Francesco Granacci and Annunciation

Francesco Granacci, born in 1469 and died on 30 November 1543

During the NaNoWriMo Project, I will continue to post a painting a day for the month of November but I won't have time to write. I may add text at a later date. I hope you will still visit to see the daily painting. 

Pieter Bruegel the Elder and The Tower of Babel

'The Tower of Babel' (c. 1563) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder;
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

I've seen today's painting The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, born c. 1525 and died on 9 September 1569, at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam and it is very small. Although it is impressive (because of all the small details), I was a bit disappointed (because of its size) and didn't know at the time that Bruegel had painted two other versions of 'The Tower of Babel'. The bigger version is to be seen at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (click here). The first version Bruegel painted, a miniature on ivory, is now lost. This famous painting is a depiction of the well-known biblical story of man's hubris and God punishing man for wanting to build a tower that reached to the heavens. Bruegel got the inspiration for the architecture of his Tower of Babel from the Colosseum in Rome. If you want to know more about the artist's life, please click on the painter's name above.

Elisabetta Sirani and Cleopatra

'Cleopatra' (c. 1662-3) by Elisabetta Sirani; Private Collection

For today I have chosen another Italian painter but this time a female one, Elisabetta Sirani, born on 8 January 1638 and died on 28 August 1665 (the Italian page says 28, the English one mentions the 25th as the date of death). Sirani's father was Giovanni Andrea Sirani who had been the personal assistant of the artist Guido Reni. There's little known of Elisabetta's training but as a woman she would not have had access to any academy and was probably her father's pupil. Her style is close to Reni's, idealised but with strong colours and chiaroscuro. She painted portraits, religious themes and allegories and worked very fast. By the time she died, at 27, she had completed approximately 170 paintings, 14 etchings and also a number of drawings. She was buried in Guido Reni's tomb.

Hans Memling and The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine

'The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine' (1474-79) by Hans Memling;
Memlingmuseum, Bruges

I never thought much of German painter Hans Memling, born c. 1430 and died on 11 August 1494. But having been in Rome last week and being surrounded by Renaissance art, it makes me look at Memling's work with a fresh pair of eyes. I have seen Compassion for the Dead Christ, With a Donor in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj but although it is quite beautiful, I don't really like the depiction of the Dead Christ. Memling, whose work shows the style and composition of his teacher Rogier van der Weyden, was very popular between the 1460s and 1480s. He was artist number one in Bruges and the most popular Flemish artist abroad. He got commissioned for altarpieces all over Europe. With Florentine and Venetian art reaching its peak, Memling's work received high praises in Italy because of its calm harmony. For today I have chosen 'The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine', a subject that's been used frequently in Christian art. If you want to read more about it, click here. This painting, which is oil on wood, is the central panel of the St. John altarpiece and brings together many of the characteristics of Memling's art. I don't know much about the meaning and story of the painting, I should read up on that, but I do like the colours and this reminds me indeed a lot of Rogier van de Weyden.

Leonardo da Vinci and The Virgin of the Rocks

'The Virgin of the Rocks' (1495-1508) by Leonardo da Vinci; National Gallery, London

Leonardo da Vinci, born on April 15, 1452, was so much more than 'just' a painter, but it is his 'Mona Lisa' that he is most famous for. I decided not to post it here, not because it's too well-known but I don't think it is his most beautiful work. I have never seen it in real life, so haven't gotten the opportunity yet to fully appreciate it. I have always liked his painting 'The Virgin of the Rocks' or rather details from it, and the London version rather than the Louvre version. Not every detail in the painting I find beautiful. For example, I find John the Baptist (left) and the infant Jesus (right) quite ugly. But the angel (right) and the Virgin Mary (with her hand outstretched in a gesture of blessing) are beautiful. As well as the blue and golden colour shades. This London version is similar to its Louvre version in subject matter and overall composition. But in details, they are different. The London version lacks the colour red but is more defined in detail, less hazy than the Louvre version. The main difference is that in the Louvre version the angel's hand is raised, her/his finger pointing at John the Baptist, while in the London version the angel's hand rests on her/his knee. There is a lot to read about comparisons between the two versions of the painting and also a lot to read about Da Vinci's extraordinary talent and life. I would like to refer you to the links above or simply to the internet.

Michelangelo and The Creation of Adam

'The Creation of Adam (Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco)' (c.1511) by Michelangelo; Vatican City, Rome

6 March 1475 was the day that the great artist Michelangelo was born. I cannot ignore this fact and not dedicate this post to him. Well, actually I can because it's my blog, and I would have if I hadn't liked his work. But I think the fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is amazing and I haven't even seen it with my own eyes. Of course I can only post a section of the fresco and I chose 'The Creation of Adam' because this depiction shows Michelangelo's knowledge of human anatomy very well. This expertise is also manifested in his sculpture. The Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco tells the biblical story from the Book of Genesis, and 'The Creation of Adam' depicts the moment when God breathes life into Adam. Michelangelo was one of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance and by many regarded as the greatest artist that ever lived. He excelled in sculpture, architecture and painting. His masterpieces ('Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco', the statue of 'David', and 'Pietà') are world famous. Apparently sculpture was his passion and he didn't like to paint. Pope Julius II requested that Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and as a reward he would get to do a commission for the Pope, sculpting 40 massive figures for his tomb. It took him over four years to paint the ceiling but anybody will agree, it was well worth it. 

'Jupiter and Io' by Correggio

'Jupiter and Io' (c.1530) by Antonio da Correggio; Museum of Fine Arts, Vienna

Today it was easy again to find a painting. I've always been interested in Greek mythology and as you might know, mythology, like symbolism, has always played an important part in art. I have books on mythology in art and one of the paintings that can be found in these books, is this one by Antonio da Correggio, born in August 1489 and died on 5th of March, 1534. He was one of the leading painters of the Parma school of the Italian Renaissance and a painter in the Mannerist tradition. In this painting, Io, the daughter of the first king of Argos, named Inachus, is seduced by Jupiter (Zeus in Greek). Jupiter had many mistresses, some of them mortal, and would appear to them in a transformed state in order to seduce them. Io was a mortal, a nymph. Jupiter had turned himself into a cloud and had hidden behind the dunes to be out of sight of his jealous wife Juno (Hera in Greek). This painting is quite erotic and sensuous. Imagine being caressed by a cloud!

Sandro Botticelli and Portrait of a Young Woman

'Portrait of a Young Woman (Simonetta Vespucci?)' (c.1480-85) by Sandro Botticelli; Städel Museum, Frankfurt

I think that most non-art lovers have heard of Sandro Botticelli, or I could be wrong. This Italian Renaissance artist was born on the 1st of March, 1445. Wikipedia doesn't mention the exact date of birth but this site does. Botticelli is world famous for 'The Birth of Venus' and 'Spring'. So I wanted to post something else and chose this beautiful woman portrait. I love this work of elegance and beauty. Look at the hair and the way he dressed it! This might be a portrait of Simonetta Vespucci, the married noblewoman whom Botticelli loved. It's been said that she was the model for 'The Birth of Venus'. She appeared in various paintings of Botticelli. He wished to be buried at Simonetta's feet in the Church of Ognissanti in Florence. She died some 34 years earlier than he did but his wish was granted. Botticelli never wed.