The Virgin with Angels

(click to enlarge)

William Adolphe Bouguereau

(French, 1825-1905)

La Vierge aux Anges (The Virgin with Angels), 1881

Oil on canvas

The Madonna and Child with Attendant Angels

(click to enlarge)

John Melhuish Strudwick

(English, 1849-1937)

The Madonna and Child with Attendant Angels, ????

Oil on canvas

The Annunciation

(click to enlarge)

Edward Reginald Frampton

(American, 1872-1923)

The Annunciation, ????

Oil on canvas

2011

Happy New Year! And happy anniversary to this blog! 

I started this blog January 1st 2010 to keep track of my favorite paintings and share them with others. There are now 365 paintings on this blog, one for every day of the year. 

I won't be posting daily in 2011, but I'll try to post any interesting paintings I find! Feel free to re-experience this blog by starting at the beginning and looking at each day's painting from last year! ;) I will still update this blog and A True Word occasionally, just not every day.

I'm so glad I could share all these paintings with you, my readers around the world! :)

And a quick note about me, since some of you have been curious: My name is Rosemary, I just turned 16 in December, my favorite artist is Edward Burne-Jones, I love art, I love poetry, I love to read, I love to draw, I love crafts, and I love talking to my readers, so feel free to get in touch! :)

The Flight into Egypt

(click to enlarge)

George Hitchcock

(American, 1850-1913)

The Flight into Egypt, 1892

Oil on canvas

So creative and beautiful!

The Granduca Madonna

(click to enlarge)

Raphael

(Italian, 1483-1520)

The Granduca Madonna, 1504

Oil on wood

The Star of Bethlehem

 (click to enlarge)

Edward Burne-Jones

(British, 1833-1898)

The Star of Bethlehem, 1888-91

Oil on canvas

Nativity with St. Francis and St. Laurence

(click to enlarge)

Caravaggio

(Italian, 1571-1610)

Nativity with St. Francis and St. Laurence, 1609

Oil on canvas

Caravaggio, of course, is always original. His Mary is in disarray, and slumps back in exhaustion - in fact, like any woman who has just given birth. Joseph gazes unblinkingly at the little form on the floor -  new life, so full of promise. The shepherds crowd around, talking among themselves. An angel hovers overhead, holding the banner that proclaims 'Gloria in Excelsis Deo'.

from a website of biblical art

The Nativity

 (click to enlarge)

Edward Burne-Jones

(British, 1833-1898)

The Nativity, 1888

Oil on canvas

Called The Nativity, its true subject is the redemption of mankind through cycles of birth, death, and rebirth exemplified by the life of Christ. The somber mood of the scene results not only from muted coloring and static figures, but also from many symbols of death: the crown of thorns, chalice, and urn; the shroudlike garments; and the draping of the manger reminiscent of a bier. The Latin inscription refers to the Resurrection: Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord. As in the unusual iconography of The King and the Shepherd, nearby, this inscription is a subtle allusion to the social miseries of Victorian Britain. 

from the website of the Carnegie Museum of Art

Angels Entertaining the Holy Child

(click to enlarge)

Marianne Stokes
(Austrian, 1855-1927)
Angels Entertaining the Holy Child, 1893

Oil on canvas

Rest on the Flight to Egypt

(click to enlarge)

Federico Fiori Barocci

(Italian, 1526-1612)

Rest on the Flight to Egypt, 1570

Oil on canvas

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!

Mother and Child

(click to enlarge)

Franz Dvorak

(Austrian, 1862-1927)

Mother and Child, ????

Oil on canvas

Presenting Flowers to the Infant

(click to enlarge)

Franz Dvorak

(Austrian, 1862-1927)

Presenting Flowers to the Infant, ????

Oil on canvas

Why Seek Ye the Living Among the Dead?

(click to enlarge)

John Rodham Spencer Stanhope

(English, 1829-1908)

Why Seek Ye the Living Among the Dead?, ????

Oil, gesso, gold leaf, wax medium on canvas

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."

Luke 24:2-7 KJV

The Annunciation

(click to enlarge)

Domenico Beccafumi

(English, 1486-1551)

The Annunciation, 1545

Oil on wood

The Annunciation

(click to enlarge)

George Lawrence Bulleid

(French, 1858-1933)

The Annunciation, 1903

Watercolor

The Prioress' Tale

(click to enlarge)

Edward Burne-Jones

(British, 1833-1898)

The Prioress' Tale, 1865-98

Oil on canvas

The Prioress's Tale is a story from Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. In Russel Ash's book Sir Edward Burne-Jones there is a short summary of the story and the symbolism of the flowers:

This painting tells the story of a seven year old boy whose throat was cut for singing a Christian song in a Jewish city in Asia, but miraculously continued to sing when the Virgin Mary placed grain in his mouth. He died soon afterwards and was buried as a martyr. The flower symbolism of the white lily represents purity, that of the red poppy consolation, the dwarf sunflower adoration and the wallflower fidelity in adversity. 

The Adoration

(click to enlarge)

James Archer

(English, 1823-1904)

The Adoration, 1854

Oil on Panel

Kind of odd painting . . . I think I like it! 

Pietà

 

(click to enlarge)

Annibale Carracci

(Italian, 1560-1609)

Pietà, 1599-1600

Oil on canvas