Datasets:

naist-nlp

/

ExpArt

like 3

0151_T

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

Focus on Allow Me (Portland, Oregon) and analyze the abstract.

Allow Me, also known as Umbrella Man, is a 1983 bronze sculpture by John Seward Johnson II, located in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon, United States. The sculpture, one of seven Allow Me casts, was donated anonymously to the City of Portland in 1984 for display in the Square. It depicts a life-sized man dressed in a business suit, hailing a cab and holding an umbrella. Constructed from bronze, aluminum and stainless steel, the sculpture stands six feet, ten inches tall and weighs 460 pounds. The sculpture is one of many works of art generated by the city's Percent for Art program, and is considered part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. After ten years, in 1995, the sculpture was removed from its pedestal and transferred to California for its first major restoration. To maintain its shine, Allow Me receives cold wax coatings every year. It is a popular tourist attraction and local landmark which serves as a reference point for gatherings, or political rallies. Allow Me has received a positive reception and is renowned for its realistic appearance; the 'Umbrella Man' has been called the "most photographed man in Portland", and serves as a symbol of the city and its residents.

0151_NT

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Allow Me, also known as Umbrella Man, is a 1983 bronze sculpture by John Seward Johnson II, located in Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland, Oregon, United States. The sculpture, one of seven Allow Me casts, was donated anonymously to the City of Portland in 1984 for display in the Square. It depicts a life-sized man dressed in a business suit, hailing a cab and holding an umbrella. Constructed from bronze, aluminum and stainless steel, the sculpture stands six feet, ten inches tall and weighs 460 pounds. The sculpture is one of many works of art generated by the city's Percent for Art program, and is considered part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. After ten years, in 1995, the sculpture was removed from its pedestal and transferred to California for its first major restoration. To maintain its shine, Allow Me receives cold wax coatings every year. It is a popular tourist attraction and local landmark which serves as a reference point for gatherings, or political rallies. Allow Me has received a positive reception and is renowned for its realistic appearance; the 'Umbrella Man' has been called the "most photographed man in Portland", and serves as a symbol of the city and its residents.

0152_T

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

In Allow Me (Portland, Oregon), how is the Description and history discussed?

The Portland sculpture is one of seven casts of John Seward Johnson II's Allow Me. It was designed and completed by Johnson in 1983 and is constructed from bronze, aluminum and stainless steel. In 1984, the sculpture was donated anonymously, but in the name of Harry H. Schwartz, to the City of Portland and dedicated for display at Pioneer Courthouse Square. This square is one of the most popular and often visited squares in the state of Oregon. In 2004 the square was named the fourth best public square in the world by New York's Project for Public Spaces. Allow Me is situated on the south side of the Square just above the amphitheatre and is seen as welcoming visitors there. The sculpture depicts a life-sized man dressed in a business suit, "hurrying across the square" and hailing a cab. He holds an umbrella, which some people have interpreted as an offering. He wears a watch and a rhubarb-colored tie; his index finger points towards the Meier & Frank Building, adjacent to the Square. Allow Me measures 82" x 45" x 50" and weighs 460 pounds. The sculpture is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. It is one of many works of art generated by Portland's Percent for Art program.In July 1995, the sculpture was removed from its pedestal and shipped to Stellar Artworks in Van Nuys, California for cleaning and restoration. It received a glassbead peening to remove the effects of birds, human hands, pollution and precipitation, plus a coat of incralac, a lacquer-based acrylic resin coating. The restoration was funded by an anonymous donor and involved Art Work Fine Art Services, Industrial Craters & Packers, O'Neill Transfer Co., Smith Masonry Contractors and the Regional Arts & Culture Council. This marked the sculpture's first restoration since 1985. Allow Me receives cold wax coatings each year to maintain its shine.The sculpture has been used as a reference point for gatherings. There have been instances when the sculpture was used to make a statement or act as a prop. In 2011, Occupy Portland demonstrators outfitted Allow Me with a peace sign, a Guy Fawkes mask and a "We are the 99%" sign.The statue was vandalized in 2020.

0152_NT

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

In this artwork, how is the Description and history discussed?

The Portland sculpture is one of seven casts of John Seward Johnson II's Allow Me. It was designed and completed by Johnson in 1983 and is constructed from bronze, aluminum and stainless steel. In 1984, the sculpture was donated anonymously, but in the name of Harry H. Schwartz, to the City of Portland and dedicated for display at Pioneer Courthouse Square. This square is one of the most popular and often visited squares in the state of Oregon. In 2004 the square was named the fourth best public square in the world by New York's Project for Public Spaces. Allow Me is situated on the south side of the Square just above the amphitheatre and is seen as welcoming visitors there. The sculpture depicts a life-sized man dressed in a business suit, "hurrying across the square" and hailing a cab. He holds an umbrella, which some people have interpreted as an offering. He wears a watch and a rhubarb-colored tie; his index finger points towards the Meier & Frank Building, adjacent to the Square. Allow Me measures 82" x 45" x 50" and weighs 460 pounds. The sculpture is part of the City of Portland and Multnomah County Public Art Collection courtesy of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. It is one of many works of art generated by Portland's Percent for Art program.In July 1995, the sculpture was removed from its pedestal and shipped to Stellar Artworks in Van Nuys, California for cleaning and restoration. It received a glassbead peening to remove the effects of birds, human hands, pollution and precipitation, plus a coat of incralac, a lacquer-based acrylic resin coating. The restoration was funded by an anonymous donor and involved Art Work Fine Art Services, Industrial Craters & Packers, O'Neill Transfer Co., Smith Masonry Contractors and the Regional Arts & Culture Council. This marked the sculpture's first restoration since 1985. Allow Me receives cold wax coatings each year to maintain its shine.The sculpture has been used as a reference point for gatherings. There have been instances when the sculpture was used to make a statement or act as a prop. In 2011, Occupy Portland demonstrators outfitted Allow Me with a peace sign, a Guy Fawkes mask and a "We are the 99%" sign.The statue was vandalized in 2020.

0153_T

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

Focus on Allow Me (Portland, Oregon) and explore the Reception.

The Architecture Foundation of Oregon called the sculpture a "popular icon" for Portland. 'cultureNOW' suggested that the depicted subject could be the "most photographed man in Portland"; the project described Allow Me as one of the "most recognized and beloved" sculptures in Portland, serving as a symbol of the city for both residents and tourists. Elaine S. Friedman, contributor to The Oregon Encyclopedia, wrote that Allow Me mimics Portland's pedestrians. In its guide of Portland's public art and architecture, Moon Publications described the sculpture as being "so realistic that you'll look twice". Another description by Portland Community College asserted that the work is so lifelike that people have attempted to initiate conversation with the 'Umbrella Man'. Spencer Heinz of The Oregonian wrote that the sculpture "serves for some as a symbol of the civility that frames the city's incomplete image of itself."In 2011, Sunday Parkways presented spoke cards to donors depicting the sculpture, among four additional cards showing other iconic images of the city. In Willamette Week's annual "Best of Portland" feature for 2011, the "Best Portland Tattoo" award went to one resident whose Portland-themed sleeve tattoo included Allow Me, among its other landmarks.

0153_NT

Allow Me (Portland, Oregon)

Focus on this artwork and explore the Reception.

The Architecture Foundation of Oregon called the sculpture a "popular icon" for Portland. 'cultureNOW' suggested that the depicted subject could be the "most photographed man in Portland"; the project described Allow Me as one of the "most recognized and beloved" sculptures in Portland, serving as a symbol of the city for both residents and tourists. Elaine S. Friedman, contributor to The Oregon Encyclopedia, wrote that Allow Me mimics Portland's pedestrians. In its guide of Portland's public art and architecture, Moon Publications described the sculpture as being "so realistic that you'll look twice". Another description by Portland Community College asserted that the work is so lifelike that people have attempted to initiate conversation with the 'Umbrella Man'. Spencer Heinz of The Oregonian wrote that the sculpture "serves for some as a symbol of the civility that frames the city's incomplete image of itself."In 2011, Sunday Parkways presented spoke cards to donors depicting the sculpture, among four additional cards showing other iconic images of the city. In Willamette Week's annual "Best of Portland" feature for 2011, the "Best Portland Tattoo" award went to one resident whose Portland-themed sleeve tattoo included Allow Me, among its other landmarks.

0154_T

Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500)

Focus on Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500) and explain the abstract.

Christ Blessing is a painting by Italian Renaissance master Giovanni Bellini created around the year 1500.

0154_NT

Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500)

Focus on this artwork and explain the abstract.

Christ Blessing is a painting by Italian Renaissance master Giovanni Bellini created around the year 1500.

0155_T

Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500)

Explore the Analysis of this artwork, Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500).

The portrait depicts Jesus Christ, raising his right hand while gripping a red staff with the other. Christ's wounds are slightly visible on his hand as well as his chest. The shadows indicate the reality of his Resurrection. Meanwhile, the landscape in the background contains many motifs signifying the Resurrection. The withered tree and solitary bird on the left of the panel represent the Old Covenant, out of which the New Covenant will grow. The pair of rabbits in the lower left corner are symbols of regeneration, and the three robed figures in the lower right corner are the Three Marys. The bell tower in the distance conveys the message that salvation can be found through Christ and the Church. Although the species is not very clear, the bird has been said to be a magpie, a species also featured in Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Magpie on the Gallows (1568).

0155_NT

Christ Blessing (Bellini, 1500)

Explore the Analysis of this artwork.

The portrait depicts Jesus Christ, raising his right hand while gripping a red staff with the other. Christ's wounds are slightly visible on his hand as well as his chest. The shadows indicate the reality of his Resurrection. Meanwhile, the landscape in the background contains many motifs signifying the Resurrection. The withered tree and solitary bird on the left of the panel represent the Old Covenant, out of which the New Covenant will grow. The pair of rabbits in the lower left corner are symbols of regeneration, and the three robed figures in the lower right corner are the Three Marys. The bell tower in the distance conveys the message that salvation can be found through Christ and the Church. Although the species is not very clear, the bird has been said to be a magpie, a species also featured in Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Magpie on the Gallows (1568).

0156_T

Stonewall Jackson Monument

Focus on Stonewall Jackson Monument and discuss the Commissioning.

Under the supervision of local civic groups from 1890 till 1919 several statues were erected at successive street intersections along Monument Avenue in Richmond, commemorating great Confederate men. The ‘Stonewall’ Jackson statue like other statues along this Avenue were publicly funded. A local Richmond sculptor Frederick William Sievers, sculpted both Jackson's and Mathew Maury's statues. The first cornerstone of Jackson's monument was laid on June 3, 1915, with it being fully unveiled on October 11, 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War. The official commemorative service on October 11, 1919, was attended by the Governor of Richmond with Robert E. Lee's grandson speaking at the service, Thomas Jackson's granddaughter and the sculptor's son pulled the ropes to unveil the completed monument. This was followed by a parade of Virginia Military Institute cadets, Virginia National Guards and school children who marched to the newly unveiled monument. It was suggested that the timely completion of the statue, may be a reminder of the model ‘young brave soldier’ who were now returning from another major war.

