The Rosetta Stone – the key to understanding ancient Egypt
It’s a very dull piece of a granite-like stone, and the stuff that’s carved on it isn’t hugely interesting either – it’s to do with […]
five minute presentations
Velazquez – Philip IV of Spain in Brown and Silver
PREVIOUS: RUBENS – HET STEEN Philip IV of Spain in Brown and Silver: Diego Velázquez: about 1631-2 This splendid figure, resplendent in a formal costume […]
Claude – Seaport with the Embarkation of St Ursula
PREVIOUS: REMBRANDT – THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY Seaport with the embarkation of St Ursula: Claude: 1641 We’re looking at an imaginary landscape, at a place that […]
Raphael – Portrait of Pope Julius II
PREVIOUS: LEONARDO DA VINCI – THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCKS Raphael: Portrait of Pope Julius II: 1511 Here we’re looking at Pope Julius seated in […]
Van Eyck – The Arnolfini Portrait
PREVIOUS: UCELLO – THE BATTLE OF SAN ROMANO Jan van Eyck: The Arnolfini Portrait: 1434 While Uccello was experimenting with perspective in Italy, over in […]
Unknown artist – The Wilton Diptych
PREVIOUS: MARGARITO D’AREZZO – THE VIRGIN AND CHILD The Wilton Diptych: about 1395-1399 The previous picture was one of the earliest signed works in the […]
Wood Street Architecture
Stand with your back to the City of London police HQ in Wood Street and you can see the collision of old and new in […]
Caravaggio – The Supper at Emmaus
Caravaggio: The Supper at Emmaus: 1601 We’re looking at the painting of a scene described in the gospel of St Luke. The story is that […]
Titian – Bacchus and Ariadne
PREVIOUS: HOLBEIN – THE AMBASSADORS Titian: Bacchus and Ariadne:1520-23 After the static pictures we’ve just seen, this one explodes with life, as the god Bacchus leaps […]
No. 1 Poultry – Sir James Stirling’s PoMo
If you want to build anything in the City of London there are three hurdles to be overcome – first you have to be allowed […]