Claude Theberge (1934-2008)

Canadian painter Claude Théberge was known primarily for his paintings, but also produced murals, stained glass and sculptures.

Over many years he divided is time between Paris and Montreal, all the while exploring the full range between pure Abstraction and Hyper-realism.

Édouard Manet (1832-1883)

Édouard Manet nato in una famiglia borghese, dopo gli studi classici si arruolò in Marina. Respinto agli esami, decise di iniziare la carriera artistica. Dal 1850-1856 studiò presso il pittore accademico Couture, pur non condividendone gli insegnamenti.

Viaggiò molto in Italia, Olanda, Germania, Austria, studiando soprattutto i pittori che avevano scelto il linguaggio tonale quali Giorgione, Tiziano, gli olandesi del Seicento, Goya e Velazquez.

Notevole influenza ebbe sulla definizione del suo stile anche la conoscenza delle stampe giapponesi. Nell’arte giapponese, infatti, il problema della simulazione tridimensionale viene quasi sempre ignorato, risolvendo la figurazione solo con la linea di contorno sul piano bidimensionale.

Michelangelo Buonarroti | Risen Christ, 1521

"The Risen Christ" - "Cristo della Minerva", also known as Christ the Redeemer or Christ Carrying the Cross, is a marble sculpture by the Italy High Renaissance master Michelangelo, finished in 1521.

It is in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome, to the left of the main altar.

The work was commissioned in June 1514, by the Roman patrician Metello Vari, who stipulated only that the nude standing figure would have the Cross in his arms, but left the composition entirely to Michelangelo.

Andrea del Sarto | The Virgin and child, 1528

This intimate devotional image shows the Virgin looking for signs of the Christ Child’s first teeth.

The painting is unfinished, but provided the starting point for at least three other versions of similar size, all apparently painted at the same time by Sarto and his workshop.

The painting must have been a devotional image intended for a domestic setting.

It has a natural directness as the Virgin seems to be firmly but gently holding down the Christ Child’s lower lip and searching for signs of teeth.

Thomas Kennington | Homeless, 1890

Many orphaned or abandoned children were living on the streets during this time.

Some survived by selling matches, working as chimney sweeps or by scrounging in the River Thames for objects of value to sell.

Often exhausted and starved, these homeless children were exposed to many diseases, such as whooping cough, influenza and measles, life threatening diseases in those days.

Dressed in black clothing known as widow’s weeds, the woman drops her washing bundle to console this homeless boy. | Source: © Bendigo Art Gallery, Australia

William Bouguereau | Le citron, 1899

In late February, 1899, William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) traveled to the south of France with his wife, Elizabeth, and son, Paul.

Doctors had recommended the warm and sunny climate to help Paul, as he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis the year before.

They went to the picturesque seaside town of Menton and took up residence in the Hôtel des Îles Britanniques, where they would stay until late May.

While Bouguereau was committed to supporting his son's health, he was not content to leave his studio, commissions and pupils.

Johannes Vermeer | Dalla ricchezza alla povertà

Johannes Vermeer è stato un artista rispettato a Delft, ma era quasi sconosciuto al di fuori della sua città natale.

Un mecenate locale di nome Pieter van Ruijven aveva acquistato gran parte della sua produzione, il che mantenne Vermeer a galla finanziariamente ma ridusse la possibilità che la sua fama si diffondesse.

Diversi fattori contribuirono alla sua limitata produzione.

Si ritiene che Vermeer abbia prodotto un totale di meno di 50 dipinti, di cui 34 sono sopravvissuti.

Vermeer non ebbe mai allievi, anche se uno studioso ha suggerito che Vermeer insegnò a dipingere alla figlia maggiore Maria.