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by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Pope Innocent X commissioned this fountain from Bernini for his family palace. Bernini, one of the most famous sculptors of the time, created this magnificent fountain with representations of the four major rivers of the world. It is a strong testament to the power of the Pope.
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by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This marble sculpture of Teresa of Avila is the masterpiece of a masterful sculptor. Bernini created the sculpture and the setting in which it resides. The way the sculpture grows out of the raw marble creates a supernatural feel that is truly magnificent.
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by Rembrandt van Rijn. Aristotle, in his grand robes and jeweled belt has placed his hand on a bust of the blind poet Homer in this oil on canvas painting. Often seen as a commentary on the relationship between art and science, the painting has been interpreted differently throughout history, but it has always been considered an essential, beautiful work.
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by Jacob van Ruisdael. Ruisdael was a renowned landscape painter. With the beautiful glow of the clouds, natural depiction of water, and vibrant birch trees in this painting, it is no wonder why.
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by Diego Velázquez. Velázquez, a leading figure in the Spanish Golden Age, gives us a glimpse of life in the Spanish court in this oil on canvas painting. It is a candid viewpoint and one not often seen in the fine art world.
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by Cyrano de Bergerac. This satirical book is often cited as the first work of science fiction. The narrator reaches the moon by using a ship powered by fireworks. The book spoke to many later authors and influenced many future works of science fiction and literature.
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by Rembrandt van Rijn. Called the greatest of all of Rembrant’s numerous self portraits, this oil on canvas painting depicts the artist with a magnificent grandness, declaring the importance of both art and the artist.
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by Johannes Vermeer. This is one of the more famous examples of a tronie painting from the Dutch Golden Age where the painting depicts a face or bust of an unidentified person in costume.
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by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The plaza in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City is a grand entrance to one of the grandest pieces of Renaissance architecture. St. Peter’s Square, with cobblestone paving surrounded by Tuscan colonnades, does not attempt to overshadow the church and enhances the beauty of the renowned building.
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by John Milton. The Biblical epic the most widely studied and praised work from England’s most famous poet of the time.
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by Kano Tan'yu. The Kanō school was Japan’s most famous school of painting and Kanō Tan'yū was the school’s leading painter. The ink tint on silk has both traditional Japanese style and subject matter, which are still influential today.
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by Willem van de Velde the Younger. De Velde was known for his depictions of marine vessels. This painting is a beautiful rendering of ships and the ocean. The anger of the sea wonderfully contrasts with the golden glow of the sun’s healing light showing at the same time the danger and attraction of life at sea.
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Comissioned by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, was the largest mosque in the world at the time of its construction and is one of Pakistan’s most treasured landmarks.
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by Gérard de Lairesse. Lairesse was influential and renowned in his day, but was lambasted as inferior to his contemporaries after his death. History has been more kind to him, and this work is an example of one of the artists numerous talents. A teacher and a theorist, his work deserves a place in history.
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by Jules Hardouin Mansart. One side of the hall has arches filled with mirrors which relect the windows of the opposite side in an overwhelmingly amazing vision of decadence.
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Painted by three Buddhist monks, the Gwaneumbodhisavtta was painted while praying for rain during a drought. The hanging painting and its depiction of beautifully adorned robes is a fine example of the interaction between Buddhist spirituality and art.
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by Henry Purcell. Purcell is one of England’s most well known composers and this is his first opera. The opera is considered to be the first opera of England and has influenced many works that came after it even though it was only produced for private circles and never the theater.
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by Godfrey Kneller. Isaac Newton is responsible for the basis foundation of science as we know it today. This portrait allows us to meet the man who changed the world.
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by Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde. A cityscape painter, Berckheyde uses parallel lines and perspective to create a fascinating view. With precise detail, he has painted a work that is immediately appealing and difficult to look away from.
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by Willem Frederiksz van Royen. A still life oil on canvas of a strange carrot shows that, even three hundred years ago, some people made weird art.
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This painting by an unknown artist on silk is a fine representation of art during the last imperial dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty. Kangxi’s rule was notable for his emphasis on the importance of the written word, and this painting, showing the emperor in his library, is a meeting of the different arts.
