Author: Brian
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St. Isidore of Seville
April 4th is the feast day of St. Isidore of Seville. St. Isidore was 7th century a scholar, bishop, and theologian. Known as the “last scholar of the ancient world,” he compiled the Etymologiae, an early encyclopedia. A key figure in preserving classical knowledge, he worked to unify Visigothic Spain under Catholicism. St. Isidore (c.1655)…
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The Annunciation Part 2
In honor of the Annunciation we’ve got a bonus post of two decidedly NOT Baroque paintings. The Annunciation (c.1434) by Van Eyck at the National Gallery in Washington D.C. @ngadc The Angel Gabriel is the most magnificently dressed Angel I have ever laid eyes on. Van Eyck’s work as an illuminator prepared him to paint the impossibly…
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Feast of the Annunciation
March 25th is the Feast of the Annunciation in the Catholic Church. It is the announcement by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit to be called Jesus. It was an extremely popular subject to depict in Counter-Reformation times. Today we show…
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Feast of St. Joseph
March 19th is the Feast of St. Joseph, the earthly father and foster father of Jesus Christ, and the husband of the Virgin Mary. A humble carpenter by trade, Joseph is a key figure in the Nativity story, demonstrating unwavering faith and obedience to God’s will. Joseph was visited by an angel in a dream…
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! As St. Patrick’s day celebrations were started by Irish emigrants as a way to remember the homeland, you won’t find any Baroque paintings of the saint. Instead, we will take a look at Simon Vouet’s amazing take on the popular Fortune Teller theme. The left half of the painting is similar…
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International Women’s Day
Today is International Women’s day. During the 1600s women, generally speaking, were regarded as the pillars of society; but, they still had to conform their expected roles and the arts were definitely not encouraged. Women who did study art were not allowed to study nude models and many of them focused on still life paintings.…
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St. John of God
On March 8th , the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. John of God. St. John dedicated his life to helping the sick. He opened a hospital in Granada, Spain and welcomed in anyone who needed help. When the Royal Hospital was on fire, St. John ran inside and saved many patients and…
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Saint Casimir
March 4th is the feast day of Saint Casimir, a 15th century prince of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Known for his piety, devotion to God, and generosity towards the sick and poor, Casimir led a life of humility and virtue despite his royal status. He died at age 25…
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Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
February 22nd is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. In St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, in the Apse (behind the main altar) is Bernini’s Cathedra Petri (1647). This reliquary holds what is traditionally believed to be the chair of St. Peter. Four doctors of the church are holding down the…
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St. Rita Cascia
In the Basilica di Sant’Agostino in Rome, in the third chapel on the right, you can find The Ecstasy of Blessed Rita da Cascia (1674) by Giacinto Brandi. St. Rita was born in 1381 into a family with strong Christian values. She married Paolo di Ferdinando, and after he was murdered, she prayed constantly so…