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...

Looking at Renaissance portraits can be fun even if you don’t know the sitter’s name or story. Even more so, if you manage to find out who’s depicted and why the artist included all the fascinating details that make pre-19 th century portraits so enigmatic . Portrait of the Ambassador Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon. 1541-42. Titian Titian’s portrait of the ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon (or d’Aramont), is a perfect example of the masterly portraiture technique that earned Titian commissions from Europe’s nobility and kings. The date of the portrait is unclear – some scholars favor an early date of 1541-1542, while others (including me) believe it was painted in 1546, after he’d been appointed ambassador to the Turkish sultan. So, what’s the story of this nobleman who had his portrait painted by "the king of painters and the painter of kings", as Titian was dubbed during his lifetime? A Dangerous Assignment In this remarkable portrai...

One of the most popular paintings in the Wallace Collection in London, “The Laughing Cavalier” by Frans Hals has a presence all its own, returning the viewer's gaze with an amused smile. I’ve always felt that the painting is misnamed. "The Laughing Cavalier" brings to mind the titles of old Hollywood swashbucklers, like “The Kissing Bandit” or “The Elusive Pimpernel”. And after all, the man on the portrait isn't actually laughing at all. The Laughing Cavalier. 1624. Frans Hals So, why has this portrait by Frans Hals become so popular and who is the inscrutably smirking young man portrayed? A Dandy from the Dutch Golden Age   “The Laughing Cavalier” was painted by the Dutch Golden Age painter Frans Hals in 1624. The sitter’s name is unknown. His costume is lavish, displaying the flamboyance of the latest French styles in its fabulous embroidery, silks, and lace. He wears a doublet embroidered with symbols in colored and gold thread over a shirt adorned with in...