Famous painters: biographies, movements and great masters

Young Woman Seated at a Virginal by Vermeer, circa 1670–1672, National Gallery
Young Woman seated at Vermeer's virginal: analysis, music and seduction
In The Young Woman Sitting at the Virginal, Vermeer transforms a musical interior into a love enigma: gaze, viola da gamba, light, Baburen painting and interpretations. Read more...
Vermeer’s Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid, full painting
Woman writing a letter and her servant: analysis, social relationship and composition
Analysis of Woman Writing a Letter and Her Servant by Vermeer: Domestic Hierarchy, Role of the Servant, Letter, Composition, Light and Symbols. Read more...
Vermeer’s Girl Interrupted at Her Music, full painting
Girl Interrupted at Her Music: analysis, restoration and symbols
Complete analysis of the Girl Interrupted at Her Music by Vermeer: look, score or letter, Cupid, wine, restoration and history of the painting preserved in the Frick Collection. Read more...
Woman in Blue Reading a Letter by Johannes Vermeer, circa 1663
Woman in blue reading a letter: analysis, supposed pregnancy and wall map
Analysis of Woman in Blue reading a letter from Vermeer: silhouette and supposed pregnancy, wall map, lapis lazuli, light and restoration of the Rijksmuseum. Read more...
The Geographer by Johannes Vermeer, painted in 1669
Vermeer's Geographer: analysis, maps, instruments and link with The Astronomer
In The Geographer, Vermeer transforms maps, globe and compass into a meditation on measuring the world. Complete analysis and scientific comparison with The Astronomer. Read more...
The Astronomer by Johannes Vermeer, scholar leaning towards a celestial globe
Vermeer's Astronomer: analysis, scientific symbols and journey to the Louvre
Analysis of Vermeer's The Astronomer: celestial globe, book by Metius, astrolabe, light, comparison with The Geographer and journey to the Louvre. Read more...
View of Delft by Johannes Vermeer, circa 1660-1661, Mauritshuis
View of Delft by Vermeer: analysis, light, topography and "small section of yellow wall"
Analysis of Vermeer's View of Delft: morning light, city gates, recomposed topography, technique and mysterious "little section of yellow wall" by Proust. Read more...
The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, circa 1665, Mauritshuis
Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring: identity, turban, light and secrets
Who was the Girl with the Pearl Earring? A documented analysis of the gaze, the turban, the light, the false pearl and scientific discoveries. Read more...
Saint Bartholomew by Rembrandt, 1661, J. Paul Getty Museum
Saint Bartholomew of Rembrandt: portrait of an apostle, knife and identity
Analysis of Rembrandt's Saint Bartholomew: knife of martyrdom, identity of the model, late style and comparison of the versions of 1657 and 1661. Read more...
The Sacrifice of Isaac by Rembrandt, 1635, Hermitage Museum
The Sacrifice of Isaac by Rembrandt: suspended gesture and intervention of the angel
A visual analysis of Rembrandt's Sacrifice of Isaac: interrupted gesture, falling knife, chiaroscuro, versions from 1635 and 1636 and conservation of the Hermitage. Read more...
Rembrandt, The Blinding of Samson, 1636, Städel Museum
Rembrandt's The Blindness of Samson: violence, diagonals and chiaroscuro
Analysis of Rembrandt's The Blinding of Samson: violence of the story, diagonals, foreshortening, chiaroscuro, restoration and conservation at the Städel Museum. Read more...
Rembrandt, Portrait of Jan Six, 1654
Portrait of Jan Six by Rembrandt: friendship, status and virtuosity
Analysis of the Portrait of Jan Six by Rembrandt: friendship, social status, red suit, glove gesture, virtuosity of the touch and history of the Six Collection. Read more...
Rembrandt’s The Standard Bearer, 1636, Rijksmuseum
Rembrandt's Standard Bearer: Analysis, History and Acquisition
Rembrandt represented himself as a standard bearer in 1636. Analysis of costume, light, technique, provenance and historical acquisition by the Netherlands. Read more...
Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee, full view of the painting stolen in 1990
Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee: analysis and theft at the Gardner Museum
Complete analysis of The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt: biblical account, composition, light, alleged self-portrait and unsolved theft at the Gardner Museum. Read more...
Rembrandt, Danaë, full view of the painting at the Hermitage Museum
Danaé de Rembrandt: analysis, transformations and attack on the painting
Complete analysis of Danae by Rembrandt: myth, light, transformations between 1636 and around 1643, model discussed, attack in 1985 and restoration by the Hermitage. Read more...
The Philosopher in Contemplation by Rembrandt, oil on wood dated 1632
Rembrandt's Philosopher in Meditation: Analysis, Staircase and Light
A tiny interior, a spiral staircase and two light sources: analysis of Rembrandt's Philosopher in Meditation, from its uncertain title to its ancient counterpart. Read more...
Rembrandt, The Slaughtered Ox, painted in 1655 and held at the Louvre Museum
Rembrandt's The Flayed Ox: analysis, material and meaning
Analysis of Rembrandt's Flayed Ox: flesh matter, light, beech panel, possible meanings, attributions and influence on Soutine. Read more...
Rembrandt, Isaac and Rebecca, Known as The Jewish Bride, circa 1665–1669
Rembrandt's Jewish Bride: analysis, identity of the couple and symbols
Who are the characters in The Jewish Bride? Analysis of the couple, the hands, the symbols, the material and the hypotheses around Isaac and Rebecca. Read more...
Rembrandt at the easel in his 1660 self-portrait at the Louvre
Rembrandt's self-portraits at the Louvre: works and journey
Four paintings, a print and nearly thirty years of evolution: a precise journey through Rembrandt's self-portraits preserved at the Louvre, with attributions, techniques and visiting advice. Read more...
Rembrandt, Large Self-Portrait, 1652, brown smock and frontal gaze, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
Self-portrait of Rembrandt from 1652: sobriety and frontal gaze
In 1652, Rembrandt painted himself in a brown blouse, hands on hips and almost frontal gaze. Analysis of the great self-portrait of Vienna, its light, its material and its cropped... Read more...
Rembrandt as a young man in his self-portrait from around 1630 at the Walker Art Gallery
Self-portrait of Rembrandt around 1630: youth and experimentation
Around 1630, Rembrandt transformed his own face into a laboratory of light, expression and status. Analysis of the portrait of Liverpool and the etchings of youth. Read more...
Rembrandt, Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul, 1661, Rijksmuseum
Self-portrait of Rembrandt as the apostle Paul: identity, costume and symbol
In 1661, Rembrandt depicted himself as the apostle Paul. An analysis of the sword, epistles, costume, light and interpretations of this major self-portrait from the Rijksmuseum. Read more...
The Virgin, Child Jesus and Saint Anne by Leonardo da Vinci
The Virgin, the Child Jesus and Saint Anne: analysis of Leonardo's work
Complete analysis of Leonardo's Saint Anne: characters, lamb, composition, sfumato, drawings and comparison with London cartoon. Read more...
The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci, version of the Louvre
The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci: analysis and symbols
Complete analysis of The Virgin of the Rocks: characters, symbols, composition, sfumato and comparison of the Louvre and London versions. Read more...