Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c. 1660. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Milkmaid, to whom I want to return today, rejoices in a room to herself in the Rijksmuseum’s stunning Vermeer. Brilliantly reviewed, and now completely sold out, the exhibition will be the subject of my talk this Monday, 13 February at 6pm which I have called Vermeer:Continue reading “The Milkmaid Returns (again)”
Category Archives: Virtues & Vices
Revisiting Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c. 1660. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. I am currently in Dresden, where yesterday I saw one of the most perfect exhibitions – Vermeer: On Reflection – at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister: thoughtful, thorough, purposeful, explaining everything you would want to know through a remarkable collection of truly superb works of art. As IContinue reading “Revisiting Vermeer”
123 – Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, c. 1660. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. After spending a lot of time – in my head, at least – in medieval Italy and 16th Century Europe as a whole, I am looking forward to a foray into the 17th Century, and one of my favourite artists: Johannes Vermeer. In fact, I will beContinue reading “123 – Vermeer”
122 – Justice for Venice
Jacobello del Fiore, Justice enthroned between the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, 1421. Gallerie Accademia, Venice. Great news! The Accademia in Venice, which houses today’s painting, is reopening on Monday 8 February, and the Vatican museums are already open – so things are looking up. Soon we will be able to get back and see thingsContinue reading “122 – Justice for Venice”
120 – The Colour of Virtue
Ambrogio Lorenzetti, Maestà, c. 1335. Museo di Arte Sacra, Massa Marittima. I’m giving a talk for ARTscapades on Wednesday afternoon (at 2pm) entitled Good and Bad Government, which would be fine, apart from the fact that it has a subtitle The Lorenzetti Brothers in Siena. What was I thinking? I will have plenty of timeContinue reading “120 – The Colour of Virtue”
112 …and so, ‘Farewell’…
Giotto, The Scrovegni Chapel, c. 1305, Padua. This is it, the very last ‘Scrovegni Saturday’. When I started out on this strand I had no idea what was coming, but I feel I understand Giotto’s decoration far better than I did before – and inevitably I also have far more questions about it than previously!Continue reading “112 …and so, ‘Farewell’…”
110 – The Ascension
Giotto, The Ascension of Christ, c. 1305, Scrovegni Chapel, Padua. Welcome back to Scrovegni Saturday – and I mean the Saturday bit specifically! Having said that, I think there are only two more to go. One next week (or the week after, to be honest), to look at the final image, and a ‘coda’ toContinue reading “110 – The Ascension”
Day 96 – Clara Peeters
Clara Peeters, Stil Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, c. 1615, Mauritshuis, The Hague. There’s just time for a couple more reflections on art/in art before tomorrow evening. So far we’ve thought about mirrors as a symbol of both Vanity and Prudence (Picture Of The Day 92), and for their ability to create an image, which, likeContinue reading “Day 96 – Clara Peeters”
Day 92 – Vanity vs Prudence
attributed to Ginevra Cantofoli, Vanity, n.d., Private Collection. Occasionally I like a bit of a challenge, and today’s painting certainly qualifies. It was sold on the art market in 2009 (I think) as an undated work by the 17th Century Bolognese artist Ginevra Cantofoli, about whom there is almost no information available, and is now in aContinue reading “Day 92 – Vanity vs Prudence”
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”
dr richard stemp 