Renaissance era

“La Fornarina” by Raphael.  The Story of Love and Secret Marriage 

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In his later years, Raphael created the portrait of a woman (1519).  She clearly played a key role in the life of the Master.  She has a bracelet with the inscription “Raphael of Urbino” on her forearm. Looks like a looped bird. There is no doubt, who she belongs to.  It turned out, her relationship with Raphael was not limited to love affair.  When the painting was cleaned and restored in 1999, a …

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“Kiss of Judas” by Giotto. Why is this considered a masterpiece?

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“The Kiss of Judas” (1305).  The story about mean treachery, about how the disciple of his Master betrayed. The depiction of this scene, from the New Testament is often found in frescoes, in psalms and on canvases. This story was portrayed more than once before Giotto and afterwards.  But “The Kiss of Judas” by Giotto (1303-1305) is special.  The difference between his …

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The Birth of Venus by Botticelli. The secret of divine beauty

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We see Venus – the marvelous goddess. The wind gods Zephyr and Aura are driving the shell to the shore. Where the seasons nymph Ora is waiting to cover her with a flower-patterned veil. Venus is incredibly beautiful. This is one of the most enchanting images of the Renaissance era. If the goddess of love really existed, she would look just like this. She couldn’t be more beautiful. But for the feet that Botticelli always shows in a special way. Apart from that, you …

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Frescoes by Giotto. Between Icon and Renaissance Realism

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You’ve probably heard that Giotto (1266-1337) is considered the father of the Renaissance. This is true. And even more. Modern European Art begins with Giotto. Before him there were icons. After him, a completely new art that lasted until Impressionism in the late 19th century. It is difficult for a modern person to understand what …

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Styles in Painting: From Renaissance to Impressionism

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Baroque, Rococo, Classicism … These are all styles in painting. Some existed in a particular era. Then just look at the date of creation of the picture and understand what style it is. But many intersected in time: one style is still in fashion, and the other is already stepping on its heels. In this …

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“Madonna Litta” by Leonardo da Vinci. Unusual details of the masterpiece

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Madonna Litta. A loving mother holds her child. He sucks a breast. Virgin Mary is beautiful. The baby is strikingly like a mother. He looks at us with a serious look. The small picture is 42 x 33 cm (1.4 x 1.1 ft). But it is monumental. The capacious space of the canvas contains something …

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Agnolo Bronzino “Allegory with Venus and Cupid”. Secret Message to the King

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Bronzino’s painting “Allegory with Venus and Cupid” is one of the most mysterious and erotic paintings of Renaissance era. The artist put in it a secret message, which was intended to the king of France. What did the artist, or rather the customer of the painting, Cosimo I of Medici, the ruler of Tuscany, want …

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The Renaissance era artists. 6 great Italian masters.

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⠀⠀ The Renaissance. Italy. XV-XVI centuries. Early capitalism. The country is ruled by rich bankers. They are interested in art and science. The rich and powerful surround themselves with the talented and wise. Poets, philosophers, artists, and sculptors dialogize with their patrons every day. For a moment, it may seem that wise men really rule people, just as Plato wanted. The ancient Romans and Greeks weren’t forgotten either. They also built a society …

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“Spring” by Botticelli. The main characters and symbols

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Only few people knew about Botticelli’s “Spring” for as long as… 450 years! At first, it was housed by Medici descendants. Later, it was moved to the Uffizi Gallery. However… You won’t believe it – it had been stored in repository for 100 years! And only in the early 20th century it was introduced to …

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“The Savior of the World” (Salvator Mundi) by Leonardo da Vinci. 5 curious details of the painting

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In late 2017, the art society was shocked twice. A work by none other than Leonardo da Vinci* was offered for sale. And this may happen only once in 1000 years. Moreover, it was sold for almost half a billion dollars! This is likely to never happen again. But for many people this news outshined …

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