Of Chess and Art

Chess is a beautiful game. Like artists painting their worlds within the confines of a canvas, so do chess players build their vision within the square-format of their board.

Vittorio Matteo Corcos – The Addict (1899)

Freshly returned from Paris, where he had gained a reputation as the painter of pretty women, at the end of the 1890s Vittorio Matteo Corcos started exploring the underlying psychological dimensions of his favorite subject: women. Marking a departure from his previous paintings that revolved around peacefully content subjects, some of the artworks from this […]

Giorgio de Chirico – Self-portrait (1922)

Giorgio de Chirico had always been a classicism enthusiast. Even during the early stages of his career, the artist had resorted to iconography reminiscent of Ancient Greece and Rome. It may come as no surprise then, that since he was an Italian born in Greece, de Chirico was not shy to take pride in his […]

Carpaccio – Preparation of Christ’s Tomb (1505)

Chances are you’ve probably heard of carpaccio – the Italian appetizer which consists of thinly sliced raw meat – but you might not know that the name was inspired by the Renaissance painter Vittore Carpaccio. According to anecdotes, when Giuseppe Cipriani – the owner of the renowned Venetian restaurant Harry’s Bar, frequented among others by […]

Artemisia Gentileschi – Jael and Sisera (c. 1620)

The sight of a female painter in 17th century Italy must have been an absolute rarity, but Artemisia Gentileschi was lucky enough to be taught to paint in her father’s workshop. It was there where she also met Agostino Tassi, another artist that her father, Orazio Gentileschi, had hired to tutor her. One day Tassi […]

Canaletto – Piazza San Marco (late 1720s)

By the 18th century, Italy had become a popular tourist destination for wealthy Europeans and Americans, a must see for those looking to expand their knowledge, culture and education. Because there was so much to be seen, foreigners would often end up spending years there, moving from city to city while following an established itinerary. […]

Sandro Botticelli – Portrait of a Young Woman (1480 – 1485)

A few weeks ago I was telling you about Simonetta Vespucci, the beauty of 15th century Florence, who is said to have been loved by Giuliano de’ Medici and painted, at least once, by Renaissance Italian artist Sandro Botticelli (1445 – 1510). After she died in 1476 just before turning 23, the Medici brothers and […]

Antonio Donghi – The Juggler (1936)

Famous for his motionless paintings, Italian artist Antonio Donghi (1897 – 1963) was also known as the painter fleeing the wind. There is no movement suggested in Donghi’s paintings, as if time is standing still, his style being reminiscent of Henri Rousseau and Georges Seurat. The Italian was fascinated by the circus life and performers, […]

Piero di Cosimo – Portrait of a Woman, said to be of Simonetta Vespucci (c. 1480)

Possibly one of the most eccentric painters of his time, Piero di Cosimo (1462 – 1521) was an Italian Renaissance artist that frequently depicted elaborated mythological scenes and was often commissioned to do the portraits of the noblemen and women of Rome and Florence. Also known as Piero di Lorenzo, he borrowed the Cosimo name […]

Cagnaccio di San Pietro – Zoologia (1928)

Cagnacico di San Pietro (1897 – 1946), born Natale Bentivoglio Scarpa, was an Italian magic realist painter, heavily influenced by the German movement called New Objectivity. His paintings have a photographic air about them, making them look highly contemporaneous. Zoologia (1928) is a classic example of the photorealistic style he employed. Even when showing erotic […]