Suor Plautilla Nelli, Pentecost, 1554, San Domenico, Perugia. Today is Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection, and ten days after the Ascension. According to the Acts of the Apostles, 2: 1-4: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound fromContinue reading “Day 74 – Pentecost”
Category Archives: Women artists
Day 69 – Artemisia, Painting
Artemisia Gentileschi, Self Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (La Pittura), c. 1638-9, Royal Collection Trust, London. It’s a while since I last talked about Artemisia Gentileschi – way back in Picture Of The Day 17 – so I thought we should re-visit her to see how she’s getting on in lockdown. There is stillContinue reading “Day 69 – Artemisia, Painting”
Day 62 – Portia
Elisabetta Sirani, Portia wounding her Thigh, 1664, Cassa di Risparmio, Bologna. One of the questions I have been asked several times while teaching – although not often – is ‘How do you know that? Is it the artist’s idea, or is it your interpretation?’ and it can be a difficult question to answer, because, after aContinue reading “Day 62 – Portia”
Day 55 – A Straw Hat
Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self Portrait in a Straw Hat, 1782, National Gallery, London. I’m no milliner, but I know a straw hat when I see one. And Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun is wearing one here. This is a defiantly confident self portrait. Doubly confident, in fact, because it is a copy she madeContinue reading “Day 55 – A Straw Hat”
Day 48 – Colour and Design
Angelica Kauffman, Colour and Design, 1778-80, Royal Academy, London. We’re back with the rainbow, again, after yesterday – but seen from a different point of view today. It is now a week since the Royal Academy officially announced that they would be cancelling their exhibition of the works of Angelica Kauffman, which, of all the shows that haveContinue reading “Day 48 – Colour and Design”
Day 41 – Night and Sleep
Evelyn de Morgan, Night and Sleep, 1878, The De Morgan Foundation, Compton, Surrey. There is something I find indefinably exquisite about this painting, something remarkable about its combination of colours and forms, like the flavours and textures of a well cooked dish, a delight, and one that should not be savoured too quickly. To see whatContinue reading “Day 41 – Night and Sleep”
Day 34 – Judith Leyster
Judith Leyster, Self Portrait, c. 1630, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. For JW≈ – and any Dutch mothers I know. Yesterday we looked at Rembrandt trying to be someone else in 1640, but here, ten years earlier, with have an artist at the height of her powers and very happy to be herself: Judith Leyster.Continue reading “Day 34 – Judith Leyster”
Day 28 – Catharina van Hemessen
Day 28 – Catharina van Hemessen, Self Portrait, 1548, Öffentliche Kunstsammlung, Basel. I promised you something sunnier today, but it’s lovely and sunny outside anyway (well, it is up here), so I’ve put off that idea until tomorrow. And anyway, today is World Art Day! According to at least one website, ‘World Art Day is an international celebrationContinue reading “Day 28 – Catharina van Hemessen”
Day 17 – Judith Beheading Holofernes
Day 17 – Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, c. 1620, The Uffizi, Florence. Originally posted on 4 April 2020 Today should have seen the opening of ‘Artemisia’ at the National Gallery – and there is still some hope that we may yet see it. But in the meanwhile, let’s enjoy this painting. By now, after a littleContinue reading “Day 17 – Judith Beheading Holofernes”
Day 16 – Saturn devouring his Child
Day 16 – Giulia Lama, Saturn devouring his Child, c. 1720-23, Private Collection (Sold at Christie’s, 2011). Originally posted on 3 April 2020 Why do we talk about women artists so rarely? Apparently it wasn’t always the case. According to Grizelda Pollock, one of the first and most consistent feminist art historians, they were regularly included inContinue reading “Day 16 – Saturn devouring his Child”
dr richard stemp 