by Penny | 8 Mar, 2021 | Advancing Women Artists AWA, Florentine History, News, Painting, Religious Symbolism, Renaissance Art, Rome - Eternal City, Social History, Women artists
Lavinia Fontana painting of the Maselli family Lavinia Fontana (born 24/81552 – died 11/8/1614) appears to me to have been the ideal artist to undertake this complicated family portrait. In the first place her father, Prospero Fontana, (1517-1521) was...
by Penny | 9 Jan, 2018 | Exhibitions, Florentine History, Fresco painting, Martyrs, Medieval History, Religious History, Religious Symbolism, Renaissance Art, Restoration, Rome - Eternal City, Saints, Social History, The Medici
Santa Felicita and Mrs Macabee – two tragic mothers – and much confusion! Whilst in Florence, I recommend a visit to the Santa Felicata Church. Often missed on the tourist agenda, partly because it is obscured by stalls and restaurants, this church is...
by Penny | 5 Jun, 2016 | Activities, Fresco painting, Michelangelo, Religious Symbolism, Renaissance Art, Rome - Eternal City, Social History
Forging a Fresco – with Alan Pascuzzi in Florence- last month Alan gave a couple of my friends a lesson in Fresco painting and I decided that it was high time that I had another go and joined in with this hugely enjoyable lesson. In the first part of our...
by Penny | 30 Aug, 2015 | News, Opera, Painting, Rome - Eternal City, Social History
The Rape of Lucretia The historic tale of Lucretia, who could be seen as Rome’s response to the Greek legend of Penelope, the wily spinner and weaver – and thus faithful wife of Odysseus, has inspired works by writers and artists, including Rembrandt and...
by Penny | 26 Feb, 2015 | News, Renaissance Art, Rome - Eternal City, Sculpture, Social History, The Medici
There are two sculptures of Marsyas positioned opposite one another in the Uffizi and they are so unusual I have often been asked by my visitors to explain what is going on! Unfortunately this is not a particularly edifying story because the satyr Marsyas is portrayed...
by Penny | 10 Jan, 2015 | Exhibitions, News, Photography, Renaissance Art, Rome - Eternal City, The Medici
The Pearls and Perils of Rome Let’s get the Perils out of the way first. I have always been told that the Termini Station at Rome was risky , and that many dodgy people, often working in packs, try to grab handbags or phones from non-vigilant passengers –...
