Sometimes, we get stuck in a box of our ideas about what art is. We might forget that even the words on a book’s page can be art! Well, they can! Sylvester is going to talk to us about manuscripts today, specifically the Lindisfarne Gospels. In … Continue readingThe Lindisfarne Gospels
Today Sylvester is going to take us on a tour of the catacombs! *Italian accent* Not the cat-a-combs, the catacombs!!! (That’s from VeggieTales. Sylvester didn’t come up with that and neither did I. I wish I did.) There are lots of catacombs, but these ones … Continue readingThe Catacomb of Santissimi Pietro e Marcellino
Michelangelo is perhaps the most famous, awe-inspiring, and influential artist of all time. Born on March 6, 1475, he was an Italian painter, sculptor, architect, and poet. He was a gift to the world during the glorious years of the High Renaissance. He produced extensive … Continue readingThe Creation of Adam by Michelangelo
Howard Pyle was born on March 5, 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware. He was an author and illustrator, and naturally illustrated many of his own books. If you ever get an itch for reading about knights smiting each other great buffets, Howard Pyle is your man. … Continue readingHow Arthur Drew Forth the Sword by Howard Pyle
In case you’ve been dreaming of going to Rome all your life, we’ve got great news for you–that’s where Sylvester is taking us today! Roman culture is perhaps the best known and wealthiest in available knowledge among ancient cultures. Art, however, is harder to classify. … Continue readingAugustus of Primaporta
Joaquín Sorolla was born on February 27, 1863 in Valencia, Spain. He painted portraits and landscapes, but he is best recognized for his beach scenes, with their warm sunlight and reflections on the water. Sorolla was so well recognized that he received a medal of … Continue readingGirl on the Beach by Joaquín Sorolla
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born on February 25, 1841 in France. He is one of the most prominent figures in the Impressionist movement in art. His legacy lived on not only in his art, which has survived and thrived since his time, but also in his … Continue readingYoung Girls at the Piano by Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Winslow Homer was born on February 24, 1836 in Boston. He painted landscapes, particularly marine scenes, capturing in loose brush strokes the wild spirit of the vastness of nature. You can nearly feel the wind in his paintings when you let yourself enter into the … Continue readingWatching the Breakers by Winslow Homer
Today Sylvester is going to take us into Etruscan culture, which will be particularly interesting since no one really knows much about who the Etruscans even were! Everything we do know, we got from art–which is pretty cool. Art can be a powerful window into … Continue readingTomb of the Triclinium
Rembrandt Peale was born on February 22, 1778 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his portraits of famous people, particularly presidents. Peale’s father was an accomplished artist and named him after the Dutch master Rembrandt. The boy had much to live up … Continue readingWashington Before Yorktown by Rembrandt Peale