Modigliani, Amedeo (1884-1920) Jean Cocteau 1916 Oil on canvas, 100.4 x 81.3 cm Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton Modigliani moved from his native Italy to Paris in 1906 and soon became part of the city’s vibrant artistic and literary culture. His…
Rossetti, Dante Gabriel (1828-1882) The Salutation of Beatrice 1869 Oil on canvas, 57.1 x 47 cm Private collection Inscription with a sonnet from Dante‘s Vita Nuova (The New Life). Beatrice Portinari was the Florentine girl who represented the ideal of…
Burne-Jones, Edward (1833-1898) The Annunciation and the Adoration of the Magi 1861 Oil on 3 canvases, 133.6 x 98.4 x 8.5 cm / 133.9 x 181.9 x 8 cm / 133.3 x 98.4 x 8 cm Tate Britain, London This triptych…
Bouguereau, William-Adolphe (1825-1905) L’iris (Woman with Iris) 1895 Oil on canvas, 46 x 38 cm Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton Among the most successful academic painters of the late nineteenth century, Bouguereau received numerous official honors from the French art establishment.…
De Morgan, Evelyn (1855-1919) Queen Eleanor and the Fair Rosamund Probably 1901–1902 Oil on canvas, 75.6 x 66.7 cm De Morgan Collection Rosamund was the mistress of Henry II, who built a house for her at Woodstock in Oxfordshire. Legends say…
Gainsborough, Thomas (1727-1788) Mrs Siddons 1785 Oil on canvas, 126 × 99.5 cm National Gallery, London Mrs Siddons (1755–1831) was the greatest tragic actress of her time, remaining at the top of her profession for 30 years. Gainsborough painted her in the…
Scholderer, Otto (1834-1902) The Artist’s Wife on the Ottoman (Luise Scholderer auf der Ottomane) 1873 Oil on canvas, 69 × 82 cm Städel Museum, Frankfurt The artist’s wife is facing sideways towards the viewer and is looking at him in half-profile. Scholderer…
Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973) La Maternité (Motherhood) 1901 Oil on fibre board, 100.1 × 72.9 cm National Gallery, London On loan from a private collection. A mother cradles a naked child, its long limbs folded into her embrace as if still in…
Michelangelo (1475-1564) Madonna di Manchester (Manchester Madonna: The Virgin and Child with Saint John and Angels) c.1494 Tempera on wood, 104.5 × 77 cm National Gallery, London This picture – known as ‘The Manchester Madonna’ since 1857, when it was exhibited in the…
Lorenzo di Credi (c.1459-1537) Madonna col Bambino (The Virgin and Child) c.1480–1485 Oil on wood, 71.1 × 49.5 cm National Gallery, London The Virgin Mary is seated directly in front of us. Together with swathes of drapery, she covers almost the…