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Teeteto

@teeteto_81

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This account was created to talk a little about art and history. All pictures are mine, so sorry in advance if some are not very good...

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The Starry Night (1889) by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). This is undoubtedly one of Van Gogh’s most celebrated paintings. It depicts the view from the window of his room at the asylum of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, although the village below is believed to be imaginary. The picture of the moments just before the night with swirling sky, brilliant stars, and towering cypress create one of the most iconic landscapes in the history of art. Among its many interpretations, one of the most enduring sees the painting as an expression of Van Gogh’s emotional turmoil. I find this reading especially compelling, not because it reduces the work to the artist’s mental state, but because it invites us to reflect on the complexity of the human mind. In many ways, our inner world can become a microcosm of reality itself, shaping how we experience beauty, wonder, and even the universe around us.

The choice of this painting today was not random. To me, its vibrant, star-filled sky conveys a profound sense of joy, a feeling that resonates deeply with the mood in my country following last Sunday’s elections. by @teeteto_81

Funerary stele of Phainippos and Mnesarete (350 BC) from Athens, Greece. Although built for sad reasons (mark the location of the deceased’s ashes), the marble steles of wealthy citizens are wonderful works of art. They represented the deceased, often accompanied by family members, and they illustrate well how these people wanted to be portrayed for posterity, usually dressed in their best clothes and in idealized body shapes. This particular one is in the form of a small temple (naiskos) and represents Phainippos, on the left, and his wife Mnesarete, who is seated. On the back is another woman, also called Mnesarete, who shows clear signs of distress and despair. If you look closely, you can see that Phainippos is holding his wife’s hand in what is known as the déxios, a farewell gesture. by @teeteto_81

Whale hunting (second half of the XVIII century) by Leandro Joaquim (1738-1798). Leandro Joaquim left impressive portraits of the landscape of Rio de Janeiro, and such portraits are treasured, as they allow us to have a good glimpse of life in the capital of Brazil during the colonial period. We can see Rios’ astonishing landscape and a piece of the city, showing a largely Portuguese-influenced architecture. Notably, this is the only painting showing the activity of whale hunting, which was far from being uncommon during the time, as whales were responsible for providing oil for public lighting, and even meat. Fortunately, the advent of electric light stopped large-scale whaling (at least in Brazil) and left these accounts just for historians to write about. by @teeteto_81

Bust of the goddess Juno (~380 BC), originally found in the sanctuary of Juno Curitis in Celle. Although we rarely think of the Etruscans when we think of Mediterranean art, they exchanged knowledge with the Greeks and created fantastic works of art. This Etruscan terracotta bust is a magnificent representation of Juno, adorned with jewels, including a floral diadem, which is a great example of their excellence. Every part of this bust is full of details and surprises, including the earrings and the necklace. In addition, we can see the well-preserved remaining colors of it, which is rarely the case in ancient statues. by @teeteto_81

The Farnese Bull: simply the largest single sculpture we have ever recovered from antiquity. Although it is a Roman copy of a Greek original (as usual), the copy itself is astounding in its size and elaborate craftsmanship. It represents the myth of Dirce, who was tied to a raging bull by two brothers (Amphion and Zethus, sons of Antiope) who wanted to take revenge for the mistreatment of their (alleged) mother. We see a large raging bull being controlled by the brothers, one holding it by its horns and the other tying a rope to its horns. Meanwhile, we see Dirce in utter desperation, hoping for mercy for her life. This beautiful piece has many restored features, including new carved figures on the base, including animals (such as a dog and a panther) and a child. by @teeteto_81

Virgin and Child (1663), by Elisabetta Sirani (1638-1665). ‘La Sirana’ had quite a short career (around a decade) but produced at least 205 paintings. She is a symbol of strength, producing high-quality art in a completely male-dominated art world. She was highly cherished by many wealthy clients, who didn’t spare money to buy her pieces of art. Elisabetta died at 27, and never married or conceived a child. Despite her young age, she was known for painting strong women (just like her), including Judith, Timoclea, and Portia. Perhaps, the strongest woman she ever painted was a mother, the mother of Jesus, who (according to Christians, including myself) was brought to this world to save humanity. In this painting, we can see Mary gazing at her child, as mothers always do, and portrayed as a simple, yet real mother. I dedicate this post to my dear mother @sandracamarota by @teeteto_81

