Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Bluebird

(click to enlarge)
Joseph Rodefer de Camp
(American, 1858-1923)
The Bluebird, 1916
Oil on canvas

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Madonna of the Meadow

(click to enlarge)
Giovanni Bellini
(Italian, 1430-1516)
The Madonna of the Meadow, 1505
Oil on canvas
It presents a medieval iconography of the Virgin of humility seated before a full and shining rural panorama, with both the devotional aspect and the landscape aspect given equal prominence. Full of small details of everyday life, this landscape contributes to the intimate and familiar tone of the two figures. The raven in the tree also possibly symbolizes death. The figures' poses invite meditation on Jesus's death and passion, recalling Pietà compositions with the dead adult Jesus in his mother's lap.
 from wikipedia

Notice also the snake and egret fighting below death. They symbolize the fight between good and evil and the reason for Christ's sacrifice (the serpent's entry into Eden). And notice how the city in the background is divided from death by Mary and Jesus!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Annunciation

(click to enlarge)
Domenico Beccafumi
(English, 1486-1551)
The Annunciation, 1545
Oil on wood

Thursday, August 19, 2010

The Holy Grail

(click to enlarge)
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
(English, 1828-1882)
The Holy Grail, ????
Oil on canvas

Saturday, August 7, 2010

God's Creatures

(click to enlarge)
Eugene de Blaas
(Austrian, 1843-1931)
God's Creatures, 1877
Oil on canvas

So sweet!

Friday, August 6, 2010

The Goldfinch

(click to enlarge)
Carel Fubritius
(Dutch, 1622-1654)
The Goldfinch, 1654
Oil on panel

Friday, July 16, 2010

Angel of the Birds

(click to enlarge)
Franz Dvorak
(Austrian, 1862-1927)
Angel of the Birds, ????
Oil on canvas

Thursday, July 8, 2010

The Golden Stairs

(click to enlarge)
Edward Burne-Jones
(British, 1833-1898)
The Golden Stairs, 1876-80
Oil on canvas

Unlike many of Burne-Jones's other paintings, this painting does not have any literary or mythical subject matter (other than the title being derived from Dante). He  did consider several other titles, including The King's Wedding and Music on the Stairs.
On a completely different note, while painting this work Burne-Jones remarked "I have drawn so many toes lately that when I shut my eyes I see a perfect shower of them." ;)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The Pale Complexion of True Love

(click to enlarge)
Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale
(English, 1871-1945)
The Pale Complexion of True Love, 1899
Watercolor and bodycolor

The title is taken from Shakespeare's As You Like It, Act III, when Corin speaks of Silvius' unrequired love for Phebe as
a pageant truly play'd,
Between the pale complexion of true love
And the red glow of scorn and proud disdain
  (Info from Pre Raphaelite Art blog.)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Feeding the Rabbit

(click to enlarge)
Kate Perugini
(English, 1839-1929)
Portrait of Agnes Pheobe Burra (or Feeding the Rabbit), ????
Oil on canvas

Monday, June 14, 2010

A Day's Outing

(click to enlarge)
Federico Andreotti
(Italian, 1847-1930)
A Day's Outing, ????
Oil on canvas

Happy French people, yay!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Love's Messenger

(click to enlarge)
Marie Spartali Stillman
(English, 1844-1927)
Love's Messenger, 1885
Oil on canvas

Look closely at this painting, it's simple but delightfully detailed!

Monday, May 31, 2010

The Barn Owl

(click to enlarge)
Valentine Cameron Prinsep
(English, 1838-1904)
Il Barbagianni (The Barn Owl), ????
Oil on canvas

Monday, April 12, 2010

The Farmer's Daughter

 
(click to enlarge)
Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau
(American, 1837-1922)
The Farmer's Daughter, 1876
Oil on canvas

I love the colors and the girl looks so pretty and graceful. She rather reminds me of a princess or worthy peasant maid in a fairy tale. Snow White perhaps?
You probably noticed that the style is a lot like William Adolphe Bouguereau's and they have the same last name. Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau was William Adolphe Bouguereau's student and later his wife!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Three Princesses


(click to enlarge)
Edward Matthew Hale
(English, 1852-1924)
The Three Princesses, 1881
Oil on canvas

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Molly, Duchess of Nona

(click to enlarge)
Frank Cadogan Cowper
(English, 1877-1958)
Molly, Duchess of Nona, 1905
Watercolor and bodycolor

A character from Maurice Howlett's Little Novel Of Italy. Wow. This is one of the most enchanting paintings I've ever seen! It has such Italian sunlight and fairy tale charm. :)

Friday, March 26, 2010

A Pet

(click to enlarge)
Walter Howell Deverell
(English, 1827-1854)
A Pet, 1899
Oil on canvas

Enlarge and check out the details!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Chill October

(click to enlarge) 
John Everett Millais
(English, 1829-1896)
Chill October, 1870
Oil on canvas

EDIT:
I found another photo of this painting, not near as high quality, but I think perhaps truer colors:

Saturday, February 6, 2010

A Peacock and Doves In a Garden

(click to enlarge)
Eugene Bidau
(French, ????-1895)
A Peacock and Doves In a Garden, 1888
Oil on canvas

Pretty! Some might find it a bit over-pretty, but I think the peacock saves the day. It's got nice, deep, dark colors that keep the painting from drowning in purple and sunshine.