This is a beautiful gilded wooden statute of the goddess Isis from Ancient Egypt.
Her name means “Queen of the Throne”.
I wasn’t sure what that funny headpiece is. It turns out it is:
... a sun disk nestled between a pair of cow horns, was originally a prominent symbol of Hathor, an earlier Egyptian goddess associated with motherhood, joy, and love.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace was discovered on the Greek island of Samothrace.
This is a very famous Greek original sculpture that was buried for centuries.
What a dynamic powerful pose. I saw this at the Louvre.
The Greek sculptor captured the goddess of victory landing on the prow of a war ship.
Raphael was born on 6th April 1483 — born 542 years ago.
This picture is from the Louvre.
What makes the painting so special is the sweetness and tenderness of the glance between the Christ-child and his mother. The cheeks and faces are so engaging, and the shadowing & sfumato so very good. The twisting baby’s stance from Michelangelo and the nudity as a nod to classical antiquity.
It’s so graceful and with such tenderness.
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Huge fan of Giotto. A genius of an astounding ouvre. I’ve already discussed his “Pentecost” at the National Gallery, London.
Below are some of his masterpieces at the Louvre.
His art functions today as it did in his day - tell the story of Christ and Biblical tales - but I find them aesthetically beautiful and appreciate the affected humanism/drama.
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I love the early renaissance which doesn’t get as much fanfare as its most celebrated superstars.
And among those are Filippo Lippi. He had a pretty scandalous life (as you’ll see below).
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Incredible altarpiece at the Louvre.
The Mother Mary (about to sit down?) with Christ at her side on their heavenly throne with ecclesiastical worthies.
Filippo Lippi channels Brunelleschi’s architectural style, complete with round arches and grey stone (pietra serena) which the latter was so fond off.
Dimensions and lines on the floor give us a sense of perspective.
