If you are an art lover or just an artistic painting enthusiast, you should explore our in-depth articles about famous artists, movements, painting styles and iconic artworks. Learn about the lives of some of the most famous artists, their inspirations, influences, the record-breaking sales prices of their works, and sometimes even about a specific piece of artwork.
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Paris, Musée d’Orsay In the autumn of 1854, Courbet wrote to the art critic Champfleury: My dear friend, In spite of being assailed by hypochondria, I have launched into an enormous painting 20 feet by 12, perhaps even bigger than The Burial, which will show that I am still alive, and so is Realism, as … Read more
Paris, Musée d’Orsay Mary Cassatt was exceptional in many ways; one of the few successful female artists of the era she was also the only American member of the French Impressionists. From a wealthy Pennsylvania family, Cassatt first came to Paris in 1865 to studying painting – despite her father’s disapproval; he once said he … Read more
London, National Gallery This large picture, painted on oak, depicts two life-size figures. Standing to the left is Jean de Dinteville, French ambassador to England; on the right is his friend Georges de Selve, Bishop of Lavaur who acted at various times as ambassador to a variety of European states. Holbein was probably commissioned to … Read more
London, National Gallery On 22 July 1812, Lieutenant General the Earl of Wellington (as he then was), at the head of an army of perhaps 50,000 men inflicted a severe defeat on a French force of similar size near Salamanca in a battle which military historians consider to be ‘Wellington’s Masterpiece’. A few days later … Read more
London, Courtauld Institute Gallery In 1504 Lucas Cranach travelled to Wittenberg from Vienna in order to take up the post of court painter to Duke Frederick the Wise. Thirteen years later Martin Luther catapulted the town to prominence when he nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Palace church. Consequently Cranach found himself present … Read more
London, National Gallery On 25 March 1482 the town of Ascoli Piceno was granted some rights of self government by the Pope. 25 March is also the Feast of the Annunciation and in carrying out his commission for the Franciscan church of the Annunciation, Carlo Crivelli has conflated the two events — one political and … Read more
New York, Frick Collection ’A portrait of a woman! Nothing in the world is more difficult, it can’t be done … It’s enough to make one weep.’ – Ingres A perfectionist, Ingres surpassed even his teacher Jacques-Louis David in his painstaking attention to detail and finish. A painting was not done until he was satisfied and clients … Read more
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art We are witnessing one of the most solemn moments in the Christian story. An angel has appeared with a message from heaven; the recipient of that message, and of God’s will, kneels. The world holds its breath – the instant draws out into a timeless lacuna, filled with … Read more
London, National Gallery Antonello is traditionally given credit for the introduction into Italy of painting with oil glazes, a technique perfected by Jan van Eyck, where thin translucent layers of oil paint are painstakingly built up enabling the artist unparalleled scope for the depiction and modulation of detail. There is no independent evidence for this and … Read more
Paris, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris This masterpiece by Dufy usually elicits a standard response: ‘wow’. The immense painting (10m x 60m – of which we can only illustrate a section), curved like a softly formed V, envelops the viewer in a sea of colour and narrative that literally makes jaws drop. Painted … Read more