Some artists become masters while they are in their teenage years or even early twenties, some are simply born with the amazing gift of being able to create wonderful works of art. Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), the leading Baroque artist of the 17th century, definitely falls into the latter category. He left his permanent mark …
Trace Bradley
The teenage years of Jesus Christ pretty much remain a mystery, except for one striking passage in one of the Gospels of the New Testament. It indicates the advanced way of thinking of the young man, something that wasn’t appreciated by the establishment. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting facts …
Early Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441) is a mysterious figure in the history of art. He was one of the first masters to perfect the use of oil in his paintings, something that influenced the most famous Renaissance artist and beyond. One of the most remarkable paintings in his oeuvre wasn’t a commission of …
Most of Diego Velázquez’s paintings were commissioned by King Phillip IV of Spain. He was the main patron of the Baroque artist after he arrived in Madrid from his home city of Seville in southern Spain. He was allowed to visit Italy to both learn from the great Italian masters and buy some paintings to …
When leading Romantic artist of the 19th century Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) managed to get himself invited to a diplomatic mission in Morocco, he took advantage of it to paint the local people. Painting Arabic women was a daunting task due to the strict religious customs, but the French artist still managed to do so because …
One of the most intriguing paintings by Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), the renowned Baroque artist of the Dutch Golden Age, wasn’t properly attributed to the artist until the 19th century. This is remarkable because it bears all the distinctive trademarks of this famous Dutch artist. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most interesting …
It takes a lot of willpower to break with established traditions, and this was something that Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) was up for. He rejected the academic standards and the ideals of the Romantic artists who came before him. He became the leading Realism artist of the 19th century because he only painted what he could …
The most famous Baroque artists in history developed a style that is defined by exaggerated drama and the bold use of colors, shadows, and brushstrokes. They took the ideals of the Mannerist artists, also referred to as the “Late Renaissance,” a step further. Just like how Renaissance paintings can be compared to Renaissance buildings designed …
The life of famous Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) was very troubled. His love for painting was what kept him going during the final decade of his life, but it wasn’t enough to keep him from going mad and taking his own life. Many of his most famous paintings somehow reflect his state of …
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) wasn’t the most prolific painter in the world, but once he managed to complete one, they became some of the most influential Renaissance paintings ever produced. We all know the Mona Lisa Painting, arguably the most famous painting ever produced. Just before he started working on this masterpiece in the early …