Fra Angelico, The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs and The Dominican Blessed, about 1424-25. The National Gallery, London. This week I reach the end of my exploration of the Fra Angelico exhibition in Florence, looking at his Students and Successors on Monday, 3 November at 6pm. This will include popping back into theContinue reading “260 – Saints, Martyrs, and Saints in waiting (More of the ‘More things’)”
Tag Archives: history-of-art
240 – A mother’s grief
Raphael, The Deposition, 1507. Galleria Borghese, Rome. I will be talking about Women as Patrons in the Renaissance this Monday, 27 January at 6pm, and so today I want to take a look at one of the most famous of the relatively few works of art which actually was commissioned by a woman. One ofContinue reading “240 – A mother’s grief”
236 – Rubens, before Constable
Peter Paul Rubens, A View of Het Steen in the Early Morning, probably 1636. The National Gallery, London. After five weeks talking about the Italian Renaissance I’m going to take a break and head forward to the 19th Century. There is a direct line to be drawn, I think, from Constable, via Monet, to VanContinue reading “236 – Rubens, before Constable”
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”
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…”
Renewed Devotion
Marie Spartali Stillman, How the Virgin Mary Came to Brother Conrad of Offida and laid her Son in his Arms, 1892. National Trust Collections, Wightwick Manor and Gardens, Warwickshire. There’s no talk this Monday, but as I have decided (after some delay) what will take up the rest of the Summer, I thought I shouldContinue reading “Renewed Devotion”
A new life for The Death of Cleopatra
Edmonia Lewis, The Death of Cleopatra, 1876, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C. Greetings from Sunny Sidmouth, where I’m enjoying a brief stint playing the title role in Yes, Prime Minister. It’s a short run, but by the time it ends I will probably have been in post almost as long as Liz Truss. I’ll beContinue reading “A new life for The Death of Cleopatra”
216 – Between Earth and Heaven
The Master of the Aachen Altarpiece, The Crucifixion, about 1490-5. The National Gallery, London. I’m really enjoying getting to know the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool – it has a fantastic collection, with some real gems – and am looking forward to starting my online stroll around the museum this Monday, 12 February with aContinue reading “216 – Between Earth and Heaven”