A few years ago I had a pleasure to participate in a British project called National Inventory of Continental European Paintings: I have researched and made catalogue entries for 231 paintings in the collection of York Art Gallery, dating back from 15th century to ca. 1900. Obviously those earliest pictures…
Late-gothic masterpiece from Vienna
A myth of a glorious imperial past is still vivid among many inhabitants of former Austro-Hungarian Empire and I must admit I am one of them. I very much value the fact that now and then I have a chance to participate in a party where – at certain point…
“…with the moon under her feet”
In my last post I have published a drawing depicting Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki venerating Madonna with Child (post is available HERE) and perhaps some of you noticed a small detail: apparently Virgin has a crescent Moon under her feet! That motif was very popular in late-medieval art and also later,…
Hairy Mary – one more time.
A long time ago (over four years ago!) I wrote a post on the depictions of hirsute Mary Magdalene (available HERE). In the late Middle Ages artists often depicted Magdalene in the wildness, being lifted up by the angels, while her whole body is covered with hair. Back then I…
“Unoriginal” Leonardo? – part two.
“The Last da Vinci” – that is how Christie’s advertised the painting of Christ Salvator Mundi, sold on November 2017 and eventually placed in the collection of Abu Dhabi Louvre. Indeed, there are not many art-pieces that can be ascribed to Leonardo himself, but there is always a chance that…