Engraving of De templo Hierosolymitano from Jacob Judah Leon’s book on the subject, published by Johannes Saubertus (Latin Edition), Helmstadt, 1665, engraving, 6.1” x 4.3”, this artwork is in the public domain.
The Temple of Solomon has great significance in Jewish history since it was the first Jewish temple constructed in Jerusalem. Built by Salomon, King of the Israelites, in the 10th century BCE on the Temple Mount, it housed the Ark … Continue reading
© 2012 Sally Whitman Coleman, PhD. All rights reserved.
We can learn a great deal by looking at the same subject in art as it is represented over time. The similarities and differences speak volumes as to the true intentions of the artist and his or her cultural reality. … Continue reading
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, c. 1601, oil on canvas, 7’6” x 5’7”, Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Two art historians recently announced that they discovered about 100 paintings and drawings by Caravaggio. Surely, scholars will debate the authenticity of these works of art in the coming months. If they are originals, this is quite a coup. So, … Continue reading
Peter Paul Rubens, Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus, c. 1617, oil on canvas, 88.2” x 83.1”, Alta Pinakothek, Munich, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, the international gentleman from Antwerp, in many ways define the Baroque style. They are dynamic in composition and subject matter. The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus has this classic combination. It depicts a story … Continue reading
Frans Hals, Officers of the St. George Civic Guard of Haarlem, 1627, oil on canvas, 70½” x 101½”, Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
It’s spring break in Texas and thousands of university students will flock to places like South Padre Island and Ft. Lauderdale with a keg in the back of the car and a keen appetite for a good time, but these … Continue reading
Rembrandt van Rijn, Adam and Eve, 1638, etching, 6.4" x 4.6", Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Etching (noun) A technique of printmaking in which an artist scratches a waxy resin from the surface of a metal plate and the plate is then dipped in acids to “carve” the exposed metal to create the image on the … Continue reading
Gianlorenzo Bernini, The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, 1645-1652, marble, life-size, Coronaro Cahpel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. Photo from Flickr available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.
This is a little awkward. This spiritual event looks like something altogether different.
Diego Velázquez, The Maids of Honor (Las Meninas), 1656, oil on canvas, 10’5” x 9’, Museo del Prado, Madrid, via Wikimedia Commons
This huge portrait of Princess Margarita, daughter of Philip IV, King of Spain, is a virtuoso performance in paint. With his flickering brushwork, Diego Velázquez created a scene filled with glowing light and brilliant textures. The painting is as complex as … Continue reading
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Conversion of Saint Paul, c. 1601, oil on canvas, 7’6” x 5’7”, Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Chiaroscuro (noun) Italian word that refers to the shading (or modeling) in a work of art. Caravaggio is well known for his highly developed chiaroscuro. Sally Coleman | The Art Minute