Spring by Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Giuseppe Arcimboldo, a Renaissance artist from Milan, gained fame for his imaginative portraits and court work, rising from early commissions to serve the Habsburg emperors in Vienna and Prague.
Church of the Parigoritissa in Arta
The Church of the Parigoritissa in Arta, a masterpiece of late Byzantine architecture, reflects the ambition of the Despotate of Epirus, combining innovative design, rich decoration, and aristocratic grandeur.
Marie Euphrosyne Spartali-Stillman
On International Women’s Day, Marie Spartali Stillman, a Pre-Raphaelite artist and celebrated beauty, stands as a symbol of women’s artistic achievement and cultural presence in 19th-century London.
The Shropshire Gold “Sun” Bulla-Pendant
Bronze Age brilliance shines in the Shropshire Gold “Sun” Pendant, a masterful object reflecting ancient beliefs, craftsmanship, and the enduring symbolic power of the sun in prehistoric Europe.
Simon Bening’s March
Simon Bening’s Golf Book (March, f.20v) presents a refined medieval garden scene where aristocratic authority, labour, and daily life intersect, offering insight into monastic horticulture and medicinal plant traditions.
Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Edgar Degas
Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen combines wax, fabric, and real hair over a complex armature, creating a strikingly lifelike sculpture that blurred the boundaries between art, realism, and theatrical illusion.
Saint George and the Dragon by Rogier van der Weyden
Rogier van der Weyden’s Saint George and the Dragon combines chivalric drama, delicate detail, and luminous realism, transforming a legendary battle into an intimate vision of faith, courage, and triumph.
Byzantine Girdle
The Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Marriage Belt unites sacred and pagan imagery, where Christ blesses a union framed by Dionysian figures, symbolising harmony between love, ritual, and cultural continuity in Byzantium.
The astonishing Tapestry of Dionysus at Abegg-Stiftung
The Abegg-Stiftung’s Dionysus tapestry reveals the god of wine and ecstasy surrounded by lush ornament and mythic figures, reflecting Late Antique beliefs in joy, abundance, and life beyond death.
Hellenistic Golden Hairnets
The Hellenistic gold hairnet from the Benaki Museum showcases exquisite craftsmanship, centred on Athena’s medallion and intricate filigree, reflecting aristocratic luxury and the refined artistry of ancient Greek jewellery.