Category: 19th century

Pandora by Rossetti: a mythical and symbolic work

Pandora is a painting made by Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1871, which depicts the mythological figure of Pandora holding the box that contains all the evils of the world. Rossetti was an English painter and poet, founder of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, who sought to renew art by drawing inspiration from medieval and Renaissance sources. The […]

Chassériau’s painting showing a melancholic and exotic Venus Anadyomene

Venus Anadyomene (or Venus Marine) is a painting by Théodore Chassériau from 1838. It depicts the goddess of love emerging from the waters, according to the myth of her birth. This artistic theme, derived from Greco-Roman mythology, has been revisited by many painters over the centuries. Chassériau is inspired by it in turn, bringing his […]

Divine and human love in Gérard’s painting: Psyche and Love

Psyche and Love is a painting by François Gérard from 1798. It depicts a scene from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, where the god of love, Eros, kisses the beautiful Psyche for the first time, whom he has abducted and hidden in his palace. This work, preserved in the Louvre Museum, illustrates the painter’s romantic style and his […]

How Guérin reinvented the legend of Aurora and Cephalus

Aurora and Cephalus is a painting by Pierre-Narcisse Guérin from 1810. It depicts a scene from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, where the goddess of dawn, Aurora, abducts the young hunter Cephalus and seduces him. This work illustrates the painter’s neoclassical style and his interest in mythological subjects. Historical context of the painting Pierre-Narcisse Guérin (1774-1833) was a […]

Hypatia by Mitchell: a romantic and tragic representation of the ancient philosopher

Hypatia is an oil on canvas painting created in 1885 by British painter Charles William Mitchell. It depicts the Greek philosopher, mathematician and astronomer Hypatia of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century AD and was murdered by Christian fanatics. The painting belongs to the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne and measures 244.5 […]

Thor, the god of thunder facing the forces of chaos: an analysis of the painting by Mårten Eskil Winge

Thor’s Fight with the Giants is an oil on canvas painting created in 1872 by Swedish painter Mårten Eskil Winge. It depicts the Norse god Thor in an epic battle against the jötnar, evil creatures that threaten cosmic order. The painting belongs to the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and measures 484 x 333 centimeters. Historical and […]

Souvenir of Mortefontaine by Corot: a painting that celebrates nature and memory

Souvenir of Mortefontaine is an oil painting created in 1864 by French artist Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, considered the precursor of Realism and Impressionism. It depicts a peaceful and harmonious scene in the park of Mortefontaine in Oise where Corot liked to go to paint. It is housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris and is […]

Rain Steam and Speed by Turner: a painting that revolutionizes art and society

Rain Steam and Speed is an oil painting created in 1844 by British artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, considered the precursor of Impressionism. It depicts a locomotive crossing a bridge over the Thames in a misty and turbulent landscape. It is housed in the National Gallery in London and is part of the Romantic movement. […]

The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople by Delacroix: a historical and dramatic scene of Romanticism

The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople is an oil painting on canvas by the French painter Eugène Delacroix, created in 1840. It depicts an episode of the Fourth Crusade, when the Latin crusaders seized the Byzantine capital on April 12, 1204. It measures 498 x 410 cm and is housed in the Louvre Museum […]

The Death of Socrates by David: an emblematic work of neoclassicism

The Death of Socrates is a painting by the French painter Jacques-Louis David, made in 1787. It depicts the death of the Greek philosopher Socrates, condemned by the Athenians to drink hemlock for having corrupted the youth. The painting had been commissioned to David by Charles-Michel Trudaine de la Sablière, a friend and patron of […]

The Desperate Man by Courbet: a disturbing and audacious self-portrait 

The Desperate Man is a painting by the French painter Gustave Courbet, made between 1843 and 1845. It is a self-portrait of the artist, who depicts himself in close-up, with a striking expression close to madness. It is kept in a private collection, but was exhibited at the Orsay Museum in 2007. This work is […]

The Fighting Temeraire: a melancholic and modern work

The Fighting Temeraire is an oil painting on canvas by William Turner, made in 1838. It depicts a large English warship, the HMS Temeraire, towed by a steam tugboat to its place of demolition. It is exhibited at the National Gallery in London. This work is considered a masterpiece of romanticism and an evocation of […]

The kiss of Hayez: a romantic and patriotic work

The kiss of Hayez is a painting by the Italian painter Francesco Hayez made in 1859. It depicts a couple exchanging a passionate kiss, in a composition in chiaroscuro and in the troubadour style. It is kept at the Pinacoteca di Brera, in Milan. This painting is considered as a symbol of Italian romanticism and […]

The Raft of the Medusa: dive into the drama with Géricault! 

The Raft of the Medusa is a famous painting by the French artist Théodore Géricault, made between 1818 and 1819. It depicts a tragic scene from the shipwreck of the frigate La Méduse, which occurred in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. This work is considered a masterpiece of Romanticism, for its expressive force […]

The ball of the Moulin de la Galette: the history and secrets of an emblematic painting by Renoir

The ball of the Moulin de la Galette is a famous painting by the French artist Auguste Renoir, made in 1876. It depicts a scene of popular festivity in a guinguette in Montmartre, Paris. This work is considered a masterpiece of impressionism, by its innovative technique and its subject anchored in modern life. Context of […]

The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog: an emblematic work of Romanticism

The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is a painting by Caspar David Friedrich in 1818. It depicts a man standing on a rock, his back turned to the viewer, who observes a misty and mountainous landscape. This painting is considered one of the most famous works of the painter and of German Romanticism, an […]
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