Tag Archives: High Renaissance Art

Michelangelo, Moses from the Tomb of Pope Julius II, 1512, San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome, Artwork in the Public Domain Michelangelo, Moses from the Tomb of Pope Julius II, 1512, San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome, Artwork in the Public Domain

Happy Birthday Michelangelo

The Italian Renaissance Master Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was born on this day in 1475. He arguably is one of the greatest artists of all time. Before anything else, Michelangelo was a sculptor, his finest achievements in painting and architecture also having a … Continue reading

Piero di Cosimo, Italian Renaissance Art Piero di Cosimo, 
The Discovery of Honey, c. 1499, 
oil on panel, 31.2” x 50.6”, 
Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, MA, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Make the Time: Piero di Cosimo at the National Gallery of Art

Don’t miss the retrospective exhibition of works by Piero di Cosimo, Florentine Renaissance master, at the National Gallery of Art. The last time there was an exhibition of Piero di Cosimo’s work in the United States was 1938. Piero di … Continue reading

Michelangelo, David, 1501-1504, Carrara marble, 17’, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Photo by Rico Heil via Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Documentation License.

Michelangelo’s “David” on the Verge

This week, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that Michelangelo’s 17-foot tall, marble sculpture of the Old Testament figure David has weak ankles and is on the verge of collapsing. The National Research Council found cracks in the marble on the … Continue reading

Michelangelo, Jonah from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, 1508-12, fresco painting, The Vatican, Rome, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Just a Second: Prefiguration

Prefiguration (Noun) The representation of an Old Testament figure as a type or foreshadowing of a New Testament figure. Michelangelo painted an image of Jonah just above the high altar on the Sistine Chapel ceiling because he prefigures Jesus in … Continue reading

Michelangelo, Pietà, 1498-1499, marble, 68.5

Just a Second: Pietà

Pietà (noun) A representation of a sorrowful Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Jesus, usually found in sculpture.  The most famous example was sculpted by Michelangelo in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome for the French cardinal Jean de Billheres.  The Pietà was an unusual … Continue reading

Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Creation of Adam, 1508-1512, detail of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, The Vatican, Rome, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Michelangelo Buonarroti: Sparks will Fly

This is on the short list of the most famous images in the world.  It is a fresco painting, which means that it actually is part of the ceiling itself in the Sistine Chapel.  These are only two of more … Continue reading

Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa, c. 1503-1519, oil on poplar wood, 30” x 21, Musée du Louvre, Paris. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Mona Lisa: The World’s Most Famous Portrait

This is arguably the most famous portrait in Western art; nevertheless, it remains shrouded in mystery, which may be the reason the image is so alluring.  Of course, it also is appealing because it is a magnificent and beautiful object.  … Continue reading