What is the meaning behind the painting Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich?
– Rumination and romance
– Exultation in one man’s insignificance
– A mysterious mist sets a sublime scene
What’s the story behind masterpiece The Bolt (The Lock) by Jean-Honoré Fragonard?
– Velvet lady parts
– Push and pull of love
– Rococo’s exclamation point
Why is Lord Frederic Leighton’s masterpiece Mother and Child still so popular?
– Symbolism in lilies, shoes, birds, and a grape
– When a mother frames your whole world
– The Baron painter Leighton: rich, famous and still relevant
Cupid’s off to the side in Alma Tadema’s painting Unconscious Rivals. That’s because love plays a mere supporting role in this portrait. But pay no attention to the title, it’s not about rivalry either. This painting celebrates friendship.
Birth of Venus serves up instant recognition. We’re all familiar with Sandro Botticelli’s masterpiece. Still, have we really looked at it? It’s a birth. That’s messy, baby-centric, business. But this portrait shows neither mess nor baby – only beauty.
us that romanticism comes in many forms. This painting dwells in one of my lifelong pet peeves. The romanticisation of hard work, especially physical labor bugs me. This irritating practice shows up in all aspects of life – even art.