Category: Art Flashes
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The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David
This famous painting shows the death of the radical politician of the French Revolution, Jean-Paul Marat (1743-1793). Suffering from a chronic skin disease, perhaps dermatitis herpetiformis, he was soaking himself in a medicinal bath when stabbed to death by Charlotte Corday. He may have contracted the disease while hiding in the sewers for safety. It…
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Piero di Cosimo
Piero di Cosimo was a highly eccentric Florentine painter (ca. 1461-1521) whose best known paintings are quite idiosyncratic. His mythological paintings exhibit a bizarre style, many filled with fantastic humans and animals. . . . it appeared that he had lived the life of a brute rather than a man, as he had kept himself…
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Frida Kahlo
Now recognized as one of the great painters of the 20th century, Frida Kahlo’s life had been one of suffering and pain. Born in Mexico, she had polio at age six, leaving her with a contracted left leg. At the age of 20 she had a serious bus accident that fractured her spinal column, clavicle, ribs,…
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Cennino d’Andrea Cennini (ca. 1370–1437)
The name of Cennino Cennini is remembered not for his pictures, which have mostly perished, but for writing a treatise for artists, Il libro dell’arte. Born near Florence, he was apprenticed for 12 years to Agnolo Gaddi, a follower of Giotto. After his master’s death he went to Padua, married a lady of good position,…
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Quentin Massys – The Ugly Duchess
Flemish artist Quentin Massys (1465–1523) was born in Louvain and worked in Antwerp, where he painted many exquisite works of art. In 1513, he painted the portrait of An Old Woman, popularly known as The Ugly Duchess. Perhaps the best known of his works, it may be a portrait of Margaret, countess of Tyrol and…
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Lavinia Fontana – Ambras syndrome
Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man . . .Genesis 27:11 The Ambras syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by an excessive growth of hair over the whole body—especially the face, ears, arms, shoulders, back, and legs—and sometimes accompanied by an overgrowth of the gums. Caused by a defect in one of the…
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Van Orley – Physician in Brussels
Joris van Zelle (1491–1567) was physician of the city of Brussels from 1522–61, practicing at St. John’s Hospital. In this 1519 painting by Flemish artist Bernard van Orley, he is shown in his library at age 28, surrounded by elegantly bound books, wearing a felt hat and a fur-lined coat. He is taking notes, and…
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Fear
Dalis Seungeun KimUSF Morsani College of Medicine, USA Artist statement This painting depicts fear and the interplay of different regions of the brain (i.e. hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala). The serpent’s tongue is reaching toward the individual in white—haunting memory inducing fear in the hippocampus (brain area essential in memory). Meanwhile, the face on the…
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The art of breastfeeding
Bojana CokićZajecar, Serbia Breastfeeding is the greatest and most precious gift of nature that a mother can give to her child. It is the foundation of life, a healthy start strengthening the bond between mother and child. The mother feels warmth and love when she embraces her child. The child feels serenity, joy, and warmth…