European Art
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
Today’s grotesque came to my attention via Atlas Obscura, a fantastic place to find fun, quirky facts and interesting locations to visit. This little bull figure lives on one side of the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. The church is heavily-laden with sculptural decorations of many styles and subjects, but this bull has a story separate…
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of Chateau de Pierrefonds, France
A crocodile gargoyle on the Chateau de Pierrefonds in France.
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of the Duomo, Milan
In 2012, Milan’s Duomo came up with a pretty cool fundraising idea. In order to come up with the necessary funds to support restorations efforts, this massive Gothic cathedral decided to put its 135 gargoyles up for adoption. Donors could pick a gargoyle to contribute to, receiving a little name plaque underneath “their” gargoyle. This article on swide.com…
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Nativity by Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre (December 25th)
The Christmas Day edition of an art history Advent calendar features a Nativity painting by French artist Jean Baptiste Marie Pierre.
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Christkindlmarkt Am Hof by Carl Wenzel Zajicek (December 23rd)
For an art historical Advent calendar, a beautiful, snow-filled painting of a Viennese Christmas market by Austrian painter Carl Wenzel Zajicek.
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A Young Girl Dressed Up for Christmas (December 22nd)
For a fine art Advent calendar, a charming illustration of a well-dressed little girl by Kate Greenaway.
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Merry Christmas by Viggo Johansen (December 21st)
Day 21 of a fine art Advent calendar is a lovely painting of a family dancing around the Christmas tree by Danish artist Viggo Johansen.
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A Still Life by Johanna Helena Looisen (December 20th)
Today’s painting, Still Life with Christmas Pudding, Holly and Wine, is my first Advent Calendar work by a female artist. I wasn’t specifically looking for a work by a female painter today, just as I wasn’t intentionally avoiding female artists for the first nineteen days. I’m featuring the painting because I love it; it’s compelling for…
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Gargoyles and Grotesques of the Tower of London
This weirdly-misshapen face is one of several gargoyles or grotesques located on the infamous Tower of London. Considering the many horrifying things that have happened inside that castle-turned-prison, I would say that his somewhat-twisted appearance is appropriate, though I’m sure this wasn’t intentional. Interestingly, the other Tower of London gargoyles I found, though all still disembodied…
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Madonna d’Orleans by Raphael (December 18th)
For the 18th day of a fine art Advent calendar, one of Raphael’s famous Madonna and Child paintings – the Orleans Madonna of 1506.
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New Year’s Night by Julius Kronberg (December 17th)
A mysterious painting of a figure in the midnight snow on New Year’s Eve, by Swedish Symbolist Julius Johann Ferdinand Kronberg. For a fine art Advent Calendar.
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Winter by Alphonse Mucha (December 16th)
A personification of winter by Alphonse Mucha. Mucha’s elegant female figures are synonymous with Art Nouveau even today.
