The Sienese School

From its vantage point high in the Tuscan hills, Sienna was exceptionally well placed to become one of the greatest artistic centers of medieval Europe. Throughout the Middle Ages……

Art of the Inquisition

Ventura Salimbeni

Ventura Salimbeni was one of the most outstanding painters of the Mannerist school in the 16th century. The prevailing characteristic of his paintings are unnaturally elongated figures and intense contrasts of color.  The haunting passion of Salimbeni’s work reveal an artist overcome by religious zeal.

 

 He was a man of unconventional habits and ideas, of tremendous resolve, extraordinary boldness, and…more here

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres Quotation

A paintings is not completely finished until the artist has separated the spirit from body . — Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

Grant Wood Quote

All the really good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow. — Grant Wood

Man Ray Quote

All critics should be assassinated. — Man Ray

Jan van Eyck, Early Northern Renaissance Flemish Painter, founder of the Bruges school

Only nine Jan Van Eyck signed and dated paintings are know to exist.  

Rogier Van der Weyden

The Annunciation, oil on panel — circa 1440, Musée du Louvre, ParisRogier van der Weyden’s early training was in the workshop of the town goldsmith. Although it is not known if he ever actually worked in the trade. Approaching thirty, he began…more here

Matthias Grünewald, Flemish Painter of the Gothic Era

He was perhaps the greatest German Northern Renaissance Painter of his time. ‘The Dead Lovers’ shown above is one of his most disturbing works….and perhaps his best.

Grünewald lived during troubled and restless times. The world was in transition. The old medieval order imposed by the Church was buckling under the expansion of towns, the rise of the merchant class, the emergence of national states, the spread of religious reform and invention of the printing press. People were becoming fascinated with science…..more here

Andrea del Verrocchio

Verrocchio’ s workshop was the first one in Florence where oil-painting was systematically carried on. He also guided Florence landscape painting into new paths. In contrast to…more here