Art's Last Bow

If you’ve seen this painting of a sailing ship, scattering water drops like diamonds in its wake, you may have wondered, as I did, about its story. The swirling stars and shimmering waves in jewel-like colors lend this marine painting a magical quality that is hard to forget. Adding to its mystery is the fact that it has an intriguing message of hope and struggle for liberty at its core.   Nec mergitur. 1904-1905. Ferdynand Ruszczyc Ferdynand Ruszczyc (1870–1936) was a Polish painter known for his atmospheric and stirring landscapes. He depicted the snowy forests and plowed fields of his home, imbuing his images with a legendary and epic depth and gravity. One of his most impressive paintings is Ziemia (Land), painted in 1898. Ziemia. 1898. Ferdynand Ruszczyc The painting currently known as Nec Mergitur was painted in 1904-1905. The title is part of the Latin phrase fluctuat nec mergitur “(she) is tossed by the waves but doesn’t sink.” This phrase has been the motto of...

When they hear ‘Biblical Easter art’ many people imagine yawn-worthy saccharine angels or moralizing pictures out of a children’s Bible. If that’s how you imagine Easter art, think again. Throughout many hundreds of years, the Easter story, as told in the New Testament, has been an inspiration and an artistic challenge for numerous painters. In fact, most of the great painters from the Renaissance up to the Post-Impressionists have painted at least one version of the Crucifixion during their careers. If one Biblical painting looks much like any other in your eyes, here’s a selection of Easter paintings that are different. Together with the stories that inspired them, these paintings focus on the human elements in the Biblical account of Christ’s death and resurrection. Not on chubby little angels playing lutes. Baroque Graveyard Scene by Rembrandt's Friend Why did the Jewish religious leaders resent Jesus so much that they had him arrested for blasphemy and crucified? Accor...

How many pre-1940s famous female artists could you name? Although women painters are getting more recognition and serious study than ever before, many people are still surprised that there’s been so many women working in the predominantly male artistic sphere during the past centuries. Let’s take a look at some great women painters to remember.    Renaissance Portraitist The late Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola (c. 1532 –1625) was one of the first female artists who enjoyed an established international reputation during her lifetime. The daughter of a nobleman, she had seven siblings, whom she often portrayed in her paintings. She was said to have been encouraged in her art by Michelangelo, who approved of her painting when shown it. She became a portrait painter at the court of Phillip II of Spain, painting for his daughter, Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, and third wife, Elisabeth of Valois.    Family portrait, Minerva, Amilcare and Asdrubale Anguissola...