EL GRECO’S PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE, LONDON
March 6th 2021
“The Purification of the Temple”, El Greco, 1600, National Gallery, London. This scene was rarely painted in its own right before the Reformation. It was shown as one of a series of scenes from the Passion. After the Council of
CARAVAGGIO’S SACRIFICE OF ISAAC
February 27th 2021
“Sacrifice of Isaac”, c. 1603, Carravaggio, Ufizzi, Florence Caravaggio shows the terrible moment when Abraham has put forth his hand and taken the knife to slay his son (Gen 22:10). But an angel on the left stays his hand and
STANLEY SPENCER’S CHRIST IN THE WILDERNESS – THE SCORPION
February 20th 2021
In a bleak wasteland, Christ sits on the bare earth and looks down at the scorpion which he holds on the palm of his right hand. He holds the scorpion most carefully, with one hand under the other. His downward
GIOVANNI BELLINI’S CHRIST BLESSING
February 13th 2021
“Christ Blessing”, Giovanni Bellini, c. 1500, Kimbell Art Museum, Forth Worth, Texas. You can view the painting in higher resolution at https://www.kimbellart.org/collection/ap-196707 The Risen Christ raises his right hand in blessing. The landscape tells us that it
MANTEGNA’S ST MARK THE EVANGELIST
February 6th 2021
This small painting of St Mark the Evangelist owes much to the Eastern tradition of icon painting. But unlike in an icon, there is a fictive stone frame with inscription written on a fictive piece of folded parchment attached.
TINTORETTO’S PRESENTATION OF CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE
January 30th 2021
Tintoretto painted this altarpiece for the Chapel of the Presentation in the Venetian Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini. It was commissioned by the Confraternity of Fishmongers who were the chapel’s patrons. The frame is inscribed with the year 1548,
Ghirlandaio’s Vocation of the Apostles
January 23rd 2021
The Apostles Peter and Andrew kneel on the ground before Christ. They wear cloaks as if ready to set out on a journey. They are shown barefoot, in accordance with what Christ will say to them later on in the
GIOVANNI BELLINI’S VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH ST JOHN THE BAPTIST AND A FEMALE SAINT
January 16th 2021
In today’s gospel passage, on seeing Jesus, St John the Baptist calls out “Behold the Lamb of God!” Although this scene is not shown very often in Western Art it has entered the iconography of the Baptist. For example,
GIOVANNI BELLINI’S BAPTISM OF CHRIST
January 9th 2021
This very large and beautiful painting, with it subtle use of light and colour, can still be found in situ in the side aisle of the once Dominican Church of Santa Corona in Vicenza. Christ is shown centre foreground. He
Jan Gossaert’s Adoration of the Kings
January 2nd 2021
You can view the painting in higher resolution at https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-gossaert-jean-gossart-the-adoration-of-the-kings Our Lady sits with the Infant Jesus on her knee. Clothed in a mantle of ultramarine blue, she is the focus of this lavish and incredibly detailed painting. A
