Unkown Artist's Crucifixion Tapestry

Nationality: Flemish
Creation Date: c. 1500-1525

Size: 71.7 x 76 in (182 x 193 cm)

Media: tapestry in wool, silk, silver-gilt thread

This tapestry is interesting to me in that it is a wonderful example of visually concretized values. The first image below looks patchy because I used Photoshop to piece together the detail images that were available--unfortunately, I don't know where this tapestry is located or who made it.  In any case, flanking Jesus are the two thieves, one good, one evil.  Their body language is quite different as they hang from their crosses making it easy to guess which thief is which. 

St. Giles Cathedral, Day 6: A Variety of Carvings and Architectural Details

Nationality: Scottish
Media: Marble
Location: St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

St. Giles Cathedral, Day 5: Statue

Nationality: Scottish
Media: Marble
Location: St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

St. Giles Cathedral, Day 2: Stained Glass Window

Nationality: Scottish
Media: Stained glass
Location: St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Photo by me.

St. Giles Cathedral, Day 1: Sculpture

Nationality: Scottish
Media: Stone
Location: St. Giles Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

This week I'm going to post images from St. Giles Cathedral* located in the old town of Edinburgh.

It was quite dark in there and I was hesitant to use a flash, so pardon the blurriness and darkness of these images.  I did my best to photoshop them into a recognizable state.

* it's technically not a cathedral.

(Possibly) Arnolfo di Cambio's "St. Peter"

Nationality: Italian
Born-Died: 1240/c. 1300-1310

Media: Stone

Location: St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

This is a detail photograph that I took of a sculpture in St. Peters in Rome.  In my various travels I have seen a lot of sculptures with noses, feet, etc. that have been polished smooth by the countless touches of human hands, but this sculpture is the most worn away I have ever seen.  It looks like the feet have melted--like they have actually lost material.  It's a shame that the work has been damaged in this way, but it's also quite amazing to think of stone being polished and literally eroded away by millions upon millions of soft, human hands over the course of centuries. 

Bartholomaeus Anglicus' "Man [Body and Soul]l"

Nationality: French
Born/Died: 1203-1272

Media: Gold (?) and tempera (?) on parchment (?) or vellum (?)
Location: Les Mans, France

Considering that it was made during the Dark Ages, and despite it's technical awkwardness, this is a surprisingly upbeat view of man.

Domenico Ghirlandaio "Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni"

Nationality: Italian
Born/Died: 1449–1494

Creation Date: c. 1488-90
Size: 19.2 x 30.31 in. (49 x 77 cm)
Media: Tempera on panel
Location: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid, Spain

Bouguereau x 2 Week - "The Virgin With Angels" and "Little Esmeralda"

On this Day in the History of Art: Vilhelm Hammershøi born (1864), Emily Dickinson died (1886)

This week I'm going to post two images per day of Bouguereau’s work--one piece that I don't like and one that I do.

Nationality: French
Born-Died: 1825-1905



The Virgin With Angels
Creation Date: 1900
Media: Oil on canvas

This painting is an example of artistic second-handedness that would rival the likes of Peter Keating.