The Portrait of a Young Woman (La Fornarina) (1518-1519) by Raffaello Sanzio (1438-1520). There is much speculation about the identity of the Fornarina (i.e., baker), including that it is a depiction of a courtesan or a witch. However, the preferred version identifies the woman as Margherita Luti, Raphael’s mistress. This version may be supported by the woman’s bracelet, on which is written “Raffael Urbinus”, which may be a symbol of commitment. Regardless of who was portrayed, we are left with a beautiful image of a woman who follows the tradition of the Venere Pudica, with a mixture of sensuality and prudence that ultimately leads us to always choose the first. by @teeteto_81

David (1473-1475) by Andrea del Verrochio (1435-1488). The image of David is a recurring theme in Renaissance art, especially in Florence, and everyone is familiar with Michelangelo’s David (perhaps the most famous statue of the Renaissance) and Donatello’s David. In fact, David was meant to be a symbol of Florence, a rising power that was much stronger than it appeared. It is hard not to enjoy the depiction of a triumphant and confident David with the head of Goliath, as we all feel like underdogs (at least sometimes), and it comforts us that not everything is said and done in life. by @teeteto_81

Venus Consoling Love (1751), by François Boucher (1703-1770). This painting is a great representation of its time: the Enlightenment. Here, Venus is no longer portrayed as a goddess, but as a typical (and rather sensual) woman of the 18th century in a pastoral landscape. We see Venus disarming Cupid, perhaps representing a victory of virtue over instinct. The combination of the pastoral scene with a classical theme is typical of the period and gives us a feeling and taste of innocence combined with high technical skill, bright colors and a bit of eroticism. by @teeteto_81

Faun in antique red marble (II century AD). This statue was found in Tivoli, Hadrian’s Villa in 1736. It is impossible to look at this statue and not feel welcomed by this faun and his contentment (i.e. drunkenness), dancing while holding his beloved grapes, which he probably collected to enjoy even more wine. He is accompanied by a goat and has a flute ready to be played. The fauns are associated with the cult of Dionysus and represent the less human parts of this god, such as excessive lust (poor nymphs and other creatures). While in most works of art fauns are depicted as half man and half goat, they were also depicted as naked men, as we can see here. by @teeteto_81

Truth Unveiled (1645-1652), by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680). This piece was intended to be a part of a larger composite: ‘Truth Unveiled by Time.’ However, the artist never finished the sculpture of Time. Yet, we are still left with a marvelous larger-than-life-size sculpture (2.80 m tall), where we can see the Truth being shown in all its beauty, boldness and somewhat fragility. The idea behind the sculptural group was quite straight, as the artist wanted to show that Time would reveal the Truth, sooner or later, no matter what. Bernini liked so much this work and its message that intended to leave it with his family, stating that: “because by seeing it, all my descendants will be reminded that truth is the most beautiful virtue in the world inasmuch as it is eventually revealed by time.” by @teeteto_81

The Violet Rooster (Le Coq Violet) (1966-1972), by Marc Chagall (1887-1985). This painting reflects a particularly interesting period in Chagall’s career, when he returned from his exile in the USA to a very welcoming and poetic Paris. In many of his paintings from this period, we can see an intense use of color and symbolic imagery, and there is often much discussion about the meaning of these symbols. For example, the rooster, a constant figure in Chagall’s paintings, can be a symbol of a powerful, robust and vital animistic self, and thus a symbol of fertility. The horse can represent freedom, but it can also be associated with strength, especially as a virtue. Here he presents us with a circus of images of pure optimism and love, as the bride is ready to receive flowers on a happy horse. by @teeteto_81