Art's Last Bow

When we think about art, we usually think about something beautiful. But art reflects life, and there are numerous themes in art history that are anything but pleasant to look at. One of these themes is war. War is always a sad and solemn subject. So much waste – of lives, of resources, and the total disruption of the peaceful course of everyday life. While most of the military art as a genre focuses on the heroics and propaganda associated with the war, two famous artists, Goya and Vereshchagin, capture the theme in their own way aiming to portray the very essence of war. Francisco Goya (1746–1828) is known for a whole series of prints (82 in total) called "The Disasters of War". They were created between 1810 and 1820 – surprisingly, the time frame that many of Jane Austen’s novels fall into. The Peninsular War fought against Napoleon’s advancing and conquering troops lasted for seven years. It was one of the first wars in which guerilla warfare played a tremendously im...

The red heart is one of the most common emojis ( third most popular in 2022 ). We all use this symbol at some point to show affection, care, or friendliness, no matter whether we choose trendy hearts of all sorts of different colors or simply stick to the conventional red heart emoji. Before the heart became an emoji though, this symbol has been used for centuries. But when did it first appear in the form we’re familiar with? After all, it bears little resemblance to the actual, anatomical human organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies. And when did it start being used in art? While most people associate the heart symbol with mushy Victorian Valentine’s cards (in company with chubby little cupids), it first appears in art in the Middle Ages. The ideals of chivalry and courtly love as developed by the educated scholars and troubadours of the ducal courts of Aquitaine, Provence, and Burgundy required befitting illustrations. The earliest known image of the human heart as a ...