#fra-angelico

#fra-angelico

In the hushed, monastic cells of Florence's Museo di San Marco, Mark Rothko's canvases pulse with spiritual intensity. Rothko's paintings are a new arrival, part of the city's latest major exhibition.

Van Dyck's stay in Italy was pivotal to the development of his artistic language, above all because it accelerated his emancipation from the model of his master Rubens.

The oil on canvas presents an unusual and dynamic composition of a serene Madonna alongside her energetic child with a reverent Saint John pressed up close in the painting's foreground.

Picture Book of the Life of St John and the Apocalypse is a unique and visually striking example of the picture-book Apocalypse - a distinctive group of medieval manuscripts that present the apocalyptic visions of the Book of Revelation primarily through images. Centred on the visions of St John and often framed by episodes from his legendary life, these manuscripts transform the biblical text into a continuous pictorial narrative.

At first glance, this curatorial oversight is hardly surprising. After all, Picasso was an atheist and Communist supporter whose ever-shifting practice seemed to chafe against centuries of religious art. Indeed, in a well-known episode from the 1940s, Picasso personally confronted Henri Matisse for accepting the Vence chapel commission.

Unlike Rossetti's Pre-Raphaelite paintings of winsome maidens surrounded by flowers, the 1877 chalk portrait of his sister offers a flat, realistic impression. She wears an impenetrable expression and dull-colored clothing that blends into an unadorned background. The somber tone is the product of family tragedy: Christina remains in mourning following the death of her older sister Maria, a writer and Anglican nun, in 1876.

Fontana is a rare example of a woman Old Master, one of only a few who managed to attain career success on her own and was the first woman elected to the Academy of Saint Luke in Rome. This painting is one of the most ambitious from her early career. Reflecting visual references to Michelangelo-a departure from her usual reference to Correggio and Raphael-the vibrant hues and dramatic composition reflect prevailing Florentine trends of the late 16th century.

A signature view of Venice by Canaletto brought a strong price for the 18th century Italian master at Christie's on February 4, leading the Old Master week in New York. Hammering at $26 million, it sold for a total of $30.5 million including fees, just over its $30 million pre-sale estimate. Backed by a guarantee and irrevocable bid, it was sure to sell.