Beautiful Histories

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson. 🔊

What’s going on here? Anthony of Egypt, “the father of monasticism” just wanted to be alone with God but faced temptations in the forms of dreams and maybe hallucinations. In portraying this, artists could give full expression to their imaginations. “The Temptation of St…

On this day (July 25) in the year 306, Roman troops proclaimed Constantine I as emperor of the western empire -- the spark of a major turning point in history. Eventually he defeated all rivals to become ruler of the entire empire. On this same date 9 years later, the Arch of…

These are my favorite photos of a Venetian sunset. 😊 If you have 34 seconds, watch to the end! 🔊

Saints in Classic Art: Moses Moses’s most interesting features are horns, based on a mistranslation of the biblical passage that said Moses’s face had rays/beams of light after being on the mountain with God. He often holds a staff and the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.

Good morning, friends! Life is fleeting — every moment counts. Hope you find meaning and joy in this day and find an opportunity to show kindness to someone. 🙂

For centuries, St. Mark's Square has been a gathering place for the world -- for reasons of commerce, faith, politics, romance, wonder, and more. "The Piazza of Saint Mark's, Venice," by William Logsdail, 1883.

John the Baptist, from the Ghent Altarpiece, 1432. In artistic tradition, he has long shaggy hair and points to Christ. He wears his camel-skin garment under a brilliant emerald green cape. The inscription above him says: "This is John the Baptist greater than men, like unto the…

This crooked little guy is another of the "Moors" of Cannaregio. If you find him, you've found the workshop of the great Venetian painter, Tintoretto, who painted the enormous "Il Paradiso" in the Doge's Palace.

The Subconscious, as defined by Douglas Adams: "That infuriating part of a person's brain which never responds to interrogation, merely gives little meaningful nudges and then sits humming quietly to itself, saying nothing." (from The Long, Dark Tea Time of the Soul)

One of the Moors in Campo dei Mori in the Cannaregio sestiere of Venice. They date from the 13th or 14th century and are good reminders of Venice's trade relationships with people of many nationalities. His nose, at some point replaced with this unflattering prosthesis, could…

Elegant geometry:

Mauro Codussi’s famous window in the Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice, Italy. It highlights Codussi’s “signature” motifs of circles and semi-circles.