the getty
lidded pot-pourri vase
charles-nicolas dodin & jacques-philippe le bas. french. 1760
the shape derives from the nef, a table decoration in the form of a ship, which was usually of precious metals and used since medieval times. this vase would have held potpourri used to perfume a room.
stag beetle
albrecht dürer. german. 1471
"it is indeed true," wrote albrecht dürer, "that art is omnipresent in nature, and the true artist is he who can bring it out."
bust of christ
unknown maker. tuscany. 1500
when he presented jesus to the jews demanding his crucifixion, pontius pilate cried ecce homo (behold the man). the words ecce homo have come to signify a type of devotional image that depicts jesus after the scourging, crowned with a wreath of thorns, and with his face typically gaunt and drawn as he goes to his death.
diana and her nymphs on the hunt
peter paul rubens. flemish. 1627.
the robust figure of diana strides into the foreground, swathed in a blood-red robe and clasping a spear behind her back. the rhythmic composition, colors, and textures create a lifelike sensuousness, demonstrating the flemish painter's mastery of venetian color and his study of roman art.
plaque representing the virgin of the immaculate conception
francesco natale juvara. italian. 1730.
surrounded by the deep blue, lapis lazuli background of the gold frame, the silver virgin mary, crowned as queen of heaven, projects from the background in an elegant swirl of drapery. she stands on a globe, symbol of her dominion with christ.
