Giotto, The Childhood of Christ, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. So, as we continue to explore the Scrovegni Chapel we hit the middle tier of frescoes on the side walls. With the Last Judgement at the West End (Picture Of The Day 38), and the Annunciation and Visitation at the East, spanning the chancel arch (POTD 80),Continue reading “Day 87 – The Childhood of Christ”
Category Archives: Angels
Day 85 – The Flight into Egypt
Juan de Pareja, The Flight into Egypt, 1658, The Ringling, Sarasota, FL. Ah, look, you say – back in our comfort zone. A Spanish artist, a familiar subject. Yesterday I said Europe, I said 20thCentury, I said America – well, two out of three ain’t bad. It’s a European painting alright, in an American collection, butContinue reading “Day 85 – The Flight into Egypt”
Day 80 – Gabriel’s Mission
Giotto, Gabriel’s Mission, The Annunciation and The Visitation, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. Ah – Scrovegni Saturday! How many more will there be, I wonder? So far we’ve looked at the West Wall, with the Last Judgement (behind us, in the photo below), and the Virtues and Vices along the bottom of the South and North walls respectively, the Story of Joachim and Anna atop the SouthContinue reading “Day 80 – Gabriel’s Mission”
Day 76 – Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck, The Annunciation, about 1434-6, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. It’s Picture Of The Day 76, and this is the first time I’ve talked about Jan van Eyck. I should be sacked! Well, that aside, my reason to include him today is that I’m talking about him online tomorrow, and the publicity materialContinue reading “Day 76 – Jan van Eyck”
Day 71 – The Immaculate Conception
Carlo Crivelli, The Immaculate Conception, 1492, National Gallery, London. Right. I warned you (Picture Of The Day 66). I have to talk about the Immaculate Conception, and anyone who has ever been anywhere with me knows I go on about this all the time, because, quite simply, it is the most misunderstood aspect of Catholic theology.Continue reading “Day 71 – The Immaculate Conception”
Day 70 – The Annunciation, again
Veit Stoss, The Annunciation, 1517-18, St Lorenzkirche, Nuremberg. It’s been over two months since I last discussed The Annunciation. Back then it was the calm, rational, yet mystical version by Piero della Francesca, which is at the heart of his True Cross cycle (Picture Of The Day 7). I’m surprised I haven’t talked about more versions, thereContinue reading “Day 70 – The Annunciation, again”
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 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”
dr richard stemp 