0156_NT

Stonewall Jackson Monument

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Commissioning.

Under the supervision of local civic groups from 1890 till 1919 several statues were erected at successive street intersections along Monument Avenue in Richmond, commemorating great Confederate men. The ‘Stonewall’ Jackson statue like other statues along this Avenue were publicly funded. A local Richmond sculptor Frederick William Sievers, sculpted both Jackson's and Mathew Maury's statues. The first cornerstone of Jackson's monument was laid on June 3, 1915, with it being fully unveiled on October 11, 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War. The official commemorative service on October 11, 1919, was attended by the Governor of Richmond with Robert E. Lee's grandson speaking at the service, Thomas Jackson's granddaughter and the sculptor's son pulled the ropes to unveil the completed monument. This was followed by a parade of Virginia Military Institute cadets, Virginia National Guards and school children who marched to the newly unveiled monument. It was suggested that the timely completion of the statue, may be a reminder of the model ‘young brave soldier’ who were now returning from another major war.

0157_T

Stonewall Jackson Monument

How does Stonewall Jackson Monument elucidate its Design?

The equestrian statue depicts the Confederate general, on his horse, Sorrel, holding the horse's reins in his left hand. The bronze sculpture measures 20 x 7 x 18 ft, with Mt. Airy granite base measuring 20 x 9 x 18 ft, surrounded by a wrought iron fence. There are oak leaves adorning the base of the statue which may reference the stoic nature of Jackson, while there is a Greek style art deco frieze lining the top of the base. The inscription on the east and west side of the granite base reads “STONEWALL JACKSON” while the inscription on the north side says “BORN 1824/DIED AT CHANCELLORSVILLE/1863”. Jackson's statue faced north which some suggest reference as if to continue the fight.

0157_NT

Stonewall Jackson Monument

How does this artwork elucidate its Design?

The equestrian statue depicts the Confederate general, on his horse, Sorrel, holding the horse's reins in his left hand. The bronze sculpture measures 20 x 7 x 18 ft, with Mt. Airy granite base measuring 20 x 9 x 18 ft, surrounded by a wrought iron fence. There are oak leaves adorning the base of the statue which may reference the stoic nature of Jackson, while there is a Greek style art deco frieze lining the top of the base. The inscription on the east and west side of the granite base reads “STONEWALL JACKSON” while the inscription on the north side says “BORN 1824/DIED AT CHANCELLORSVILLE/1863”. Jackson's statue faced north which some suggest reference as if to continue the fight.

0158_T

The Breakfast Table (Brack)

Focus on The Breakfast Table (Brack) and analyze the abstract.

The Breakfast Table is a 1958 still life painting by Australian artist John Brack. The painting depicts a table after breakfast but before the plates, cups and cutlery have been cleared.Breakfast has finished and the participants have gone, although the detective-like artist has set out visual clues that tell us about the people who were here. To begin with Brack himself, his painter-wife, and their four daughters are signified by a glass, a tea cup and four mugs. Of course, all these vessels are empty, much like the egg shell in its cup, and the five plates dotted with a few crumbs left from toast. Even bottles are drained of liquids. Not a scrap of food remains. No crusts, no dabs of butter, no unconsumed dregs of milk. The viewpoint of the artist is from over the table, laying out the objects in a geometrical pattern with tubular bottles and jars, flat plates, and knives tilted at different angles. The painting foreshadows some of Brack's later work—his 1960s still lifes portraying knives and his allegorical conflict paintings of the 1980s.Previously part of the Grundy collection, the Art Gallery of New South Wales acquired the work in 2013 for A$1.3 million.

0158_NT

The Breakfast Table (Brack)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

The Breakfast Table is a 1958 still life painting by Australian artist John Brack. The painting depicts a table after breakfast but before the plates, cups and cutlery have been cleared.Breakfast has finished and the participants have gone, although the detective-like artist has set out visual clues that tell us about the people who were here. To begin with Brack himself, his painter-wife, and their four daughters are signified by a glass, a tea cup and four mugs. Of course, all these vessels are empty, much like the egg shell in its cup, and the five plates dotted with a few crumbs left from toast. Even bottles are drained of liquids. Not a scrap of food remains. No crusts, no dabs of butter, no unconsumed dregs of milk. The viewpoint of the artist is from over the table, laying out the objects in a geometrical pattern with tubular bottles and jars, flat plates, and knives tilted at different angles. The painting foreshadows some of Brack's later work—his 1960s still lifes portraying knives and his allegorical conflict paintings of the 1980s.Previously part of the Grundy collection, the Art Gallery of New South Wales acquired the work in 2013 for A$1.3 million.

0159_T

Libuše and Přemysl

In Libuše and Přemysl, how is the abstract discussed?

Libuše and Přemysl (Czech: Libuše a Přemysl) is an outdoor sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek made in 1889-1897 for Palacký Bridge. Damaged from American bombing on February 14, 1945, bridge statues were removed in 1948 in connection with the bridge reconstruction and installed at Vyšehradské sady in Vyšehrad, Prague, Czech Republic. The statue was one at the New Town's side of Vltava and it was heavily damaged and repaired until reinstalled with the other three only in 1977. It depicts Přemysl the Ploughman and Libuše, the mythical Czech rulers settled in the 8th century at Vyšehrad.

0159_NT

Libuše and Přemysl

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

Libuše and Přemysl (Czech: Libuše a Přemysl) is an outdoor sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek made in 1889-1897 for Palacký Bridge. Damaged from American bombing on February 14, 1945, bridge statues were removed in 1948 in connection with the bridge reconstruction and installed at Vyšehradské sady in Vyšehrad, Prague, Czech Republic. The statue was one at the New Town's side of Vltava and it was heavily damaged and repaired until reinstalled with the other three only in 1977. It depicts Přemysl the Ploughman and Libuše, the mythical Czech rulers settled in the 8th century at Vyšehrad.

0160_T

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Focus on Trains to Life – Trains to Death and explore the abstract.

Trains to Life – Trains to Death is a 2.25 meter outdoor bronze sculpture by architect and sculptor Frank Meisler, installed outside the Friedrichstraße station at the intersection of Georgenstraße and Friedrichstraße, in Berlin, Germany. It is the second in a series of so far five installations also on display near train stations in London, Hamburg, Gdańsk and Hook of Holland.

0160_NT

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

Trains to Life – Trains to Death is a 2.25 meter outdoor bronze sculpture by architect and sculptor Frank Meisler, installed outside the Friedrichstraße station at the intersection of Georgenstraße and Friedrichstraße, in Berlin, Germany. It is the second in a series of so far five installations also on display near train stations in London, Hamburg, Gdańsk and Hook of Holland.

0161_T

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Focus on Trains to Life – Trains to Death and explain the Description.

The sculpture depicts two groups of children. One group is a pair of children symbolizing those saved by the Kindertransport, which brought 10,000 Jewish children from soon-to-be Nazi-occupied countries in Eastern Europe to safety in the United Kingdom and other countries. The other group consists of five children, who represent the 1,600,000 Jewish and non-Jewish children brought by Holocaust trains to the concentration camps and later killed there. Meisler himself was among those saved by the Kindertransport.

0161_NT

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Focus on this artwork and explain the Description.

The sculpture depicts two groups of children. One group is a pair of children symbolizing those saved by the Kindertransport, which brought 10,000 Jewish children from soon-to-be Nazi-occupied countries in Eastern Europe to safety in the United Kingdom and other countries. The other group consists of five children, who represent the 1,600,000 Jewish and non-Jewish children brought by Holocaust trains to the concentration camps and later killed there. Meisler himself was among those saved by the Kindertransport.

0162_T

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Explore the History of this artwork, Trains to Life – Trains to Death.

On January 2023 Pro-Palestinian protestors who illegally protested despite a ban on protests on the New Year eve vandalized the monument spraying graffiti on the statues of children and drawing mosques on their bodies.

0162_NT

Trains to Life – Trains to Death

Explore the History of this artwork.

On January 2023 Pro-Palestinian protestors who illegally protested despite a ban on protests on the New Year eve vandalized the monument spraying graffiti on the statues of children and drawing mosques on their bodies.

0163_T

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho

Focus on Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho and discuss the abstract.

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho or The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace is a famous 1884 history painting by Filipino painter, reformist, and propagandist Félix Resurrección Hidalgo. The painting is alternately known as The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Rabble, Jovenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (Christian Maidens Exposed to the Populace), Christian Virgins Presented to the Populace, The Christian Virgins Being Exposed to the Populace, and Christian Virgins Exposed to the Mob. The painting was a silver medalist (ninth silver medal award among forty-five) during the 1884 Exposicion General de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Spain, also known as the Madrid Exposition. According to Raquel A.G. Reyes, Hidalgo's winning the silver medal for the painting was a landmark achievement that proved the ability of Filipinos to match the work of Spaniards and laid claim to Filipino participation in European culture.Regarded as one of the national treasures of the Philippines, a copy of the painting is part of the art collection of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). The original was destroyed in a fire at the University of Valladolid in Spain. From 2015 until 2020, the painting was on a five-year loan to National Gallery Singapore as part of its Southeast Asian art galleries.

0163_NT

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho

Focus on this artwork and discuss the abstract.

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho or The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace is a famous 1884 history painting by Filipino painter, reformist, and propagandist Félix Resurrección Hidalgo. The painting is alternately known as The Christian Virgins Exposed to the Rabble, Jovenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho (Christian Maidens Exposed to the Populace), Christian Virgins Presented to the Populace, The Christian Virgins Being Exposed to the Populace, and Christian Virgins Exposed to the Mob. The painting was a silver medalist (ninth silver medal award among forty-five) during the 1884 Exposicion General de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Spain, also known as the Madrid Exposition. According to Raquel A.G. Reyes, Hidalgo's winning the silver medal for the painting was a landmark achievement that proved the ability of Filipinos to match the work of Spaniards and laid claim to Filipino participation in European culture.Regarded as one of the national treasures of the Philippines, a copy of the painting is part of the art collection of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines). The original was destroyed in a fire at the University of Valladolid in Spain. From 2015 until 2020, the painting was on a five-year loan to National Gallery Singapore as part of its Southeast Asian art galleries.

0164_T

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho

How does Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho elucidate its Description?

An oil on canvas painting measuring 1.15 m × 1.57 m (45 in × 62 in), Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho is a "landmark painting" depicting the persecution of Christians in Ancient Rome. Described as a masterpiece remarkable in the aspects of quality, composition, and historical context, it portrays two scantily clothed Christian female slaves being mocked by a group of boorish Roman male onlookers. One of the women is posed seated naked at the foreground of the painting with her "head bowed in misery". The semi-nude women have been stripped not only of their garments but also of their dignity. Created in the academic style of Europe, the unfortunate women in the artwork are considered by some indigenous Filipinos as virgins "being led out, stolen from, and ridiculed". The women are young virgins cornered by a mob of "sexually hungry" Roman men. One of the men has his hand over one semi-naked female whose eyes are "looking up to heaven" asking and begging for "help that never comes".Together with Juan Luna's Spoliarium, Hidalgo's Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho presents "human spoliage and spoils", with human spoilage more related to Luna's Spoliarium and the human spoils closer to Hidalgo's Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho. Such themes were presented to the "juries and audiences" of the Madrid exposition in order to satisfy the "erudition-quotient" essential to the conservative scholarly Neoclassicism of Hidalgo and Luna while they were spending time in Europe.

0164_NT

Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho

How does this artwork elucidate its Description?

An oil on canvas painting measuring 1.15 m × 1.57 m (45 in × 62 in), Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho is a "landmark painting" depicting the persecution of Christians in Ancient Rome. Described as a masterpiece remarkable in the aspects of quality, composition, and historical context, it portrays two scantily clothed Christian female slaves being mocked by a group of boorish Roman male onlookers. One of the women is posed seated naked at the foreground of the painting with her "head bowed in misery". The semi-nude women have been stripped not only of their garments but also of their dignity. Created in the academic style of Europe, the unfortunate women in the artwork are considered by some indigenous Filipinos as virgins "being led out, stolen from, and ridiculed". The women are young virgins cornered by a mob of "sexually hungry" Roman men. One of the men has his hand over one semi-naked female whose eyes are "looking up to heaven" asking and begging for "help that never comes".Together with Juan Luna's Spoliarium, Hidalgo's Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho presents "human spoliage and spoils", with human spoilage more related to Luna's Spoliarium and the human spoils closer to Hidalgo's Las Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho. Such themes were presented to the "juries and audiences" of the Madrid exposition in order to satisfy the "erudition-quotient" essential to the conservative scholarly Neoclassicism of Hidalgo and Luna while they were spending time in Europe.

0165_T

Christ Blessing (Raphael)

Focus on Christ Blessing (Raphael) and analyze the abstract.

Christ Blessing (Italian title: Cristo benedicente) is an oil on wood painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, executed c. 1500–1504. Since 1851, it is located in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia, Italy.The features of Christ bear some resemblance to a self-portrait of Raphael's.

0165_NT

Christ Blessing (Raphael)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Christ Blessing (Italian title: Cristo benedicente) is an oil on wood painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, executed c. 1500–1504. Since 1851, it is located in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, Brescia, Italy.The features of Christ bear some resemblance to a self-portrait of Raphael's.

0166_T

Jadeite Cabbage

In Jadeite Cabbage, how is the abstract discussed?

The Jadeite Cabbage (Chinese: 翠玉白菜; pinyin: Cuìyù Báicài; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhùi-ge̍k Pe̍h-chhài) or Jadeite Cabbage with Insects is a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a Chinese cabbage head, and with a locust and katydid camouflaged in the leaves. It is part of the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.Despite its popularity with museum-goers and frequent misrepresentation as a national treasure, it is only designated as a significant antiquity, having less rarity and value than required for categorization as a national treasure under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. For example, the Jadeite Cabbage has been called the "most famous masterpiece" of the entire National Palace Museum, and along with the Meat-Shaped Stone and the Mao Gong Ding, is today called one of the Three Treasures of the National Palace Museum, a redesignation from several less accessible, infrequently-displayed works. It has also been chosen by the public as the most important item in the museum's entire collection.

0166_NT

Jadeite Cabbage

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

The Jadeite Cabbage (Chinese: 翠玉白菜; pinyin: Cuìyù Báicài; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chhùi-ge̍k Pe̍h-chhài) or Jadeite Cabbage with Insects is a piece of jadeite carved into the shape of a Chinese cabbage head, and with a locust and katydid camouflaged in the leaves. It is part of the collection of the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan.Despite its popularity with museum-goers and frequent misrepresentation as a national treasure, it is only designated as a significant antiquity, having less rarity and value than required for categorization as a national treasure under the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. For example, the Jadeite Cabbage has been called the "most famous masterpiece" of the entire National Palace Museum, and along with the Meat-Shaped Stone and the Mao Gong Ding, is today called one of the Three Treasures of the National Palace Museum, a redesignation from several less accessible, infrequently-displayed works. It has also been chosen by the public as the most important item in the museum's entire collection.

0167_T

Jadeite Cabbage

Focus on Jadeite Cabbage and explore the History.

The sculptor of the Jadeite Cabbage is not known. It was first displayed in the Forbidden City's Yonghe Palace, the residence of the Qing Empire's Guangxu Emperor's Consort Jin, who probably received it as part of her dowry for her wedding to Guangxu in 1889. Following the fall of the Qing Empire in the Chinese Revolution of 1911, the sculpture became part of the collection of the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City. Along with a core of that collection, the piece survived the Second Sino-Japanese War (World War II) and the Chinese Civil War and was eventually relocated to Taiwan's National Palace Museum.

0167_NT

Jadeite Cabbage

Focus on this artwork and explore the History.

The sculptor of the Jadeite Cabbage is not known. It was first displayed in the Forbidden City's Yonghe Palace, the residence of the Qing Empire's Guangxu Emperor's Consort Jin, who probably received it as part of her dowry for her wedding to Guangxu in 1889. Following the fall of the Qing Empire in the Chinese Revolution of 1911, the sculpture became part of the collection of the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City. Along with a core of that collection, the piece survived the Second Sino-Japanese War (World War II) and the Chinese Civil War and was eventually relocated to Taiwan's National Palace Museum.

0168_T

Suleyman's Eagle

Focus on Suleyman's Eagle and explain the abstract.

Suleyman's Eagle (Russian: Орёл Сулеймана, romanized: Oryol Suleymana) is a bronze figure of an eagle, made in the 8th century in the Arab Caliphate, first documented in the village of Erzi of the Republic of Ingushetia by Chakh Akhriev in 1875.

0168_NT

Suleyman's Eagle

Focus on this artwork and explain the abstract.

Suleyman's Eagle (Russian: Орёл Сулеймана, romanized: Oryol Suleymana) is a bronze figure of an eagle, made in the 8th century in the Arab Caliphate, first documented in the village of Erzi of the Republic of Ingushetia by Chakh Akhriev in 1875.

0169_T

Suleyman's Eagle

Explore the History of this artwork, Suleyman's Eagle.

In 1936 the statue was relocated St. Petersburg, where it is exhibited in the Hall of Culture and Art of the Hermitage Museum. Before the nationalization and transfer to the Hermitage, for generations it was kept by the Ingush clan (teip) Mamilov, who used it as their coat of arms. V.B. Vinogradov wrote about the special reverence that strong birds enjoyed among the local Ingush highlanders, as the eagle may have been the totem of the inhabitants of Erzi. The statue's height is 38 cm. It is hollow on the inside, inlaid with silver and copper. The neck is engraved in Arabic with the Tasmiyyah: بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرّحْمَنِ الرّحِيم Translated into English: "In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." Embossed on the opposite side is the name of the master-manufacturer, "Suleyman", as well as the date of creation - year 189 of the Hijri calendar (equivalent to years 796–797 of the Gregorian calendar).The official website of the Hermitage specified that the information about the place of manufacture of figurines can not be read, but the scientific community widely believes that this relic is made in Basra (now The Republic of Iraq) - one of the cultural and craft centers of the Arab Caliphate. Only three similar in shape figurines exist in the world: in the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin; in the city of Lucca in Italy; and in Saint Catherine's Monastery in Egypt.

0169_NT

Suleyman's Eagle

Explore the History of this artwork.

In 1936 the statue was relocated St. Petersburg, where it is exhibited in the Hall of Culture and Art of the Hermitage Museum. Before the nationalization and transfer to the Hermitage, for generations it was kept by the Ingush clan (teip) Mamilov, who used it as their coat of arms. V.B. Vinogradov wrote about the special reverence that strong birds enjoyed among the local Ingush highlanders, as the eagle may have been the totem of the inhabitants of Erzi. The statue's height is 38 cm. It is hollow on the inside, inlaid with silver and copper. The neck is engraved in Arabic with the Tasmiyyah: بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرّحْمَنِ الرّحِيم Translated into English: "In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." Embossed on the opposite side is the name of the master-manufacturer, "Suleyman", as well as the date of creation - year 189 of the Hijri calendar (equivalent to years 796–797 of the Gregorian calendar).The official website of the Hermitage specified that the information about the place of manufacture of figurines can not be read, but the scientific community widely believes that this relic is made in Basra (now The Republic of Iraq) - one of the cultural and craft centers of the Arab Caliphate. Only three similar in shape figurines exist in the world: in the Museum of Islamic Art in Berlin; in the city of Lucca in Italy; and in Saint Catherine's Monastery in Egypt.

0170_T

Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park)

Focus on Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park) and discuss the abstract.

A statue of José Martí by Anna Hyatt Huntington is installed in Manhattan's Central Park, in the U.S. state of New York.

0170_NT

Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park)

Focus on this artwork and discuss the abstract.

A statue of José Martí by Anna Hyatt Huntington is installed in Manhattan's Central Park, in the U.S. state of New York.

0171_T

Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park)

How does Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park) elucidate its Description and history?

The monument features a bronze sculpture resting on a dark Barre granite pedestal designed by the architectural firm Clarke & Rapuano and donated by the Cuban government. The statue was cast in 1959, dedicated in May 1965, and conserved by the Central Park Conservancy in 1992 with funds raised by Cuban-Americans.An inscription on the east side of the base reads: "APOSTOL DE LA INDEPENDENCIA / DE CUBA GUIA DE LOS PUEBLOS / AMERICANOS Y PALADIN DE LA / DIGNIDAD HUMANA SU GENIO / LITERARIO RIVALIZA CON SU / CLARIVIDENCIA POLITICA NACIO / EN HABANA EL 28 DE ENERO DE / 1853. VIVIO QUINCE ANOS DE SU / DESTIERRO EN LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA / YORK MURIO EN EL COMBATE DE / DOS RIOS PROVINCIA DE ORIENTE / EL 19 DE MAYO DE 1895." An inscription on the base's west side reads, "APOSTLE OF CUBAN INDEPENDENCE / LEADER OF THE PEOPLES OF AMERICA / AND DEFENDER OF HUMAN DIGNITY / HIS LITERACY GENIUS VIED WITH HIS / POLITICAL FORESIGHT. HE WAS BORN / IN HAVANA ON JANUARY 28, 1853 / FOR FIFTEEN YEARS OF HIS EXILE HE LIVED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. / HE DIED IN ACTION AT DOS RIOS IN / ORIENTE PROVINCE ON MAY 19, 1895."

0171_NT

Equestrian statue of José Martí (Central Park)

How does this artwork elucidate its Description and history?

The monument features a bronze sculpture resting on a dark Barre granite pedestal designed by the architectural firm Clarke & Rapuano and donated by the Cuban government. The statue was cast in 1959, dedicated in May 1965, and conserved by the Central Park Conservancy in 1992 with funds raised by Cuban-Americans.An inscription on the east side of the base reads: "APOSTOL DE LA INDEPENDENCIA / DE CUBA GUIA DE LOS PUEBLOS / AMERICANOS Y PALADIN DE LA / DIGNIDAD HUMANA SU GENIO / LITERARIO RIVALIZA CON SU / CLARIVIDENCIA POLITICA NACIO / EN HABANA EL 28 DE ENERO DE / 1853. VIVIO QUINCE ANOS DE SU / DESTIERRO EN LA CIUDAD DE NUEVA / YORK MURIO EN EL COMBATE DE / DOS RIOS PROVINCIA DE ORIENTE / EL 19 DE MAYO DE 1895." An inscription on the base's west side reads, "APOSTLE OF CUBAN INDEPENDENCE / LEADER OF THE PEOPLES OF AMERICA / AND DEFENDER OF HUMAN DIGNITY / HIS LITERACY GENIUS VIED WITH HIS / POLITICAL FORESIGHT. HE WAS BORN / IN HAVANA ON JANUARY 28, 1853 / FOR FIFTEEN YEARS OF HIS EXILE HE LIVED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK. / HE DIED IN ACTION AT DOS RIOS IN / ORIENTE PROVINCE ON MAY 19, 1895."

0172_T

Helen of Troy (painting)

Focus on Helen of Troy (painting) and analyze the abstract.

Helen of Troy is an 1898 painting by the English artist Evelyn De Morgan depicting Helen of Troy; it was commissioned by William Imrie of Liverpool.Compositionally, the painting is similar to De Morgan's Flora and Cassandra: Helena is standing upright and tall, in a peaceful posture that reminds to Boticcelli's representations of Greek and Roman goddesses (such as Athena or Venus) that are, at the same time, an evocation of classical art, a usual characteristic between Renaissance artists. Helena has been removed from the common artistic elements of the Trojan War: despite dealing with a typically bellic topic, De Morgan decides to paint, instead of weapons and battles, the wonderful pink clothes and the fascinated look that Helena puts on the mirror that is reflecting her beautiful face, elements that can be read as symbols of her inconscient vanity, which eventually brought a long and terrible war and destruction to the city of Troy, which we can see in the last term of the composition, on top of a hill. The presence of the moon-sun in the sky is also related to her feminine and voluble nature.

0172_NT

Helen of Troy (painting)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Helen of Troy is an 1898 painting by the English artist Evelyn De Morgan depicting Helen of Troy; it was commissioned by William Imrie of Liverpool.Compositionally, the painting is similar to De Morgan's Flora and Cassandra: Helena is standing upright and tall, in a peaceful posture that reminds to Boticcelli's representations of Greek and Roman goddesses (such as Athena or Venus) that are, at the same time, an evocation of classical art, a usual characteristic between Renaissance artists. Helena has been removed from the common artistic elements of the Trojan War: despite dealing with a typically bellic topic, De Morgan decides to paint, instead of weapons and battles, the wonderful pink clothes and the fascinated look that Helena puts on the mirror that is reflecting her beautiful face, elements that can be read as symbols of her inconscient vanity, which eventually brought a long and terrible war and destruction to the city of Troy, which we can see in the last term of the composition, on top of a hill. The presence of the moon-sun in the sky is also related to her feminine and voluble nature.

0173_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

In Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475), how is the abstract discussed?

The Adoration of the Magi (Italian: Adorazione dei Magi) is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli. Botticelli painted this piece for the altar in Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama's chapel in Santa Maria Novella around 1475. This painting depicts the Biblical story of the Three Magi following a star to find the newborn Jesus. The image of the altarpiece centers on the Virgin Mary and the newborn Jesus, with Saint Joseph behind them. Before them are the three kings who are described in the New Testament story of the Adoration of the Magi. The three kings worship the Christ Child and present him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In addition, the Holy Family is surrounded by a group of people who came to see the child who was said to be the son of God.

0173_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

The Adoration of the Magi (Italian: Adorazione dei Magi) is a painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli. Botticelli painted this piece for the altar in Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama's chapel in Santa Maria Novella around 1475. This painting depicts the Biblical story of the Three Magi following a star to find the newborn Jesus. The image of the altarpiece centers on the Virgin Mary and the newborn Jesus, with Saint Joseph behind them. Before them are the three kings who are described in the New Testament story of the Adoration of the Magi. The three kings worship the Christ Child and present him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In addition, the Holy Family is surrounded by a group of people who came to see the child who was said to be the son of God.

0174_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475) and explore the Patron.

Around the year 1475, the Florentine banker and financial broker, Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama (alternately spelled: Guasparre dal Lama; Lami) commissioned the painting of the Adoration of the Magi by Sandro Botticelli. Gaspare di Zanobi, the son of a barber, was from Empoli, a small town outside of Florence. The altarpiece was commissioned for the altar of Gaspare's funerary chapel located in the Dominican monastery, Santa Maria Novella.The chapel, and therefore the painting, would have been visible to the public. The panel depicts the biblical story of The Adoration of the Magi, and includes prominent members of the Medici family, as well as the patron, Gaspare (the Italian equivalent of Caspar, one of the three magi, and thus may account in part for the choice of the subject of the painting). Gaspare can be seen in the middle of the group of figures located to the right of the central scene. He is shown as an older man with white-grey hair who wears a blue robe and makes eye contact with the viewer. The figure who stands at the far right of the painting's foreground wears a yellow and gold-colored cloak and has been accepted by most scholars to be a self-portrait of the artist, Botticelli. Gaspare di Zanobi's private chapel was dedicated on January 6, the feast day for the Epiphany, illustrating one of the many symbolic references found in the painting.

0174_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on this artwork and explore the Patron.

Around the year 1475, the Florentine banker and financial broker, Gaspare di Zanobi del Lama (alternately spelled: Guasparre dal Lama; Lami) commissioned the painting of the Adoration of the Magi by Sandro Botticelli. Gaspare di Zanobi, the son of a barber, was from Empoli, a small town outside of Florence. The altarpiece was commissioned for the altar of Gaspare's funerary chapel located in the Dominican monastery, Santa Maria Novella.The chapel, and therefore the painting, would have been visible to the public. The panel depicts the biblical story of The Adoration of the Magi, and includes prominent members of the Medici family, as well as the patron, Gaspare (the Italian equivalent of Caspar, one of the three magi, and thus may account in part for the choice of the subject of the painting). Gaspare can be seen in the middle of the group of figures located to the right of the central scene. He is shown as an older man with white-grey hair who wears a blue robe and makes eye contact with the viewer. The figure who stands at the far right of the painting's foreground wears a yellow and gold-colored cloak and has been accepted by most scholars to be a self-portrait of the artist, Botticelli. Gaspare di Zanobi's private chapel was dedicated on January 6, the feast day for the Epiphany, illustrating one of the many symbolic references found in the painting.

0175_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475) and explain the Provenance.

The painting was passed down to the descendants of Gasparre di Zanobi del Lama and remained in its original location for nearly 100 years. The rights to the altar were transferred to the Fedini family around 1522. The altar was then passed on to Fabio Arrazola de Mondragone, Marquess of Mondragone, around 1570. He moved the painting off of the altar and to his palace, which was seized along with the rest of his property in 1575 due to his betrayal of Francesco I de' Medici (r. 1541-1587), who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The painting was then moved to the grand ducal collections in 1575 and then to the Villa del Poggio Imperiale in 1622. In 1796, it moved to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, where it remains to this day. The painting was in the Minneapolis Institute of Art for an exhibition in 2022/23.

0175_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on this artwork and explain the Provenance.

The painting was passed down to the descendants of Gasparre di Zanobi del Lama and remained in its original location for nearly 100 years. The rights to the altar were transferred to the Fedini family around 1522. The altar was then passed on to Fabio Arrazola de Mondragone, Marquess of Mondragone, around 1570. He moved the painting off of the altar and to his palace, which was seized along with the rest of his property in 1575 due to his betrayal of Francesco I de' Medici (r. 1541-1587), who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The painting was then moved to the grand ducal collections in 1575 and then to the Villa del Poggio Imperiale in 1622. In 1796, it moved to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, where it remains to this day. The painting was in the Minneapolis Institute of Art for an exhibition in 2022/23.

0176_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Explore the Description of this artwork, Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475).

Botticelli's scene is set within a landscape that includes classical ruins from the Greco-Roman world, such as the classical arcade in the middle ground at the left. The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Christ Child are sitting upon one of these classical ruins that served as a makeshift manger where the birth (nativity) of Christ occurred. Greenery is growing out of the cracks in the ruin, and a peacock is perched at the right. The star of Bethlehem radiates gold rays at the top of the painting, highlighting the Virgin and Child.The formal elements of Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi include solid, firm figures, and intense, saturated colors, especially reds. These elements helped the painting stand out on the altar, as it was competing with a magnificent frame and was muted by limited lighting. It is important to consider in which conditions the painting would have been viewed at the time it was created: after sundown, it would have been viewed in candlelight, which may have caused the reds to become warm and to appear as if they were glowing. This glow is not visible today as the painting is now lit by artificial lighting.

0176_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Explore the Description of this artwork.

Botticelli's scene is set within a landscape that includes classical ruins from the Greco-Roman world, such as the classical arcade in the middle ground at the left. The Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Christ Child are sitting upon one of these classical ruins that served as a makeshift manger where the birth (nativity) of Christ occurred. Greenery is growing out of the cracks in the ruin, and a peacock is perched at the right. The star of Bethlehem radiates gold rays at the top of the painting, highlighting the Virgin and Child.The formal elements of Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi include solid, firm figures, and intense, saturated colors, especially reds. These elements helped the painting stand out on the altar, as it was competing with a magnificent frame and was muted by limited lighting. It is important to consider in which conditions the painting would have been viewed at the time it was created: after sundown, it would have been viewed in candlelight, which may have caused the reds to become warm and to appear as if they were glowing. This glow is not visible today as the painting is now lit by artificial lighting.

0177_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475) and discuss the The subject.

The story of the Adoration of the Magi (or "Kings") was a standard episode in cycles of the Life of the Virgin and Life of Christ in art and so frequently painted throughout the fifteenth by artists including Botticelli, and his mentor Filippo Lippi. Botticelli was commissioned to paint it at least seven times. Patrons and painters throughout Europe were particularly drawn to this story, especially in Florence, Italy. Wealthy patrons may have been particularly drawn to the display of riches and finery that were displayed in the magi's expensive and exotic clothes and gifts. In Italian cities such as Florence many patrons were themselves involved in international trade, including with parts of the Islamic world. The "Other" is a term used by art historians today that describes how Europeans viewers cast unknown peoples and foreigners, including Muslims, Jews and peoples from the so-called "Orient" (the East), as well as indigenous cultures from the so-called "New World" of the Ancient Americas (who do not appear in this sunject). In theology the Three Magi represented the first Gentiles to recognise Christ, and legendary accretions to the story made each represent a different part of the world beyond Europe and the Middle East. Identifiable clothing was one of the main ways the "Other" was depicted. For instance, many of the figures are shown wearing different types of textiles that have bands of gold at the shoulders and the hems; these likely refer to Asian textiles known as "tartar cloths" or Islamic-style tiraz textiles with inscriptions. Examples of these exotic luxury goods were available in various church collections across the different Italian city-states, including the treasury of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Luxury textiles from Asia and Islamic lands became signifiers of wealth, prestige and thus functioned as status symbols--when included in a religious painting like Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi, they functioned as a way to bestow honor and glory on images of holy figures and well as the patron.Another way the idea of "Other" is demonstrated was by the inclusion of rare and exotic objects in artistic representations. There are several different types of gold cups and receptacles that are presented by the three kings Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi. In other versions of this subject by various artists, different types of expensive luxury items were included in the story thereby reflecting Christian European fascination with the exotic. For example, Andrea Mantegna's The Adoration of the Magi (1462) depicts the three kings presenting the Christ child with novel gifts: Melchior presents an incense censer from Ottoman Turkey, Balthazar holds an agate jar from Persia, and Caspar holds a blue and white Chinese porcelain bowl. The objects represented in these paintings likely referred to similar objects in both royal and ecclesiastical collections, as well as those luxury items far-away lands available at markets in places like Florence and Venice.

0177_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on this artwork and discuss the The subject.

The story of the Adoration of the Magi (or "Kings") was a standard episode in cycles of the Life of the Virgin and Life of Christ in art and so frequently painted throughout the fifteenth by artists including Botticelli, and his mentor Filippo Lippi. Botticelli was commissioned to paint it at least seven times. Patrons and painters throughout Europe were particularly drawn to this story, especially in Florence, Italy. Wealthy patrons may have been particularly drawn to the display of riches and finery that were displayed in the magi's expensive and exotic clothes and gifts. In Italian cities such as Florence many patrons were themselves involved in international trade, including with parts of the Islamic world. The "Other" is a term used by art historians today that describes how Europeans viewers cast unknown peoples and foreigners, including Muslims, Jews and peoples from the so-called "Orient" (the East), as well as indigenous cultures from the so-called "New World" of the Ancient Americas (who do not appear in this sunject). In theology the Three Magi represented the first Gentiles to recognise Christ, and legendary accretions to the story made each represent a different part of the world beyond Europe and the Middle East. Identifiable clothing was one of the main ways the "Other" was depicted. For instance, many of the figures are shown wearing different types of textiles that have bands of gold at the shoulders and the hems; these likely refer to Asian textiles known as "tartar cloths" or Islamic-style tiraz textiles with inscriptions. Examples of these exotic luxury goods were available in various church collections across the different Italian city-states, including the treasury of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Luxury textiles from Asia and Islamic lands became signifiers of wealth, prestige and thus functioned as status symbols--when included in a religious painting like Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi, they functioned as a way to bestow honor and glory on images of holy figures and well as the patron.Another way the idea of "Other" is demonstrated was by the inclusion of rare and exotic objects in artistic representations. There are several different types of gold cups and receptacles that are presented by the three kings Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi. In other versions of this subject by various artists, different types of expensive luxury items were included in the story thereby reflecting Christian European fascination with the exotic. For example, Andrea Mantegna's The Adoration of the Magi (1462) depicts the three kings presenting the Christ child with novel gifts: Melchior presents an incense censer from Ottoman Turkey, Balthazar holds an agate jar from Persia, and Caspar holds a blue and white Chinese porcelain bowl. The objects represented in these paintings likely referred to similar objects in both royal and ecclesiastical collections, as well as those luxury items far-away lands available at markets in places like Florence and Venice.

0178_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

How does Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475) elucidate its Botticelli, the Medici, and Portraits of the Medici Family?

The Medici were a very powerful and wealthy family in Italy in the 1400s. In the 1470s, Sandro Botticelli developed a close relationship with the Medici family. The Medici family commissioned a series of artworks painted by Botticelli throughout the late 1400s. These works include Portrait of a Young Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder (c. 1474/75), where the man resembled the likeness of Cosimo de' Medici, and changed the direction of portrait painting, especially with the use of such a prominent male subject. Furthermore, Botticelli painted multiple different portraits of Giuliano de’ Medici throughout the 1470s.There are different theories of who is included or if they are even included at all. One interpretation comes from the first edition of Giorgio Vasari's Lives (1500). Vasari wrote that the oldest Magus, Caspar, was a depiction of Cosimo de’ Medici (r.1434-1464), who was the head of the Medici household and Medici Bank from 1429-1464. Vasari goes on to write that the Magus in the middle represents Giuliano de’ Medici (1453-1478), and that the last Magus is Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici, the son of Cosimo de’ Medici. Another interpretation comes from Heinrich Ulmann's 1983 monograph on Botticelli in which he proposed that the central Magus is actually Piero di Cosimo de' Medici (r.1464-1469). Ulmann also suggests that the dark-haired man behind the youngest Magus is Giuliano de’ Medici (b.1453-d.1478) and that the young man with the sword on the left is Lorenzo de’ Medici (r.1449-1492), otherwise known as Lorenzo il Magnifico. Most scholars agree that The Adoration of the Magi includes the Medici family patron, Cosimo de' Medici and his sons Piero di Cosimo de' Medici (r.1464-1469) and Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici (b.1421-d.1463), as posthumous portraits, as well as his grandsons Lorenzo de' Medici (r.1449-1492) and Giuliano de' Medici (b.1453-d.1478), as living portraits.The inclusion of the Medici portraits in Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi shows just how influential the family was in Italian society at the time. Moreover, the Medici were customarily shown as the magi because they were members of the Florentine confraternity, the Company of the Magi.It is also possible that their portraits were used to convey the desire for divine protection for the Medici family. Whether Botticelli's intimate relations with the Medici brothers allowed the wealthy Gaspare to introduce the portraits of their kinsmen in his altar-piece, or Gaspare was glad for this opportunity to pay a graceful compliment to these powerful personages is hard to tell. It is, however, apparent from the great pains Botticelli took with these figures, that this formed an important part of the task.

0178_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

How does this artwork elucidate its Botticelli, the Medici, and Portraits of the Medici Family?

The Medici were a very powerful and wealthy family in Italy in the 1400s. In the 1470s, Sandro Botticelli developed a close relationship with the Medici family. The Medici family commissioned a series of artworks painted by Botticelli throughout the late 1400s. These works include Portrait of a Young Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder (c. 1474/75), where the man resembled the likeness of Cosimo de' Medici, and changed the direction of portrait painting, especially with the use of such a prominent male subject. Furthermore, Botticelli painted multiple different portraits of Giuliano de’ Medici throughout the 1470s.There are different theories of who is included or if they are even included at all. One interpretation comes from the first edition of Giorgio Vasari's Lives (1500). Vasari wrote that the oldest Magus, Caspar, was a depiction of Cosimo de’ Medici (r.1434-1464), who was the head of the Medici household and Medici Bank from 1429-1464. Vasari goes on to write that the Magus in the middle represents Giuliano de’ Medici (1453-1478), and that the last Magus is Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici, the son of Cosimo de’ Medici. Another interpretation comes from Heinrich Ulmann's 1983 monograph on Botticelli in which he proposed that the central Magus is actually Piero di Cosimo de' Medici (r.1464-1469). Ulmann also suggests that the dark-haired man behind the youngest Magus is Giuliano de’ Medici (b.1453-d.1478) and that the young man with the sword on the left is Lorenzo de’ Medici (r.1449-1492), otherwise known as Lorenzo il Magnifico. Most scholars agree that The Adoration of the Magi includes the Medici family patron, Cosimo de' Medici and his sons Piero di Cosimo de' Medici (r.1464-1469) and Giovanni di Cosimo de' Medici (b.1421-d.1463), as posthumous portraits, as well as his grandsons Lorenzo de' Medici (r.1449-1492) and Giuliano de' Medici (b.1453-d.1478), as living portraits.The inclusion of the Medici portraits in Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi shows just how influential the family was in Italian society at the time. Moreover, the Medici were customarily shown as the magi because they were members of the Florentine confraternity, the Company of the Magi.It is also possible that their portraits were used to convey the desire for divine protection for the Medici family. Whether Botticelli's intimate relations with the Medici brothers allowed the wealthy Gaspare to introduce the portraits of their kinsmen in his altar-piece, or Gaspare was glad for this opportunity to pay a graceful compliment to these powerful personages is hard to tell. It is, however, apparent from the great pains Botticelli took with these figures, that this formed an important part of the task.

0179_T

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475) and analyze the Style.

In his Lives, Vasari describes the Adoration in the following way:of the heads in this scene is indescribable, their attitudes all different, some full-face, some in profile, some three-quarters, some bent down, and in various other ways, while the expressions of the attendants, both young and old, are greatly varied, displaying the artist's perfect mastery of his profession. Sandro further clearly shows the distinction between the suites of each of the kings. It is a marvelous work in colour, design and composition. The attention to details, such as the garments rendering, shows the acquisition by the Florentine artist of the influences from the Flemish school at this point of his career.

0179_NT

Adoration of the Magi (Botticelli, 1475)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the Style.

In his Lives, Vasari describes the Adoration in the following way:of the heads in this scene is indescribable, their attitudes all different, some full-face, some in profile, some three-quarters, some bent down, and in various other ways, while the expressions of the attendants, both young and old, are greatly varied, displaying the artist's perfect mastery of his profession. Sandro further clearly shows the distinction between the suites of each of the kings. It is a marvelous work in colour, design and composition. The attention to details, such as the garments rendering, shows the acquisition by the Florentine artist of the influences from the Flemish school at this point of his career.

0180_T

In a Roman Osteria

In In a Roman Osteria, how is the abstract discussed?

In a Roman Osteria is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Danish painter Carl Bloch. It was painted in 1866. One of Bloch's better-known genre scenes, the painting was commissioned by the merchant Moritz G. Melchior, Bloch's friend and major supporter who is included in the background of the painting.

0180_NT

In a Roman Osteria

In this artwork, how is the abstract discussed?

In a Roman Osteria is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Danish painter Carl Bloch. It was painted in 1866. One of Bloch's better-known genre scenes, the painting was commissioned by the merchant Moritz G. Melchior, Bloch's friend and major supporter who is included in the background of the painting.

0181_T

In a Roman Osteria

Focus on In a Roman Osteria and explore the History.

Carl Bloch was a personal friend of Moritz G. Melchior. He often visited the Melchior family for dinner on Thursdays in their home on the second floor at Højbro Plads 21. Other friends of the family, who would often also attend the Thursday Dinners, included the writer Hans Christian Andersen and the painter Frederik Christian Lund, poet and museum administrator Carl Andersen and representatives of the press such as Dagbladet editor C. St. A. Bille, journalists Robert Watt and P. "Cabiro" Hansen and publisher and editor of Fædrelandet ('The Fatherland') Carl Ploug.Melchior commissioned the painting from Bloch in connection with a journey to Italy. He requested a painting similar to that of Wilhelm Marstrand's Italian Osteria Scene, Girl welcoming a Person entering (1847).The Polish-Danish painter Elisabeth Jerichau Baumann also made a version of the scene and there are at least three variations of that painting. The unframed oil on canvas measures 148.5 by 177.5 centimetres (58.5 by 69.9 in).In 1884, Melchior bequeathed the painting to the Danish National Gallery. It was handed over to the museum following the death of Melchior's daughter Louise in 1935.

0181_NT

In a Roman Osteria

Focus on this artwork and explore the History.

Carl Bloch was a personal friend of Moritz G. Melchior. He often visited the Melchior family for dinner on Thursdays in their home on the second floor at Højbro Plads 21. Other friends of the family, who would often also attend the Thursday Dinners, included the writer Hans Christian Andersen and the painter Frederik Christian Lund, poet and museum administrator Carl Andersen and representatives of the press such as Dagbladet editor C. St. A. Bille, journalists Robert Watt and P. "Cabiro" Hansen and publisher and editor of Fædrelandet ('The Fatherland') Carl Ploug.Melchior commissioned the painting from Bloch in connection with a journey to Italy. He requested a painting similar to that of Wilhelm Marstrand's Italian Osteria Scene, Girl welcoming a Person entering (1847).The Polish-Danish painter Elisabeth Jerichau Baumann also made a version of the scene and there are at least three variations of that painting. The unframed oil on canvas measures 148.5 by 177.5 centimetres (58.5 by 69.9 in).In 1884, Melchior bequeathed the painting to the Danish National Gallery. It was handed over to the museum following the death of Melchior's daughter Louise in 1935.

0182_T

In a Roman Osteria

Focus on In a Roman Osteria and explain the Description.

The setting is in the interior of a Roman osteria. In the forefront, there is a table with three customers: a young man is facing two young women. The one on the left of the man wears a headscarf in the typical garb of married Roman women at the time. The man is seen turning toward the onlooker with an angry expression, whereas the woman at his left is looking with a smiling one, and the (presumably slightly older) other woman looks amused in the same direction. A cat sits to the left of the young woman, silently judging the onlooker. The painter depicted himself in the background, sitting at a table talking with two friends; his back is turned to the viewer.

0182_NT

In a Roman Osteria

Focus on this artwork and explain the Description.

The setting is in the interior of a Roman osteria. In the forefront, there is a table with three customers: a young man is facing two young women. The one on the left of the man wears a headscarf in the typical garb of married Roman women at the time. The man is seen turning toward the onlooker with an angry expression, whereas the woman at his left is looking with a smiling one, and the (presumably slightly older) other woman looks amused in the same direction. A cat sits to the left of the young woman, silently judging the onlooker. The painter depicted himself in the background, sitting at a table talking with two friends; his back is turned to the viewer.

0183_T

Calm Waters

Explore the abstract of this artwork, Calm Waters.

Calm Waters is a 2013 large glass and paint installation by artist Katherine Bradford. It is located on the Eskenazi Health campus, near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and is part of the Eskenazi Health Art Collection.

0183_NT

Calm Waters

Explore the abstract of this artwork.

Calm Waters is a 2013 large glass and paint installation by artist Katherine Bradford. It is located on the Eskenazi Health campus, near downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, and is part of the Eskenazi Health Art Collection.

0184_T

Calm Waters

Focus on Calm Waters and discuss the Description.

Calm Waters is a 2013 mixed-media installation by artist Kathy Bradford, which consists of seven panels of ⅜-inch thick glass that sit several inches in front of a painted abstract pattern resembling waves in blue, gray and teal. The glass panels consist of sand-carved clear laminated glass and clear, white and gray etched glass. A technique known as glue-chipping, which creates a sparkle effect, is also used on the panels. The layered arrangement of glass and paint, which measures 77" x 238" overall, creates the illusion of both notable depth and change or movement as pedestrians walk past. Of the work's subject and purpose, the artist has said, "This imagery is of a large body of calm water with cloud reflections throughout the composition. This imagery is intended to transport the thoughts of the viewer, creating relaxation and calmness. Combining the art glass with the painted wall behind the glass surface creates multiple colors shifting throughout the composition. It is intended to intrigue the viewer and encourage further investigation."

0184_NT

Calm Waters

Focus on this artwork and discuss the Description.

Calm Waters is a 2013 mixed-media installation by artist Kathy Bradford, which consists of seven panels of ⅜-inch thick glass that sit several inches in front of a painted abstract pattern resembling waves in blue, gray and teal. The glass panels consist of sand-carved clear laminated glass and clear, white and gray etched glass. A technique known as glue-chipping, which creates a sparkle effect, is also used on the panels. The layered arrangement of glass and paint, which measures 77" x 238" overall, creates the illusion of both notable depth and change or movement as pedestrians walk past. Of the work's subject and purpose, the artist has said, "This imagery is of a large body of calm water with cloud reflections throughout the composition. This imagery is intended to transport the thoughts of the viewer, creating relaxation and calmness. Combining the art glass with the painted wall behind the glass surface creates multiple colors shifting throughout the composition. It is intended to intrigue the viewer and encourage further investigation."

0185_T

Calm Waters

How does Calm Waters elucidate its Artist?

Bradford attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City where she earned a BA in art education. Her studies in glass continued at Colorado Mountain College and at the Stained Glass School with the artist Paul Marioni. Her work has been profiled in Art Glass Quarterly and Glass Art magazine, and she has lectured at glass art conferences internationally. Her commissions include public art for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and glass art for the Abramson Center for Jewish Life in Philadelphia, the Russian Tea Room in New York and the Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. She received the National Decade of Excellence Award for glass fusing and slumping. She lives in Lyons, Colorado.

0185_NT

Calm Waters

How does this artwork elucidate its Artist?

Bradford attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City where she earned a BA in art education. Her studies in glass continued at Colorado Mountain College and at the Stained Glass School with the artist Paul Marioni. Her work has been profiled in Art Glass Quarterly and Glass Art magazine, and she has lectured at glass art conferences internationally. Her commissions include public art for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and glass art for the Abramson Center for Jewish Life in Philadelphia, the Russian Tea Room in New York and the Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Illinois. She received the National Decade of Excellence Award for glass fusing and slumping. She lives in Lyons, Colorado.

0186_T

Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco)

Focus on Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco) and analyze the abstract.

Holy Face of Jesus (or The Veil of Veronica) is a 1586–1595 painting by El Greco of the Holy Face of Jesus on a veil. It is now in the Museo del Prado, in Madrid, which acquired it in 1944 using funds from a legacy from the conde de Cartagena.A popular iconographic motif in the Middle Ages, it stems from the story of the woman who offered her veil to Jesus on his way to Calvary in order for Him to wipe His brow, after which His face was imprinted on the material. However the event is not recorded in the Bible and the name Veronica may have developed by wordplay and personification from vera icona (true icon) and by association with the quite separate account of the Veronica who was healed by touching Christ's robe.

0186_NT

Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco)

Focus on this artwork and analyze the abstract.

Holy Face of Jesus (or The Veil of Veronica) is a 1586–1595 painting by El Greco of the Holy Face of Jesus on a veil. It is now in the Museo del Prado, in Madrid, which acquired it in 1944 using funds from a legacy from the conde de Cartagena.A popular iconographic motif in the Middle Ages, it stems from the story of the woman who offered her veil to Jesus on his way to Calvary in order for Him to wipe His brow, after which His face was imprinted on the material. However the event is not recorded in the Bible and the name Veronica may have developed by wordplay and personification from vera icona (true icon) and by association with the quite separate account of the Veronica who was healed by touching Christ's robe.

0187_T

Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco)

In Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco), how is the Bibliography (in Spanish) discussed?

ÁLVAREZ LOPERA, José, El Greco, Madrid, Arlanza, 2005, Biblioteca «Descubrir el Arte», (colección «Grandes maestros»). ISBN 84-95503-44-1. SCHOLZ-HÄNSEL, Michael, El Greco, Colonia, Taschen, 2003. ISBN 978-3-8228-3173-1.

0187_NT

Holy Face of Jesus (El Greco)

In this artwork, how is the Bibliography (in Spanish) discussed?

ÁLVAREZ LOPERA, José, El Greco, Madrid, Arlanza, 2005, Biblioteca «Descubrir el Arte», (colección «Grandes maestros»). ISBN 84-95503-44-1. SCHOLZ-HÄNSEL, Michael, El Greco, Colonia, Taschen, 2003. ISBN 978-3-8228-3173-1.

0188_T

The Loves of the Gods

Focus on The Loves of the Gods and explore the abstract.

The Loves of the Gods is a monumental fresco cycle, completed by the Bolognese artist Annibale Carracci and his studio, in the Farnese Gallery which is located in the west wing of the Palazzo Farnese, now the French Embassy, in Rome. The frescoes were greatly admired at the time, and were later considered to reflect a significant change in painting style away from sixteenth century Mannerism in anticipation of the development of Baroque and Classicism in Rome during the seventeenth century.

0188_NT

The Loves of the Gods

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

The Loves of the Gods is a monumental fresco cycle, completed by the Bolognese artist Annibale Carracci and his studio, in the Farnese Gallery which is located in the west wing of the Palazzo Farnese, now the French Embassy, in Rome. The frescoes were greatly admired at the time, and were later considered to reflect a significant change in painting style away from sixteenth century Mannerism in anticipation of the development of Baroque and Classicism in Rome during the seventeenth century.

0189_T

The Loves of the Gods

Focus on The Loves of the Gods and explain the Scheme and interpretations.

Annibale Carracci had first decorated a small room, the Camerino (1595-7), with scenes from the life of Hercules. The Herculean theme was probably selected because the Farnese Hercules was standing at the time in the Palazzo Farnese. This concept of art imitating ancient art seems to have been carried over to the large Gallery. While performing graduate research on the Gallery, Thomas Hoving, later director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, pointed out many correspondences between the frescoes and items in the famous Farnese Collection of Roman sculpture. Much of the collection is now housed in the Capodimonte Museum and National Archaeological Museum in Naples but, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it was arranged according to themes within the Palazzo Farnese. Hoving's suggestion that many details of the frescoes were designed to complement the marbles below has been generally accepted.In 1597, Carracci began to decorate the Gallery with scenes depicting the loves of the gods set within frames (quadri riportati) and faux bronze medallions painted on an illusionistic architectural framework referred to as quadratura. Ignudi, putti, satyrs, grotesques, and standing Atlas figures (Atlantes) help support the painted framework. Gian Pietro Bellori, a biographer of seventeenth-century artists and Platonic apologist, called the cycle "Human Love Governed by Celestial Love". This observation was based principally on Carracci's depiction of putti representing Cupid (equated by Bellori with profane love) and Anteros (equated with sacred love) found at the four corners of the vault. For example, Bellori writes: The painter wished to represent with various symbols the war and peace between heavenly and common love formulated by Plato. On one side he painted Heavenly Love wrestling with Common Love and pulling him by the hair: this is the philosophy and most sacred law that removes the soul from vice, raising it on high. Accordingly, a crown of immortal laurel is resplendent overhead amid brilliant light, demonstrating that victory over the irrational appetites raises men up to heaven. Hoving saw it differently. In his memoir, he writes: My lucky discovery destroyed the accepted interpretation of Annibale's fresco cycle as a "Neo-Platonic visual essay about celestial love's supremacy over physical passion." The paintings were actually both an entertaining celebration of a bunch of randy Olympians hitting on each other and also an up-scale mind game paying homage to Odoardo's fine antiquities collection.

0189_NT

The Loves of the Gods

Focus on this artwork and explain the Scheme and interpretations.

Annibale Carracci had first decorated a small room, the Camerino (1595-7), with scenes from the life of Hercules. The Herculean theme was probably selected because the Farnese Hercules was standing at the time in the Palazzo Farnese. This concept of art imitating ancient art seems to have been carried over to the large Gallery. While performing graduate research on the Gallery, Thomas Hoving, later director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, pointed out many correspondences between the frescoes and items in the famous Farnese Collection of Roman sculpture. Much of the collection is now housed in the Capodimonte Museum and National Archaeological Museum in Naples but, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, it was arranged according to themes within the Palazzo Farnese. Hoving's suggestion that many details of the frescoes were designed to complement the marbles below has been generally accepted.In 1597, Carracci began to decorate the Gallery with scenes depicting the loves of the gods set within frames (quadri riportati) and faux bronze medallions painted on an illusionistic architectural framework referred to as quadratura. Ignudi, putti, satyrs, grotesques, and standing Atlas figures (Atlantes) help support the painted framework. Gian Pietro Bellori, a biographer of seventeenth-century artists and Platonic apologist, called the cycle "Human Love Governed by Celestial Love". This observation was based principally on Carracci's depiction of putti representing Cupid (equated by Bellori with profane love) and Anteros (equated with sacred love) found at the four corners of the vault. For example, Bellori writes: The painter wished to represent with various symbols the war and peace between heavenly and common love formulated by Plato. On one side he painted Heavenly Love wrestling with Common Love and pulling him by the hair: this is the philosophy and most sacred law that removes the soul from vice, raising it on high. Accordingly, a crown of immortal laurel is resplendent overhead amid brilliant light, demonstrating that victory over the irrational appetites raises men up to heaven. Hoving saw it differently. In his memoir, he writes: My lucky discovery destroyed the accepted interpretation of Annibale's fresco cycle as a "Neo-Platonic visual essay about celestial love's supremacy over physical passion." The paintings were actually both an entertaining celebration of a bunch of randy Olympians hitting on each other and also an up-scale mind game paying homage to Odoardo's fine antiquities collection.

0190_T

The Loves of the Gods

Explore the Scenes on the vault of this artwork, The Loves of the Gods.

In addition to the putti shown at the four corners, The Loves of the Gods are depicted on the vault in thirteen narrative scenes. Complementing them, there are twelve medallions painted to appear as bronze reliefs. These medallions portray additional stories of love, abduction, and tragedy. The scenes are arranged as follows:Central row (from left to right in the accompanying image): Pan and Diana, The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne, and Mercury and Paris.Beginning in the lower left and proceeding counter-clockwise around the vault, the remaining scenes are:West side (from left to right in the lower portion of the accompanying image): Jupiter and Juno, Marine scene (traditionally The Triumph of Galatea), and Diana and Endymion. Medallions on the west side (from left to right): Apollo and Marsyas, Boreas and Orithyia, Orpheus and Euridice, and The Rape of Europa. South side (on the right of the accompanying image): Apollo and Hyacinth above Polyphemus and Galatea. Medallions on the south side: Possible scene of abduction and Jason and the Golden Fleece. East side (from right to left in the upper portion of the accompanying image): Hercules and Iole, Aurora and Cephalus, and Venus and Anchises. Medallions on the east side (from right to left): Hero and Leander, Pan and Syrinx, Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, and Cupid and Pan. North side (on the left of the accompanying image): The Rape of Ganymede above Polyphemus and Acis. Medallions on the north side: Judgement of Paris and Pan and Apollo.

0190_NT

The Loves of the Gods

Explore the Scenes on the vault of this artwork.

In addition to the putti shown at the four corners, The Loves of the Gods are depicted on the vault in thirteen narrative scenes. Complementing them, there are twelve medallions painted to appear as bronze reliefs. These medallions portray additional stories of love, abduction, and tragedy. The scenes are arranged as follows:Central row (from left to right in the accompanying image): Pan and Diana, The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne, and Mercury and Paris.Beginning in the lower left and proceeding counter-clockwise around the vault, the remaining scenes are:West side (from left to right in the lower portion of the accompanying image): Jupiter and Juno, Marine scene (traditionally The Triumph of Galatea), and Diana and Endymion. Medallions on the west side (from left to right): Apollo and Marsyas, Boreas and Orithyia, Orpheus and Euridice, and The Rape of Europa. South side (on the right of the accompanying image): Apollo and Hyacinth above Polyphemus and Galatea. Medallions on the south side: Possible scene of abduction and Jason and the Golden Fleece. East side (from right to left in the upper portion of the accompanying image): Hercules and Iole, Aurora and Cephalus, and Venus and Anchises. Medallions on the east side (from right to left): Hero and Leander, Pan and Syrinx, Salmacis and Hermaphroditus, and Cupid and Pan. North side (on the left of the accompanying image): The Rape of Ganymede above Polyphemus and Acis. Medallions on the north side: Judgement of Paris and Pan and Apollo.

0191_T

The Loves of the Gods

In the context of The Loves of the Gods, discuss the The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne of the Scenes on the vault.

Prominently displayed in the center panel, the Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne depicts a both riotous and classically restrained procession which ferries Bacchus and Ariadne to their lovers' bed. Here, the underlying myth is that Bacchus, the god of wine, had gained the love of the abandoned princess, Ariadne. The procession recalls the triumphs of the Republican and Imperial Roman era, in which the parades of victorious leaders had the laurel-crowned ‘imperator’ in a white chariot with two white horses. In Carracci's procession, the two lovers are seated in chariots drawn by tigers and goats, and accompanied by a parade of nymphs, bacchanti, and trumpeting satyrs. At the fore, Bacchus' tutor, the paunchy, ugly, and leering drunk Silenus, rides an ass. The figures carefully cavort in order to hide most naked male genitals.The program refers to Ovid's Metamorphoses (VIII; lines 160-182) and the spirit alludes to contemporary images voiced, for example, in a carnival song-poem written by Lorenzo de Medici in about 1475, that entreats:

0191_NT

The Loves of the Gods

In the context of this artwork, discuss the The Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne of the Scenes on the vault.

Prominently displayed in the center panel, the Triumph of Bacchus and Ariadne depicts a both riotous and classically restrained procession which ferries Bacchus and Ariadne to their lovers' bed. Here, the underlying myth is that Bacchus, the god of wine, had gained the love of the abandoned princess, Ariadne. The procession recalls the triumphs of the Republican and Imperial Roman era, in which the parades of victorious leaders had the laurel-crowned ‘imperator’ in a white chariot with two white horses. In Carracci's procession, the two lovers are seated in chariots drawn by tigers and goats, and accompanied by a parade of nymphs, bacchanti, and trumpeting satyrs. At the fore, Bacchus' tutor, the paunchy, ugly, and leering drunk Silenus, rides an ass. The figures carefully cavort in order to hide most naked male genitals.The program refers to Ovid's Metamorphoses (VIII; lines 160-182) and the spirit alludes to contemporary images voiced, for example, in a carnival song-poem written by Lorenzo de Medici in about 1475, that entreats:

0192_T

The Loves of the Gods

In The Loves of the Gods, how is the Legacy discussed?

Annibale Carracci's decorations in the Farnese Gallery demonstrated a new grand manner of monumental fresco painting. They exerted a powerful formative influence on both canvas and fresco painting in Rome during the seventeenth century. The dual classicizing and baroque tendencies in this work would fuel the debate by the next generation of fresco painters, between Sacchi and Pietro da Cortona, over the number of figures to be included in a painting. Carracci's treatment of the composition and the disposition and expression of the figures would influence painters such as Sacchi and Poussin, whereas his effervescent narrative manner influenced Cortona.Annibale Carracci, in his day, was seen as one of the key painters to revive the classical style. In contrast, a few years later, artists such as Caravaggio and his followers would rebel against representing spatial depth in colour and light, and introduce tenebrous dramatic realism into their art instead. But it would be inappropriate to view Annibale Carracci as solely the continuation of an inherited tradition; in his day, his vigorous and dynamic style, and that of his studio assistants, changed the pre-eminent style of painting in Rome. His work would have been seen as liberating for artists of his day, touching on pagan themes with an unconstrained joy. It could be said that while Mannerism had mastered the art of formal strained contraposto and contorsion; Annibale Carracci had depicted dance and joy.Later followers of Neoclassic formalism and severity frowned on the excesses of Annibale Carracci, but in his day, he would have been seen as masterful in achieving the supreme approximation to classic beauty in the tradition of Raphael and Giulio Romano's secular frescoes in the Loggia of the Villa Farnesina. Unlike Raphael, though, his figures can display a Michelangelo-esque muscularity, and depart from the often emotionless visages of High Renaissance painting.

0192_NT

The Loves of the Gods

In this artwork, how is the Legacy discussed?

Annibale Carracci's decorations in the Farnese Gallery demonstrated a new grand manner of monumental fresco painting. They exerted a powerful formative influence on both canvas and fresco painting in Rome during the seventeenth century. The dual classicizing and baroque tendencies in this work would fuel the debate by the next generation of fresco painters, between Sacchi and Pietro da Cortona, over the number of figures to be included in a painting. Carracci's treatment of the composition and the disposition and expression of the figures would influence painters such as Sacchi and Poussin, whereas his effervescent narrative manner influenced Cortona.Annibale Carracci, in his day, was seen as one of the key painters to revive the classical style. In contrast, a few years later, artists such as Caravaggio and his followers would rebel against representing spatial depth in colour and light, and introduce tenebrous dramatic realism into their art instead. But it would be inappropriate to view Annibale Carracci as solely the continuation of an inherited tradition; in his day, his vigorous and dynamic style, and that of his studio assistants, changed the pre-eminent style of painting in Rome. His work would have been seen as liberating for artists of his day, touching on pagan themes with an unconstrained joy. It could be said that while Mannerism had mastered the art of formal strained contraposto and contorsion; Annibale Carracci had depicted dance and joy.Later followers of Neoclassic formalism and severity frowned on the excesses of Annibale Carracci, but in his day, he would have been seen as masterful in achieving the supreme approximation to classic beauty in the tradition of Raphael and Giulio Romano's secular frescoes in the Loggia of the Villa Farnesina. Unlike Raphael, though, his figures can display a Michelangelo-esque muscularity, and depart from the often emotionless visages of High Renaissance painting.

0193_T

Rajah Quilt

Focus on Rajah Quilt and explore the abstract.

The Rajah Quilt is a large quilt that was created by women convicts in 1841 whilst travelling from Woolwich, England, to Hobart, Australia, using materials organised by Lydia Irving of the convict ship subcommittee of the British Ladies Society for Promoting the Reformation of Female Prisoners. The quilt was presented to Jane Franklin. The quilt was sent back to Britain for Elizabeth Fry, the leader of the British Ladies Society. The quilt's provenance was then unclear until it was rediscovered in 1989. It is now held by the National Gallery of Australia.

0193_NT

Rajah Quilt

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

The Rajah Quilt is a large quilt that was created by women convicts in 1841 whilst travelling from Woolwich, England, to Hobart, Australia, using materials organised by Lydia Irving of the convict ship subcommittee of the British Ladies Society for Promoting the Reformation of Female Prisoners. The quilt was presented to Jane Franklin. The quilt was sent back to Britain for Elizabeth Fry, the leader of the British Ladies Society. The quilt's provenance was then unclear until it was rediscovered in 1989. It is now held by the National Gallery of Australia.

0194_T

Rajah Quilt

Focus on Rajah Quilt and explain the History.

Lydia Irving served on Elizabeth Fry's British Ladies Society for promoting the reformation of female prisoners convict ship sub-committee and she had a financial success when she persuaded the Navy board to fund "gifts" for the convicts. These basic items included knives, forks, aprons and notably, sewing materials. During the 25 years that Fry was involved with the organisation, 12,000 women were transported on 106 ships. The plan was to visit every ship on the night before it sailed to calm the women bound for Australia. The sewing materials were supplied for the 180 women prisoners imprisoned on the Rajah. The women's names are still known. They had been assembled from across Britain, and they had been sentenced in Inverness, Aberdeen, Lincolnshire, Devon and the central criminal court. The ship set sail from Woolwich on 5 April 1841 and arrived on 19 July 1841 at Hobart in Tasmania. During the journey some of the women had embroidered and sewn the materials into an appliquéd coverlet now known as the Rajah quilt. The arranger of this quilt is believed to be Kezia Hayter who was the only free woman. She had come from the Millbank Penitentiary to assist Franklin in forming her own committee to mirror the one in the UK. It is thought now that about 29 women were involved. The convict sub-committee's work was remembered by the women on board. The quilt includes a message embroidered in silk thread giving thanks to the "convict ship committee". The quilt was presented to the governor's wife, Jane Franklin. The text on the quilt reads:To the ladies of the convict ship committee, this quilt worked by the convicts of the ship Rajah during their voyage to van Dieman’s Land is presented as a testimony of the gratitude with which they remember their exertions for their welfare while in England and during their passage and also as a proof that they have not neglected the ladies kind admonitions of being industrious. June 1841.The quilt was sent back to Britain for Elizabeth Fry (who led the British Ladies Society). The quilt then became forgotten until it was rediscovered in an attic in Scotland. It was returned to Australia in 1989. The quilt is now held by the National Gallery of Australia.Research shows that the quilt was not unique as other references are made to the convict women's needlework. One of the references is to the women leaving their work behind. However, this is the only documented quilt made by convicts that still survives.

0194_NT

Rajah Quilt

Focus on this artwork and explain the History.

Lydia Irving served on Elizabeth Fry's British Ladies Society for promoting the reformation of female prisoners convict ship sub-committee and she had a financial success when she persuaded the Navy board to fund "gifts" for the convicts. These basic items included knives, forks, aprons and notably, sewing materials. During the 25 years that Fry was involved with the organisation, 12,000 women were transported on 106 ships. The plan was to visit every ship on the night before it sailed to calm the women bound for Australia. The sewing materials were supplied for the 180 women prisoners imprisoned on the Rajah. The women's names are still known. They had been assembled from across Britain, and they had been sentenced in Inverness, Aberdeen, Lincolnshire, Devon and the central criminal court. The ship set sail from Woolwich on 5 April 1841 and arrived on 19 July 1841 at Hobart in Tasmania. During the journey some of the women had embroidered and sewn the materials into an appliquéd coverlet now known as the Rajah quilt. The arranger of this quilt is believed to be Kezia Hayter who was the only free woman. She had come from the Millbank Penitentiary to assist Franklin in forming her own committee to mirror the one in the UK. It is thought now that about 29 women were involved. The convict sub-committee's work was remembered by the women on board. The quilt includes a message embroidered in silk thread giving thanks to the "convict ship committee". The quilt was presented to the governor's wife, Jane Franklin. The text on the quilt reads:To the ladies of the convict ship committee, this quilt worked by the convicts of the ship Rajah during their voyage to van Dieman’s Land is presented as a testimony of the gratitude with which they remember their exertions for their welfare while in England and during their passage and also as a proof that they have not neglected the ladies kind admonitions of being industrious. June 1841.The quilt was sent back to Britain for Elizabeth Fry (who led the British Ladies Society). The quilt then became forgotten until it was rediscovered in an attic in Scotland. It was returned to Australia in 1989. The quilt is now held by the National Gallery of Australia.Research shows that the quilt was not unique as other references are made to the convict women's needlework. One of the references is to the women leaving their work behind. However, this is the only documented quilt made by convicts that still survives.

0195_T

Rajah Quilt

Explore the In fiction of this artwork, Rajah Quilt.

The book Dangerous Women by Hope Adams (published by Michael Joseph in 2021) imagines the voyage of the Rajah and the making of the quilt.

0195_NT

Rajah Quilt

Explore the In fiction of this artwork.

The book Dangerous Women by Hope Adams (published by Michael Joseph in 2021) imagines the voyage of the Rajah and the making of the quilt.

0196_T

La Négresse

Focus on La Négresse and discuss the abstract.

La Négresse (1952–53) by Henri Matisse is a gouache découpée, made of cut pieces of colored paper.

0196_NT

La Négresse

Focus on this artwork and discuss the abstract.

La Négresse (1952–53) by Henri Matisse is a gouache découpée, made of cut pieces of colored paper.

0197_T

La Négresse

How does La Négresse elucidate its Medium?

Starting in the 1930s, Matisse began to experiment with creating art by cutting paper into shapes. By 1950, he had primarily shifted to this mode of art making, perhaps because his health and disabilities made painting on a large scale difficult. These "cut-outs" were often mural-sized and made from pieces of paper painted with gouache.La Négresse was first pinned onto the wall at his apartment in Nice, France around 1952. He rearranged the composition until early 1953. It takes up an entire wall. A newspaper review called the figure "a giantess."

0197_NT

La Négresse

How does this artwork elucidate its Medium?

Starting in the 1930s, Matisse began to experiment with creating art by cutting paper into shapes. By 1950, he had primarily shifted to this mode of art making, perhaps because his health and disabilities made painting on a large scale difficult. These "cut-outs" were often mural-sized and made from pieces of paper painted with gouache.La Négresse was first pinned onto the wall at his apartment in Nice, France around 1952. He rearranged the composition until early 1953. It takes up an entire wall. A newspaper review called the figure "a giantess."

0198_T

La Négresse

Focus on La Négresse and analyze the Subject or Inspiration.

La Négresse may be inspired by Josephine Baker, a black American dancer whose popularity reached its height in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. One of Baker's famous outfits was a skirt made from bananas, which Matisse may be invoking in the orange-yellow forms around the figure's waist. Baker's association with jazz music may have also inspired Matisse, who had previously designed a book titled Jazz (1947). Matisse's depiction has been criticized as reiterating "racialized clichés in the enlarged belly and hips." Others have proposed that Matisse presented black women as beautiful.Other scholars propose that the figure may be of another famous dancer, Yvette Chauviré. Matisse had created an earlier work about a dancer (Creole Dancer, 1950) that art critic Louis Aragon identified as Katherine Dunham, who Matisse had seen perform. The work may also be an imagined dancer or amalgamation of the previously discussed figures.

0198_NT

La Négresse

Focus on this artwork and analyze the Subject or Inspiration.

La Négresse may be inspired by Josephine Baker, a black American dancer whose popularity reached its height in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. One of Baker's famous outfits was a skirt made from bananas, which Matisse may be invoking in the orange-yellow forms around the figure's waist. Baker's association with jazz music may have also inspired Matisse, who had previously designed a book titled Jazz (1947). Matisse's depiction has been criticized as reiterating "racialized clichés in the enlarged belly and hips." Others have proposed that Matisse presented black women as beautiful.Other scholars propose that the figure may be of another famous dancer, Yvette Chauviré. Matisse had created an earlier work about a dancer (Creole Dancer, 1950) that art critic Louis Aragon identified as Katherine Dunham, who Matisse had seen perform. The work may also be an imagined dancer or amalgamation of the previously discussed figures.

0199_T

La Négresse

In La Négresse, how is the Reception discussed?

The work has been praised as "the culmination of Matisse's art." It was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 1973.In 2018, the work was referenced in the title of Denise Murrell's exhibition and catalog Posing Modernity: the Black Model from Manet to Matisse.

0199_NT

La Négresse

In this artwork, how is the Reception discussed?

The work has been praised as "the culmination of Matisse's art." It was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 1973.In 2018, the work was referenced in the title of Denise Murrell's exhibition and catalog Posing Modernity: the Black Model from Manet to Matisse.

0200_T

The Good Fruit of the Earth

Focus on The Good Fruit of the Earth and explore the abstract.

The Good Fruit of the Earth is a painting created by the Cypriot painter Loukia Nicolaidou between the years 1933 - 1936.

0200_NT

The Good Fruit of the Earth

Focus on this artwork and explore the abstract.

The Good Fruit of the Earth is a painting created by the Cypriot painter Loukia Nicolaidou between the years 1933 - 1936.