The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche

The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche

Painted in the glory days of 1833, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey exemplifies the qualities of historical painting. It’s dramatic, technically exquisite, and a bit wrong on the factual details. These elements made history paintings popular in the 19th century and then passé soon after. I have a penchant for these artworks. History paintings remind me of the old timey ads for snake oil products. The portrayals often open a window into the hot controversy of a time period and offer one take on the topic. Podcast […]

Isabella Brant by Peter Paul Rubens

The Portrait of Isabella Brant by Peter Paul Rubens

Rubens loved to draw his wife, Isabella Brant. The old Flemish master married her in the early 1600s when he was a young upstart. Peter Paul Rubens was popular and famous for his baroque paintings in his lifetime. The work of Rubens now lives in the collective unconscious as an icon of sensual and lush depictions of dramatic scenes. Click here for the podcast version of this post. Rubens Sketches He’s considered an old master thanks to his classical training, role as Master of his local guild, and

Portrait Colors by Angelica Kauffman 1780

Portrait Colors by Angelica Kauffman, 1780

The Swiss painter Angelica Kauffman created her self portrait Colors as part of a series for the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Kauffman was one of two women who founded the Academy. Her four part series on crucial elements of painting still graces that art institution today. This one sets the best example of her allegorical personification for teaching purposes. These four oval paintings grace the Academy’s lecture room ceiling. Kauffman’s quartet serve as reminders of fundamental principles but aren’t too academic. They’re accessible without seeming wholly

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