Caravaggio’s Early Works: Rome 1600-1606

Judith Beheading Holofernes (1598)

In this depiction of the Old Testament scene, Judith beheads Holofernes to protect her people from the slavery to which they would be subjected. Holofernes, a huge man beside the young woman who is killing him, holds his hair as he wakes, but she looks away in horror. She acts out of fear; a frown is etched on her face. The Lord has commanded, and she must obey.

The scene is in the foreground, with figures cut by the bed. Holofernes’ body extends to the bottom of

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Romanian Culture, Traditions, and Architecture

Romanian Architecture: A Unique Blend of Influences

Byzantine and post-Byzantine elements with Gothic and Baroque influences blend with traditional Romanian ones and solutions adopted by the Ottoman Alarifes, especially the carved decoration. Thus, beautiful stone or brick buildings are obtained with short stem columns, cone arches, and capitals with vegetable and zoomorphic reliefs that adorn porches, galleries, and turrets, lobed windows and frames worked with similar motifs, handrails with tracery,

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Salvador Dalí’s The Great Masturbator: A Surrealist Analysis

Salvador Dalí’s *The Great Masturbator* (1929)

Artist: Salvador Dalí (1904-1989)

Timeline: 1929

Style: Surrealism

Technique: Oil on canvas

Size: 1.1 m x 1.5 m

Location: Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid

Composition

The main feature of the painting is a *stylized self-portrait* of the artist. Despite the stylization, the most characteristic features of Dalí’s face are recognizable: a large nose, a long face, and a yellow, wax-like complexion. This self-portrait appears repeatedly in his work. Adhered to the

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Caravaggio’s Early Works: Paintings from 1594-1596

The Fortune Teller

(1594-1595)

The version in the Louvre, created after the one in the Capitoline Museum, is considered to be a companion piece to The Cardsharps. The gypsy is richly dressed. The first version has a more mischievous expression, while the second portrays a more beautiful subject. Both figures smile gently, as if accepting their fate. The lighting is more carefully rendered than in the Louvre version, with the focus consistently on the figures. We can see how this gentleman is richly

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Dionysian vs. Apollonian: Nietzsche’s Philosophy of Life

The Dionysian Principle

The Dionysian is a metaphor that Nietzsche uses to describe a way to conceive of life without reducing it to concepts and definitions. He contrasts the Dionysian to the Apollonian. Nietzsche draws this metaphor from ancient Greek civilization, specifically the theatrical spectacle that was staged in Athens known as Attic tragedy. In tragedy, Nietzsche noticed a constant opposition between two tendencies:

  • The Apollonian: Represented by the hieratic nature of the sculptures that
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Romanesque Sculpture: Characteristics, Themes, and Iconography

Romanesque Sculpture: Main Features

Romanesque sculpture was influenced by pre-Romanesque tests and sculptures from the East. During the Romanesque period, large-scale sculpture was not common, as the ancient sculptural tradition had been largely forgotten. Artists favored smaller dimensions, such as those found in ivory works.

Romanesque sculptors were more interested in the intellectual aspect and the message of their work than in naturalism. Figures are typically simple, with very flat relief,

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