If the Duke asks you to design a prayer book…well, you’ll definitely be designing a prayer book. The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is the most famous example of French Gothic manuscript illumination. Commissioned by the Duke of Berry and painted by the … Continue readingTrès Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy. (At that time, it was Vinci, the Republic of Florence.) He was one of the greatest artists of the Italian High Renaissance, and his skills included painting, sculpting, inventing, architecture, math, science, music, … Continue readingThe Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Imagine the feelings of liberation that would well up inside you when you remembered something someone did that freed you. Imagine when you walk out into a fresh spring breeze after being cooped up inside, stifled after a long winter, almost forgetting what it’s like … Continue readingHaggadah: Now We Are Free
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino was born on April 6, 1483 in Italy. He was one of the most prominent painters of the Italian High Renaissance and is known now as Raphael. He is regarded as highly as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and is often … Continue readingSchool of Athens by Raphael
Jean-Honoré Fragonard was born on April 4, 1732 in France. He was a painter and printmaker of the rococo era, and so not surprisingly his vibrant work throbbed with a whimsical, erotic tone. The Swing, perhaps Fragonard’s most well-known and beloved masterpiece, is considered one of … Continue readingThe Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Even if you don’t know anything about art history, chances are you’ve at least heard the name Renaissance. That’s because it’s one of the most pivotal times in all history, bringing forth some of the greatest artists (and other people of consequence) of all time. Today … Continue readingThe Ascension of Saint John the Evangelist
John La Farge was born on March 31, 1835 in New York City. He was a man of many talents, including painting, writing, and stained glass. La Farge had a special interest in Japanese art, which influenced his own style. He was a popular mural … Continue readingStudy of Afterglow from Nature by John La Farge
Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in the Netherlands. He was a Post-Impressionist painter, one of western art’s most famous and influential figures. His work shaped much of the modern art we now see. Van Gogh painted a variety of subjects, including … Continue readingStarry Night by Vincent van Gogh
Bartolomeo was born as Baccio della Porta on March 28, 1472. He is one of the High Renaissance’s most well known artists, specializing in religious subjects. He was from Italy, and he spent many years of his life as a Dominican friar. He was friends … Continue readingChrist with the Four Evangelists by Bartolomeo
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld was born on March 26, 1794 in Leipzig. He was a painter of the Nazarene movement, which was led by Germanic Christian painters in the Romantic style seeking to bring their faith alive through their art. (This is different from the … Continue readingRuth in Boaz’s Field by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld