classic paintings

  • Gustav Klimt, Adele Bloch-Bauer II, 1912
    Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Adele Bloch-Bauer II: The Second of Klimt’s Great Portraits

    Adele Bloch-Bauer II was the second portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer painted by Gustav Klimt. Although stylistically very different works, the two portraits share the same tumultuous history. In this article, Singulart discusses the life of Klimt and the historical context of Adele Bloch-Bauer II.  Who was Gustav Klimt? Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) was an Austrian artist and the leader of the…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Girls at the Piano: Domestic Dreams of the Post-Industrial Bourgeois

    In Girls at the Piano, Renoir depicts an idealized image of modern bourgeois life and displays his talent for painting the female figure. In this article, Singulart discusses the artist’s life and his mature style exemplified in this work.  Who was Pierre-Auguste Renoir?  Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) was a French painter and founder of the Impressionist movement. He is particularly renowned…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Susanna and the Elders: Gentileschi’s Dramatic Feminist Masterpiece

    Artemisia Gentileschi’s achievements as an Italian Baroque artist were almost overshadowed by the events of her personal life, such as the fact that she was a female painter and that she was instrumental in the prosecution of her rapist Agonisto Tassi. However, she has since been recognized as one of the most accomplished painters of her time. Singulart will be…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Girl With a Pearl Earring: The Mysterious ‘Mona Lisa of the North’

    Johannes Vermeer’s enigmatic, mysterious Girl With a Pearl Earring has captivated viewers since its creation in 1655. Known as the “Mona Lisa of the North”, the enigmatic subject of the painting has been debated for hundreds of years. Who was the girl with a pearl earring and what makes this painting so extraordinary? The Life of Johannes Vermeer  Johannes Vermeer…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    The Annunciation: Da Vinci’s Early Experimentation with Optics

    The Annunciation is one of the earliest works attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci and exemplifies many of the characteristics of his developing style. In this article, Singulart takes a closer look at this early work and at the stellar career which gave Leonardo Da Vinci the reputation of the definitive Renaissance Man.  Who was Leonardo Da Vinci? Leonardo da Vinci…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Lady with an Ermine: Portrait of a Lover

    Lady with an Ermine is one of four portraits of women painted by Leonardo Da Vinci during his career and demonstrates his expertise in capturing the details of the human form. In this article, Singulart investigates Da Vinci’s life as well as that of the painting’s subject.  Who was Leonardo Da Vinci?  Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian polymath…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    The Last Supper: The Greatest Masterpiece of the Renaissance

    One of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance by one of its greatest masters, Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper is a complex depiction of this iconic biblical subject. In this article, Singulart investigates the life and achievements of Leonardo Da Vinci and examines the complexities of this masterpiece. Who was Leonardo Da Vinci? Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an…

  • Leonardo da Vinci, The Adoration of the Magi, 1481
    Art History • Artworks under the lens
    The Adoration of the Magi and Da Vinci’s Unique Iconography

    Leonardo da Vinci’s The Adoration of the Magi, despite its unfinished state, remains a complex and rich depiction of humanity within its biblical subject matter. In this article, Singulart examines the life and career of one of the world’s most famous artists and deciphers the meanings held within this unfinished masterpiece.  The Adoration of the Magi and Da Vinci‘s Early…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Large Bathers: Balance and Tension Between the Sacred and the Irreverent

    Paul Cézanne is one of the most celebrated Post-Impressionist artists, regarded as one of the founders of modern art. His work inspired artists such as Picasso and Matisse, who said that Cézanne was “the father to us all”. His Bathers series is considered home to some of his most striking work, and in this article Singulart will analyze what many…

  • Art History • Artworks under the lens
    Feast of the Rosary: Albrecht Dürer’s Masterpiece

    Albrecht Dürer is considered one of the most important artists of the Late Gothic and Early Renaissance period. He created more than 800 works during his lifetime, and Singulart will be delving into the history of one of his most celebrated pieces, Feast of the Rosary. Completed in 1506, it has been called “the most superb painting that a German…