Where art meets emotion and creativity knows no bounds—let's discover:
Masterpieces that leave us in awe🧵
1. Undine Rising from the Waters is a stunning marble sculpture created by American artist Chauncey Bradley Ives in 1884.
2. The Pietà by Ippolito Scalza, a masterwork hewn from a singular block of marble between 1570 and 1579, poignantly captures the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless form of Jesus Christ.
3. The Nike (Winged Victory) of Samothrace is a revered votive monument that was originally discovered on the island of Samothrace, situated north of the Aegean Sea—an exceptional work of art from the Hellenistic era of Greek sculpture, crafted during the early 2nd century BC.
4. Apollo and Daphne is a life-sized marble statue sculpted by Bernini from 1622 to 1625. He was 24 when he started it for Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who commissioned it.
5. Modesty (Chastity, Veiled Truth) is a marble sculpture by Antonio Corradini, completed in 1752 and housed in the Cappella Sansevero in Naples, Italy. It is regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Rococo period.
6. The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a renowned sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, crafted between 1647 and 1652.
7. The Vision of Constantine by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is a sculpture depicting Emperor Constantine I’s pivotal vision of a cross in the sky before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD.
8. The Veiled Christ is an extraordinary marble sculpture crafted by the Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino in 1753.
9. The Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek marble statue of Aphrodite/Venus, discovered on the island of Milos in 1820 and now housed at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
10. Bernini's David, carved over 8 months from 1623 to 1624 (Bernini was 26 at the time), was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, Bernini's patron and a powerful figure in the Catholic Church.
11. Amore e Psiche (also known as Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss) is a Neoclassical masterpiece by Antonio Canova. It depicts Cupid tenderly awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss, capturing a moment of great emotion.
12. The Abduction of Proserpina (1621–1622), a large Baroque marble sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, crafted when he was only 23 years old upon its completion.
13. Giuliano Finelli's bust of Maria Duglioli Barberini (1626). The intricate details of her dress, including the insertion lace, are all meticulously carved from marble.
14. Neptune and Triton is a marble sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, created between 1622 and 1623.
15. Pietà by Michelangelo, circa 1499. This exquisite marble sculpture is housed in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.
16. The Saint Bartholomew sculpture, a marble statue of the Christian martyr who suffered skinning and decapitation for his faith, was created by Marco d’Agrate, an Italian sculptor, in 1562.
17. The Charles de Sainte-Maure statue, intricately carved by French sculptor Louis-Philippe Mouchy in 1781, is sometimes referred to as the Marble Lace Handkerchief.
18. Ajax (Aiace) and Cassandra is a marble sculpture by Jago, made of Carrara marble. It was completed in 2022.
19. The Sleeping Hermaphroditus is an ancient marble sculpture depicting Hermaphroditus, life-size. In 1620, Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpted the mattress on which the statue now lies.
20. The Farnese Bull is a massive Roman, elaborate copy of a Hellenistic original group sculpture. It is the largest single sculpture yet recovered from antiquity, carved from a single block of marble in the 2nd century BCE.
21. The Veiled Virgin, by Italian artist Giovanni Strazza, depicts the bust of a veiled Virgin Mary. It was likely created in the early 1850s.
22. Release from Deception (Il Disinganno) is a masterful marble sculpture by Francesco Queirolo, created between 1752 and 1759. The net is made of marble, too!
23. Paolina Borghese as Venus Victorious, sculpted by Antonio Canova between 1805 and 1808, portrays Napoleon's sister as Venus, holding the apple of victory.
24. The Beata Ludovica Albertoni (1671–1674) is among Bernini’s final works, created when he was 71 years old.
25. Michelangelo's David, created between 1501 and 1504, depicts the biblical hero David, who famously defeated the giant Goliath with a stone and a sling.
Our journey concludes here. Thank you for reading this far.
Which sculpture do you hold as your favorite? What would you add to this list?
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Today, 345 years ago, we lost the greatest sculptor known to mankind, Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
Let's enjoy some of his most iconic sculptures 🧵
Gian Lorenzo Bernini needs no introduction. He was amazing! Characterized by dynamic movement and emotional intensity, his works continue to inspire awe. So, let's see some of them.
1. The Goat Amalthea with the Infant Jupiter and a Faun, c.1610
Before manga and psychedelia, Alphonse Mucha imagined a world in bloom.
On his birthday, let’s honor his vision of art. 🧵 👇
Today, July 24, marks the birthday of Alphonse Mucha, the Czech visionary who defined Art Nouveau. His flowing lines, ethereal women, and vibrant designs transformed art, posters, and even interiors.
Gismonda, 1894 - Mucha’s breakthrough came with this poster for Sarah Bernhardt’s play. Bernhardt herself said, “You have made me immortal.”
Alexander the Great was born around July 20 or 21, 356 BC.
His story has been told and retold for centuries, but some of the most powerful tributes are in art.
Let’s take a look. 🧵 👇
One of the oldest portraits of Alexander the Great is a marble bust from Pella, his birthplace. He’s shown with a tilted head and intense gaze—a look that became his signature across centuries.
The famous Alexander Mosaic, found in Pompeii, shows him mid-battle against the Persian king Darius III. His expression is fierce and focused. It’s a dynamic moment captured in stone.
415 years ago today, the world lost Michelangelo Merisi.
Caravaggio didn’t paint perfection. He painted truth.
An icon. A rebel. A legacy carved in chiaroscuro. 🧵
Let's delve into the life and art of Caravaggio, a painter whose dramatic style and tumultuous life have left an indelible mark on the art world. Born Michelangelo Merisi in 1571, his work would come to define the Baroque movement.
Caravaggio's early life was marked by tragedy. He was born in Milan, but his family moved to the small town of Caravaggio (from where he took the name) in 1576 to escape a plague that was devastating Milan. Orphaned by the age of 11, he returned to Milan to begin his apprenticeship with the painter Simone Peterzano, a pupil of Titian. This period shaped his technical skills but also his rebellious spirit.
Today is World Chocolate Day, a celebration of humanity’s sweetest obsession.
Chocolate is a 4,000-year-old story of culture, conquest, and creativity.
Let’s unwrap its history, shall we? 🧵 🍫
Chocolate begins in Mesoamerica, where the Olmecs (c. 1500 BC) first cultivated cacao. The Maya called it ka’kau’, a sacred drink for gods and kings. Bitter, frothy, and spiked with chili, it was no candy bar.
The Aztecs took it further, using cacao beans as currency. One bean could buy a tamale, 100 could get you a turkey. Montezuma II reportedly drank 50 cups a day. Chocolate was power, wealth, and ritual in one.