Tag Archives: Stephen Martin

Anatomy and pathology in Zurbarán’s Jewish and Christian figures

Stephen Martin Durham, England, United Kingdom     Figure 1. Saint Francis in Meditation. 1650’s. Francisco de Zurbarán. © The National Gallery, London Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) was painter to King Phillip IV of Spain and Portugal and a contemporary of Velázquez. He was the leading religious artist of the Spanish counter-reformation.1 A highly-skilled pioneer […]

The symbolic portrait of Mozart’s patron Dr. Ferdinand Dejean

Stephen Martin Durham, United Kingdom   Figure 1. Dr Ferdinand Dejean. Oil on canvas. Unsigned. Probably by Jacobus Buys. 47 x 55 cm Dr. Ferdinand Dejean (1731-1797) grew up in the Bonn Court alongside Beethoven’s father and trained as a surgeon.1,2 For ten years he worked on Dutch East India Company ships from Persian Gulf […]

Kirkleatham Hospital

Stephen Martin Mahasarakham   Figure 1. Kirkleatham Hospital Art and architecture in historic almshouses provided aesthetic pleasure, improved self-esteem and attended to spiritual need. An example of early Enlightenment philanthropy in the English village of Kirkleatham, Cleveland, provides major humanitarian lessons for the planners of today. East Cleveland was used to progressive thinking. A remarkable […]