitled Opening up the North. There are various reasons for choosing this title, which I will discuss during the talk itself.Continue reading “252 – Beauty and the Beast”
251 – Heaven brought down to earth
Cimabue, The Virgin and Child with Two Angels, about 1280-85. The National Gallery, London. I confess that I have always been slightly dubious about the status of ‘Cimabue’ in the History of Art. After all, only one of his works is documented, and that is a mosaic: how can you establish an artist’s oeuvre onContinue reading “251 – Heaven brought down to earth”
Revisiting the Virtues in Colour
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Maestà, c. 1335. Museo di Arte Sacra, Massa Marittima. Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300-1350 at the National Gallery is undoubtedly the most beautiful exhibition I have seen for many years, and I can’t wait to tell you all about it this coming Monday, 24 March at 6pm. It charts, as the titleContinue reading “Revisiting the Virtues in Colour”
243 – Our most delightful Simone
Simone Martini, Christ discovered in the Temple, 1342. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. As an undergraduate studying the History of Art, I and my fellow students held Simone Martini in especially high regard, finding our developing vocabulary inadequate to describe the ineffable beauty of his paintings. We were incredibly lucky to have a great, local treasure,Continue reading “243 – Our most delightful Simone”
Double Duccio
Duccio, The Virgin and Child with Saint Dominic and Saint Aurea, and Patriarchs and Prophets, about 1312-15 (?). The National Gallery, London. I first posted today’s blog just before I gave my first independent Zoom talk four years ago, on 8 February. And here it is, back again, to announce the first of my seriesContinue reading “Double Duccio”
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”
196 – How to Sleep like a Princess
Vittore Carpaccio, The Dream of St Ursula, 1495. Gallerie Accademia, Venice. I was in Venice recently for my birthday, and swore I wouldn’t do any ‘work’. It was to be pure pleasure and relaxation. But of course, I’m very lucky, my work is pleasure, and how could I miss an important exhibition like Vittore Carpaccio:Continue reading “196 – How to Sleep like a Princess”
dr richard stemp 