With ‘modern history paintings’ long behind him, he turned to literary subjects and classical histories once more.
painting
From Savage’s portrait of the Washington family, through James Tissot’s boring old soldiers, coming full circle with a modern map of Dante’s Purgatory.
From Botticelli’s map of Dante’s ‘Inferno’ to Vermeer’s fine-detailed depictions of decorative wall hangings.
Mainly concentrating on the occult and erotic, his works can be hard to read, but never disappoint in originality or execution.
A close friend of Charles Baudelaire during his final years, Rops was an early adopter of mixed media and always original.
Three stunning frescoes in a whole room with painted walls and ceiling: the Disputa, School of Athens, and Parnassus. Perfection.
A ride on a hippogriff to Earthly Paradise, then on to the moon to retrieve Orlando’s wits. Meanwhile Bradamante is busy with her golden lance.
He took a break from ‘modern history’ painting in the 1780s, making religious works and even some landscapes, including some unknown gems.
Loyal to their master or mistress, often to the point of self-sacrifice. Paintings by Titian, Rembrandt, Rubens, Velázquez, Courbet and Bonnard.
Independent and aloof, cats train their humans and think that they’re still large and ferocious. Paintings from Carpaccio to Bonnard.
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