Antonio Canova created a piece that is full of emotion, typical of Romantic Neoclassical sculpture. At the same time, the sculpture is so precise that the figures seem lifelike.
Notice the fine sculpting of Cupid's wings, the quiver full of arrows, and the ornamentation on the amphora. Admire the way Cupid holds Psyche's neck and the curve of her hip as she turns to embrace him, all shown with a perfect sense of proportion and movement. Meticulously chiseled features and anatomical details like Psyche's belly button and graceful toes add a sense of authenticity, creating an impression that the figures are made of flesh rather than marble.
Portrait of Louis XIV. This emblematic painting of the "Sun King" was created in by the French royal portrait artist Hyacinthe Rigaud. The painting was originally intended to be a gift for Philip V of Spain, however the French Court liked it so much, the painting was never sent to the Spanish King.
Rendered in exquisite detail, the portrait represents Louis XIV as the ultimate image of absolute power. The opulent background and the King's impressive coronation robes symbolize his greatness. Louis XIV was 63 years old when this portrait was painted. Notice the richness of the king's robe, which is embroidered with fleurs-de-lys lily flowers , the royal symbol. In the background, a crown rests beside the king on a stool.
This painting was designed to remind the viewer of Louis XIV's authority. Renoir considered Jan Vermeer's painting of The Lacemaker to be one of the most beautiful paintings in the world. The motif of lace was often used in 17th-century Dutch paintings to symbolize traditional female virtues. In the forefront of the painting is a little book that is most likely a Bible, which gives the piece another layer of moral and religious suggestion.
Vermeer loved to paint scenes of everyday life and was skilled at depicting familiar objects in an appealing way. The young woman most likely Vermeer's wife is shown intently focused on her painstaking work of lacemaking. The thread between the woman's fingers and the pins and bobbin form the central focal point of the piece. The objects become more blurred in the background, mimicking the human eye's natural optical field. Vincent van Gogh praised this painting for its harmonious blend of colors, seen in the vibrant sewing cushion and multi-hued yarns.
Created between and , this monumental Carrara marble sculpture is a larger-than-life image of two horses restrained by grooms. The sculptor, Guillame Coustou, was likely inspired by the ancient Roman statues found in front of the Quirinal Palace in Rome, which show demigods Castor and Pollux endeavoring to tame their horses. Alluding to this classical reference, the Marly Horses symbolize the struggle between man and nature represented by an untamed horse. Guido di Pietro, known as Fra Angelico, created this work from to and it was originally used as an altarpiece for the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole outside Florence.
The theme of the Coronation of the Virgin was very commonly represented in art during the 13th century, and this example shows exceptional delicacy and artistic brilliance. The sumptuous painting illustrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary as she is welcomed into heaven and crowned by Christ, who is shown seated high above the multitude of onlookers on a throne accessed by marble steps.
The scene is rendered with incredible detail and in luminous hues. For instance, Fra Angelico painted the nine steps of marble in different colors. An abundance of gilding is found throughout, in Christ's throne, as well as the angels' halos, which seems to suggest a royal court in heaven. Georges de La Tour's signature style of realism brings to life the scene of four people gathered around a table while playing cards. The painting's intricate details and subtle expression of emotions lend authenticity, allowing viewers to feel like spectators of a real card game.
As spectators, we have a sense of curiosity and anticipation about what will happen next. We watch as the subject of the painting, a flamboyantly dressed feather-capped young man, is about to be duped.
In an unusual composition, the subject is depicted at the far right rather than the center of the painting, in a space apart from the others. Meanwhile the other group of three people seem to share a secret, evidenced by their sidewards eye movements.
The woman with the low-cut neckline draws the viewer's attention with her sneaky glance. She is silently communicating with the player the cheat on the left side of the painting who discreetly pulls an ace of diamonds card from under his belt, which will be the "winning" card.
An intriguing aspect of this painting: The cheat appears to peer out towards the viewer, as if he knows he's being observed. As viewers, we catch the cheat and his cohorts in their act of wrong-doing.
George de La Tour uses this scene to tell us a moral drama about the sins of lust, liquor, and gambling. A striking painting, the Portrait de l'Artiste Tenant un Chardon was one of the first stand-alone self-portraits in European painting. The composition of a three-quarter length bust was typical of portrait painting in the 16th century. Viewers can detect some awkwardness in the portrait, because the artist was working from his reflection in the mirror.
These expressive statues are masterworks by Michelangelo, showing his genius of technical ability and emotional depth. Both are chained and shown in the nude to emphasize their vulnerability, but the two slaves convey very different emotions.
The Dying Slave appears to be in a deep eternal sleep, while the Rebellious Slave is distorted in a violent struggle. Some art historians have interpreted the sculptures to symbolize the human soul that is shackled by the body. Michelangelo began work on the statues in as part of a monumental project to create a tomb of Pope Julius II.
However, the project was delayed and eventually discarded. This sculpture is an unfinished work by the Italian master Michelangelo. It is thought to have been made between and There is another dying slave on display in the Louvre.
They were originally commissioned for the tomb of Jules II that had to be installed in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Actually sitting cross-legged, the Seated Scribe is often shown in history books to illustrate writing at the time of Ancient Egypt.
This figure still has all of its original color and is in working position. You can easily imagine his papyrus sheet on his legs and his brush in his right hand. A famous 16th century painting by Johannes Vermeer , the Lacemaker inspired a successful novel and a film with Isabelle Huppert in the lead role. This painting depicts a young girl focused on her work. It is a faithful representation of the occupation of distractions and work at the time.
Her sister's gesture would indicate her future status as a mother. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres was a famous painter of his time. In , he painted The Turkish Bath, which depicts a group of naked women in a harem as fantasized in the West.
Painted in around , The Cheat with the Ace of Diamonds is a painting by Georges de la Tour known for the glances exchanged by his characters. While the Cheat seems to be addressing the spectator to reveal his hand, the only person looking at his cards is the one who will be cheated.
The servant and the woman at the table seem to have understood what is going on. This is the only preserved mummy on display at the Museum in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities. It is particularly well preserved and the braiding of the strips, especially in the facial area, is of very high quality.
The renovation of the ceiling in the Henri II room of the Museum in was an opportunity for the painter George Braque to produce this work. Two birds are painted on a bright blue background. The decoration, with large flat areas of color, brightens up the room. Introducing Vincenzo Peruggia, the dim-witted decorator who waltzed out of the Louvre with the Mona Lisa under his coat! Himself an Italian native, Peruggia had cited his reasoning behind the theft as a patriotic one; mistakenly believing Napoleon had taken the painting from Italy, when it had in fact been given to Francis I.
Even so, he never would have foreseen how much attention his actions would attract, with images of the canvas splashed across every newspaper in the world - ultimately elevating the Mona Lisa to the most recognisable work of art on Earth. Such was the intensity of the media spotlight, Peruggia was likely relieved when two years later he was reported to the authorities, after attempting to sell the painting to an Italian art dealer - for which he was subsequently sentenced to 7 months in jail.
After the outing of handyman Vincenzo Peruggia as the man responsible for the theft of the Mona Lisa , the feeling never quite passed that the painting deserved a more impressive assailant. In the editorial, Decker reported how he had met the real mastermind in Casablanca, revealing the brains behind the operation to be an aristocratic conman named Eduardo de Valfierno.
The posing aristocrat, apparently coaxed into telling all after a few brandies, had said how Peruggia was a mere cog in the wheel of his scheme - which would see Valfierno sell six meticulously forged copies of the Mona Lisa to gullible millionaires.
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