Virgin of the Rocks (Leonardo Da Vinci): Great Art Ep.3
Virgin of the Rocks (Leonardo Da Vinci). The queen of heaven, the source of humanity in God, justice tempered by mercy – the Virgin Mary is no casual subject, and countless artists have tried their hand at depicting her. What makes Leonardo da Vinci’s “Virgin of the Rocks” such a notable work? How did he […]
The Last Supper (Leonardo), Great Art Ep.2
The Last Supper de Leonardo Da Vinci. It’s one of the most reproduced paintings in the world – and for good reason. There is almost nothing left of the original, yet Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” remains the most significant representation of the last supper in art history. Christ and his twelve disciples gather […]
On Renaissance, Great Art Ep.1
What makes the Renaissance great? Why are the Big Three practically considered saints, and how much did Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael really transform art? Join us as Columbia Professor David Rosand explains the poetry in the paintings of these Italian High Renaissance masters, and shows us how the stories depicted in some of […]
8 Must-See Paintings At The Uffizi Gallery
1- The Ognissanti Madonna, Giotto Any art enthusiast will appreciate the Uffizi’s varied collection. Giotto’s enormous altarpiece from 1305 is located in Room 2, between two other works of art that have become famous in this space: Santa Trinita Maestà and Duccio di Buoninsegna’s Rucellai Madonna. Along with other outstanding works created in Florence during […]
Does Mona Lisa Have a Hidden Personality?
The Mona Lisa is the most famous portrait in the world – Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece. A French scientist has spent more than 10 years analysing the painting. Now with his latest research he claims he has found another portrait of a different woman underneath – claims which are prompting controversy in the art world. […]
Drawing the Italian Renaissance: How artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo & Raphael worked
During the Italian Renaissance, generally held to be the period 1400 – 1600, drawing became a much more important part of an artist’s creative process. With paper becoming cheaper as a result of the book printing revolution in the 1500s, an artist could use it wastefully in a more experimental manner. Find out more about […]
The Hidden Meanings in a 16th-Century Female Nude
How a rarely-seen drawing of the Three Graces by Raphael reveals the era’s ideas about nudity, modesty, shame – and the artist’s genius. It’s part of an exhibition, Drawing the Italian Renaissance – at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace – of drawings from 1450 to 1600, the biggest of its kind ever shown in the […]
Secrets within Masters’ Paintings
Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Caravaggio were each brilliant artists, but each also included unexpected features in some of their works. These secret messages and subtleties within their masterpieces went unrecognized for centuries, making the works of art even more astounding than what meets the eye. A prime example is a scientific secret hiding […]
Mona Lisa, The World’s Most Famous Painting (video)
Arguably the most famous painting the modern world has ever known, yet it’s not how it’s always been. Let alone the possible price of the painting itself, its valued so much that the room in the Louvre that houses and protects this painting cost over $7.5 million. The Mona Lisa is a portrait of […]
Leonardo da Vinci (5/5): Retreat of the Italian genius in France under the patronage of Francis I
Neither the loss of an eye nor the paralysis of his right hand could stop Leonardo da Vinci from continuing to work during his last years. He died at the Château Clos-Lucé in France, where he lived a peaceful retirement, protected by his patron, the French King Francis I. Leonardo da Vinci accompanied Pope Leo […]