When this Early Netherelandisch artist moved from his native Haarlem to Leuven, he earned a very prestigious commission from a local confraternity. Dieric Bouts (1415-1475) produced one of the most influential works of art shortly after, and this altarpiece is special for a number of reasons. Even though it’s a triptych, it depicts five different …
Trace Bradley
The turn of the 20th century marked an important period in the history of art, and this as especially the case in Germany. A group of German Expressionist artists emerged in Dresden in 1905 and radically changed the course of modern art in the following years. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) was one of the founders …
The first daughter of a renowned Mannerist artist from Rome noticed the talent of his little girl and he trained her to become a famous artist herself. Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) was the daughter of Orazio Gentileschi and the prime example of a child prodigy. She was painting professional artworks for patrons at the age of …
One of the greatest female painters in history learned the trade from her father, a man who was a renowned artist himself. Artemisia Gentileschi (1593-1656) was the daughter of Orazio Gentillischi (1563-1639), a Mannerist artist from Pisa who was heavily influenced by a famous Baroque artist. Often painting Biblical stories, mythological figures, and sensual women, …
Christian martyrs have been a popular subject for artists producing religious art for centuries. Their heroic stories are always a great base for a nice picture. One particular female martyr has been depicted numerous times in the history of Western art, and that’s because her story is especially intriguing. Born in Egypt, Saint Catherine was …
Realism in art wasn’t a novelty in the 19th century. Apart from some exceptions, it was only around the 1850s that Realism artists started depicting ordinary people. A similar art movement in the United States in the late 19th century and American Realism was the most important type of art in the visual arts in …
One of the most talented Spanish artists in history spent the vast majority of his career working at the Spanish court in Madrid. In this function, Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) painted dozens of portraits of members of the royal family, including multiple children. One particular girl who was known as “Infanta Maria Teresa” appears in several …
It was only in the second half of the 19th century that the first artists who painted modern life emerged. The Impressionist artists revolutionized the history of art by painting common subjects derived from real life in the modern world. They often sought inspiration close to them and as they often met in cafes and …
Although he became one of the most renowned artists of all time, this Baroque sculptor had a difficult period in the mid-17th century. Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) became the main architect of St. Peter’s Basilica and was commissioned to design bell towers for the monumental church. When these started to crack, he was blamed for …
The identity of the sitter in this wonderful portrait by one of the most renowned Dutch Golden Age painters in history remains uncertain. There is a general theory, though, about who this man could be, and in my opinion, it’s the correct one as well. Frans Hals (1582-1666) was one of the most notable portraitists …