Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Leonardo’s study of the human body led him to investigate the phenomenon of reproduction.




Leonardo had access through dissection to a human foetus of approximately seven months, which he represented in a group of surviving drawings from various viewpoints. Here in the main drawing, the uterus and embryonic membranes are shown bursting magically open like the coverings of a germinating bud to reveal a foetus in the breech position. The umbilical cord is shown coiled in a serpentine line. The cotyledons of the placenta are observed from the uterus of a cow, and are added to the human foetus to produce as comprehensive an image as possible of the reproductive system.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Leonardo Da Vinci, Head of a woman 1470s


Black chalk or leadpoint, brown and grey-black wash, heightened with white. 28.2 x 19.9 cm ( 11 1/16 x 7 13/16 in. )

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

RAFFAELLO SANZIO - St. George Fighting the Dragon, 1504-06, Oil on wood, 28.5 x 21.5 cm



 Raphael painted this when he was in his early twenties, the little praying princess is very Peruginesque. But there is a fire in the knight and his intelligent horse, and a nasty vigour in the convincing dragon that would always be beyond Perugino's skill. Even the horse's tail is electric, and the saint's mantle flies wide as he speeds to the kill.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

The School of Athens fresco, which is one of Raphael’s most famous works, was completed to decorate the Stanza della Segnatura commission by the Pope.


Raphael included the likeness of Michelangelo himself in the painting, as the philosopher Heraclitus. Commentators have suggested that nearly great Greek philosopher can be found within the painting, but determining which are depicted is difficult, since Raphael made no designations outside possible likenesses, and no contemporary documents explain the painting.


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

In 1886, van Gogh visited a Paris flea market and came across a pair of worn-out shoes :)



Vincent Van Gogh sold just one painting in his whole life, to his sister for about 400 Franks, but that didn't stop him to paint 800 more :)

Natalie Portman ( from Thor 2 ) pencil on paper drawing by Darko Mitrevski, MFA

My latest pencil drawing...