Pompeii and Herculaneum are Roman cities from late antiquity that don’t need any introduction. We have all heard the story how they were obliterated during the catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius on 24th August 79 CE. I wrote… Read More ›
Some of the most popular subjects for mosaics in ancient Greece and Rome were mythological scenes, daily life, the four seasons and the sea, the circus and gladiatorial games. But one of the more curious mosaics that I find amusing… Read More ›
Inspiration often comes from my daily grind. I’ve said it many times before and today is no different. I bought a bottle of spring water and imagine my surprise, as I see a naked goddess obscuring her face, lying across… Read More ›
Last week, I made my way to the National Gallery of Victoria, in Melbourne, to experience possibly a once in a lifetime exhibitions, of legendary French artist Edgar Degas works. Going into the exhibition I had expected to see at… Read More ›
An Italian Renaissance painter from Florence, by the name of Benozzo Gozzoli, was commissioned to paint a three-walled cycle of frescoes in the Chapel of the Palazzo Medici- Riccardi. The main subject of the frescoes is the Journey of the… Read More ›
A good number of Byzantine craftsmen, painters and artists are unknown or anonymous. Yet, they have left us with a rich legacy of decorative secular and religious art throughout the eastern Roman provinces. They were not only influential in their… Read More ›
Who would have thought that a tiny small square piece of stone, glass or pottery called tesserae would have such an important impact on culture and art history? As far back as the fourth millennium, on the walls of the… Read More ›
The peacock has a long history of being worshipped as a pagan deity or used as a symbol by royalty and the wealthy. Its use in the art of medieval Europe was also largely symbolic and generally related to Christianity…. Read More ›
People have always performed and danced as an expression of joy and entertainment and this was no different in the lives of ancient Egyptians. The two dancers depicted above would have danced for an elite audience or maybe even as… Read More ›
Have you ever been to an art show or art auction? I have been to a handful of art shows and exhibitions in recent years. Though I have never been to a professional auction. On the other hand I have… Read More ›
