Caravaggio’s Madonna of the Rosary
James from Amor Sciendi and I collaborated on his latest video, “The Madonna of the Rosary and the Counter Reformation.” You can watch the video below and read the article for more information. Please visit the Amor Sciendi YouTube channel…
Valentin de Boulogne’s Christ & the Adulteress
One of my favorite accounts of Jesus’ life comes from John 7:53 – 8:11. While at the temple teaching, the Pharisees bring Jesus a woman who was caught in adultery. As they bring charges against the woman before Christ, saying…
The Mughal Empire: Jahangir
The Mughal empire represents a unique and fascinating period in art history: the Empire was simultaneously Muslim (Sunni) and Indian, interweaving not only Muslim and Indian faiths, but also their politics, cultural practices, and of course art and architecture. This…
Heaven
In the sixteenth century and seventeenth centuries, the Catholic Church was engaged in an ideological war with (among others) Martin Luther, the young professor and preacher from the North. As his teachings spread across Europe, the Church needed a way…
The Nativity
The Nativity of Jesus is drawn from accounts of Christ’s birth in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Following the Annunciation, Mary tells Joseph that she is with child and goes to visit her relative, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John…
The Annunciation
Hello readers! Merry Christmas! In the coming days before Christmas, we’re going to examine the Christmas story, starting with the Annunciation. This is an important event in Christianity and one of the most popular iconographies in Marian art. Before we start…
Vengeful Seductress: Judith
I’m so excited about this post. Since it obviously can’t be book or even research paper length, I have to warn you that it will not do justice to the topics it addresses (Artemisia Gentileschi, Caravaggio, Caravaggisti, Judith, Judith Slaying…
King David: Hero, Sinner, Friend of God.
King David. When he was only a teenager, he was anointed by Israel’s prophet, Samuel, to be Israel’s next king. God needed to restore purity in his appointed earthly rulers after Saul defiled his divinely appointed post by disobeying God and taking…
A Haggardly Beautiful Mary Magdalene
This Mary Magdalene was sculpted by Donatello. Artistically and materialistically, the sculpture departs from his smooth bronze and marble work. Mary stands over 6′ tall, made of wood and gesso. More than stone or marble, I believe the wood and…
Albrecht Durer and the Man of Sorrows
Albrecht Dürer was born in 1471 to a successful family, the head of whom was a goldsmith. When he was 15, Dürer began studying with Michael Wolgemut, a German printmaker. It was under his tutelage that Dürer shaped into a…
