Fred's Art 200x Blog

  St. Cecilia By Stefano Maderno   The Artist Stefano Maderno was an Italian sculptor during the late 16 th to early 17 th Century. Not much is known about his life, but it is thought that he was born in 1576 and died on September 17, 1636. He worked primarily as a sculptor of religious imagery for the Catholic Church and his portrayal of St. Cecilia, which he created in 1599 at the age of 23, was his most famous work. Maderno is considered an early Baroque artist and he is often credited as an influence for the works of later Baroque sculptors, including Bernini. St. Cecilia The story of St. Cecilia is well known to most Catholics and she is venerated as the patron saint of music and musicians. It is believed that she lived in Rome sometime in the 4 th Century A.D. She was a pious woman who vowed herself to chastity. She was an avid preacher of Christianity and was put to death by the Roman Empire for her faith. The story relates that she was first condemned ...

  A Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms By Pieter Aertsen The Artist Pieter Aertsen was a Dutch painter that was known for his incredibly detailed paintings of mundane scenes and objects. He was born in Amsterdam sometime in 1508 and died on June 2, 1575. Aertsen, commonly called Langhe Peter ( Tall Peter) due to his height, was apprenticed while living in Antwerp where he was a member of the Guild of St. Luke, which was a prominent European guild for painters and artists. He eventually moved back to his native Amsterdam in 1555 where he lived until his passing. Aertsen became known for his paintings of everyday domestic scenes and objects, often with religious imagery moved into the background. His panels were large, and he painted with an eye for detail. His paintings often contained hidden symbols that were references to the political and religious issues of the time. The Painting A Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms was painted in 1551 and is an excelle...