Hello readers!

For those of you who have been reading this site for at least a week, you’ll notice that the website’s layout is completely different than it was a week ago. My husband and I (but mostly him!) spent much of the weekend getting this new chocolatey, Baroque-y template functional and aesthetic for your reading pleasure. The image at the top of the page is a detail from Caravaggio’s (of course) The Raising of Lazarus from 1609. There is also search bar at the top of the page, and the sidebar contains links to pages on the site, what I’m currently reading, and archives. I think the color scheme adds an undefinable quality of something to images contained within posts, and I also enjoy the frilly little frames on the side bar. One thing we fixed over the weekend that wasn’t previously functioning correctly is that if you click on images contained within a post, they will now open up to full size on the screen. Huzzah! If you notice any bugs or have any suggestions, let me know.

Caravaggio, The Raising of Lazarus, 1609

In addition to layout change, I added the following new or modified pages to the site:

• A new page for those of you just getting started on the site.
• A revised page about the purpose of and story behind the site.
• A revised “About the Author” page
• FAQs
• The Entry Bibliographies page is up to date.

Enjoy!

Tags: Updates, Website

Dear readers, I have to first apologize for the large gap in which I didn’t post anything. In mid-October I resigned from my old job, started a new job, and now things are finally dying down. I missed writing for the site regularly, but I’m happy to report that this little break has given me some inspiration for posts for the holiday season! Part of that inspiration has come from the unveiling of Starbucks’ annual holiday coffee cups, and part of it has come from the general sadness I felt from not being able to post regularly. That being said, allow me to regale you with upcoming posts and series that will be featured on Caravaggista!

• In November there will be a three or four week series about “bad” or “violent” women in art history, including Salome, Judith, and Potiphar’s wife. I opened the title and additional characters up to suggestions on the Facebook page and Tumblr, but you can also email me if you’d like to suggest a series title or a favorite lady! There will also be a couple essays examining the Annunciation, in preparation for December’s posts. I am very excited about both of these series!

In December the site will feature:

• An essay examining the visual representational history of Santa Claus/Old Saint Nick.
• A month-long series exploring visual representations of the Christmas story, including the Adoration of the Magi, the Holy Family, the Flight into Egypt, and more general Nativity scenes, as portrayed by different Renaissance and Baroque artists. Feel free to suggest your favorite holiday-esque artwork! Of course, this series will include the textual, historical, and philosophical influences behind the artworks that will be examined.

Annibale Carracci, Rest on the Flight to Egypt, c. 1603.

And, for your pop culture pleasure, I present:

Ceci n'est pas une lune. After Magritte's The Treachery of Images.

Tags: Art History, Future, Life, Mod Post, Updates, Website

Hello all! A brief update on some updates to the website:

• Shorts: This page consists of essay shorts I’ve written. They are usually accompanied/based on a photo or painting. Shorts are not visible on the homepage, but from the homepage, you can access them by clicking the “Shorts” link.
• Facebook: Caravaggista.com now has a Facebook page, the intent of which is to promote community and of course, art history.
• Tumblr: This is an informal blog dedicated to art history, promoting education, literacy, cute cats, and photography. It will eventually become more structured, consisting of a work of art per day with a brief paragraph about it.
• Share & Promote this website on Facebook, Tumblr, or your blog. You can choose from a variety of buttons to display on your blog or website if you really like this site.
• New About Section: I divided up the original ‘About This Website’ into About… The Author, Why? [Why Caravaggista?], Contact, and an intellectual property disclaimer.

Tags: Art History, Facebook, News, Tumblr, Updates, Website