La Madonna di San Sisto, painting by the Italian artist Raphael. 1512

Symbols encrypted in Sistine Madonna. In the painting the Madonna, holding the Christ Child and flanked by Saint Sixtus and Saint Barbara, stands on clouds before dozens of obscured cherubs, while two distinctive winged cherubs rest on their elbows beneath her. “The genius of pure beauty” – said about the “Sistine Madonna” Vasily Zhukovsky. Pushkin later borrowed this image and devoted it to his earthly woman – Anna Kern. Rafael also painted the Madonna from a real person, probably his own mistress.
More »

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

According to some specialists (physicians, dentists, surgeons, ophthalmologists) – Mona Lisa medical diagnosis includes strabismus, hemiatrophy, discrepancy, congenital idiocy, diseases of the spine, excess of cholesterol in the blood, alopecia, lack of teeth. On the “Mona Lisa” or “Portrait of Mrs. Lisa del Giocondo,” Leonardo da Vinci allegedly worked 16 years, from 1503 to 1519. Some experts believe that the painting remained unfinished. According to the most popular version, it captures Lisa Gherardini – the third wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a cloth merchant from Florence.
More »

Bedroom in Arles, 1888, Van Gogh Museum

Empty beds of Van Gogh. In this bedroom, Van Gogh wanted to see in the same bed the woman he loved, in the other – a friend, Paul Gauguin. Dream came true partially and briefly. It is believed that Van Gogh was crazy. It is believed that he was a genius. Neither this nor that his compatriots saw on time. Although some oddities in his behavior were evident. He rented his four-wing apartment for 15 francs a month (one franc in those years was worth about 50 cents) and bought furniture for 300 francs. A strange attitude to money, whom Van Gogh never had: a furnished room in a hotel cost five francs. But the occasional small inheritance allowed him to realize a dream. And in May 1888, Van Gogh got a small workshop in Arles, southern France, where he had fled from his uncomprehending Parisian artists and critics.
More »

Sandro Botticelli painting Spring (Primavera)

Italians are great philosophers, even in this painting, which is an allegory of spring and love, is encrypted message for humanity. Sandro Botticelli painting Spring was a wedding gift of Lorenzo de ‘Medici to his second cousin Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici. He was going to marry Semiramis – a girl from Appiani family . “Spring” was supposed to hang over the sofa-inlaid chest – lettuchcho. The painting is actually not just about spring and love, it is a kind of illustration of the instruction compiled for Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco by the famous Florentine philosopher Marsilio Ficino. In it, he calls upon the obstinate young man to earnestly behold the Humanitas («humanity”) as the highest virtue.
More »

Fruit Shop. Between 1618 – 1621. Flemish painter Frans Snyders (11 November 1579 – 19 August 1657). State Hermitage Museum, Russia

At the end of the Renaissance in northern Europe decorative still life genre has turned into a philosophical statement in painting. XVI-XVIII century – the golden time in the history of European still life. In those years, there were two main schools of art, specializing in the image of flowers, fruits and objects – Flemish and Dutch. Despite the fact that Flanders (Belgium) and the Netherlands (Dutch) were the neighboring states and their artists had different meanings in the “nature morte” (the so-called still life in Flanders), or “quiet life” (as referred in the Netherlands).
More »

Colors and shapes. The art of Spiral staircases

The art of Spiral staircases
Appreciated by architects and designers, spiral staircases are stairs inspire artists and musicians, film directors and philosophers. Used as a symbol and a part of a religious ritual, stairs emphasize the importance of climbing. Besides, equivalents to stairs are – golden thread, axis of the world, the world tree, the world mountain and rainbow.

According to belief, stairs cross three cosmic zones, linking the world of gods, humans, and the underworld. Connected with the vertical movement, stairs often set hierarchy of deities.
More »

Balinese style doors with intricate carvings is a real piece of art

Metaphorically doors may refer to portals and other non-physical entrances. Opening doors has philosophical implications when after opening the door whether you leave it open or not. Death – is a door with one handle. They say there are no closed doors, locks are in our heads. Doors inspire artists, designers, craftsmen all over the world. So, let’s look at Doors as art.
More »