THE HOLY TRINITY, EDINBURGH
June 11th 2022
Panel from “The Trinity Altarpiece”, Hugo van der Goes, 1478-9, National Galleries of Scotland. One way to get people to think about the doctrine of the Trinity is to ask them to draw God. Very few will come up
Giotto’s Pentecost
June 4th 2022
“Pentecost”, Giotto di Bondone, 1305, Capella Scrovegni, Padua. Giotto frescoed the walls of the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua with 38 scenes drawn from the life of Christ, the Virgin, and her parents, Joachim and Anna. He arranged them in chronological
TINTORETTO’S VISITATION AT THE SCOULA SAN ROCCO
May 28th 2022
“Visitation”, Tintoretto, 1588, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice. This painting was intended to be viewed from below. It hangs high up over an archway on the landing of the grand staircase of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. The
BASSANO’S LAST SUPPER
May 14th 2022
“Last Supper”, Jacopo Bassano, c. 1546, Gallerie Borghese, Rome. At the Last Supper Jesus washed his disciples feet and then revealed who it was would betray him. The disciples bare feet are hard to miss and they really do
THE GOOD SHEPHERD FROM THE CATACOMBS OF PRISCILLA
May 7th 2022
“The Good Shepherd”, Third Century, Catacombs of Priscilla, Rome. This fresco was painted on the ceiling of a burial chamber in the Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome. It is not hard for us to see that the man at the
EL GRECO’S TEARS OF ST PETER
April 30th 2022
“The Tears of St Peter”, El Greco, 1580-89, Bowes Museum, County Durham. El Greco was one of the first artists to focus on the sorrow of St Peter after he had denied Christ. He painted this subject at least six
CARAVAGGIO’S DOUBTING THOMAS
April 23rd 2022
“Doubting Thomas”, Caravaggio, 1601-02, Sanssouci Picture Gallery, Potsdam, Germany. At first glance, it is hard not to be shocked at the sight of Thomas’ finger probing Christ’s wound. And yet, the two other disciples show no sign of shock,
BELLINI’S CHRIST BLESSING
April 16th 2022
“Christ Blessing”, Giovanni Bellini, c. 1500, Kimbell Art Museum, Forth Worth, Texas. The Risen Christ raises his right hand in blessing. Behind him the sun has not yet risen. To the right, there are some figures visible in
GIOTTO’S CHRIST MOCKED
April 9th 2022
“Mocking of Christ”, Giotto di Bondone, c.1501, Capella Scovegni (Arena Chapel) Padua. Only Luke Gospel records that Jesus was mocked and beaten in the court of Herod. In fact, Luke’s account of the Passion has a number of differences
Guercino’s Woman Taken in Adultery
April 2nd 2022
“The Woman taken in Adultery”, Guercino (Giovanni Francesco Barbieri), c. 1621, Dulwich Picture Gallery. Guercino lived and worked in and around Bologna but here he adopts the Venetian practice of half-length narrative paintings. It is the moment when the woman
