The Medici in Faenza
Faenza gave the world faïence — and the International Museum of Ceramics preserves its greatest treasures, including a small, exquisite Majolica plate that quietly speaks of Medici power.
The Roses of Heliogabalus by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
A Roman emperor releases a cascade of rose petals to smother his banquet guests — Alma-Tadema transforms this tale of imperial cruelty into a breathtaking vision of beauty and horror.
The enduring legacy of ancient civilizations
Hubert Robert never painted one place — he painted time itself. The Ruins of Nîmes, Orange and Saint-Rémy blends real Roman monuments into a dreamlike meditation on decay and grandeur.”
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s bust of Duke Francesco I d’Este
Bernini sculpted Duke Francesco I d’Este without ever meeting him — the result is one of Baroque art’s most theatrically alive portraits, later reimagined by Giovanni Boldini’s expressive brush.
Saint Constantine in Arezzo
On Saint Constantine’s name day, a journey to Arezzo — where Piero della Francesca’s majestic frescoes place Constantine at the heart of one of Renaissance art’s greatest cycles.
Sosannah
Susannah, a woman of rare beauty and deeper virtue, faced a cruel choice — submit or be condemned. Her unwavering courage became a timeless testament to virtue and truth.
Ancient Greek Gold Phiale
Crafted in gold for sacred libations, the ancient Greek Mesomphalos Phiale at MFA Boston is a rare and exquisite emblem of ritual, artistry, and the spiritual world of ancient Greece.
Giambologna’s Mercury
Poised mid-flight on a breath of wind, Giambologna’s bronze Mercury at Florence’s Bargello Museum defies gravity — a Mannerist masterpiece where myth, motion, and divine elegance are frozen in bronze.
Imperial Basket with Lilies of the Valley
Gifted to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in 1896, Fabergé’s Imperial Basket with Lilies of the Valley transforms gold, pearls, and diamonds into a breathtaking tribute to nature, loyalty, and imperial grace.
Mithraic Aion and Orphic Phanes
A 2nd-century Roman relief from Modena’s Galleria Estense unites two enigmatic deities — Mithraic Aion and Orphic Phanes — in a breathtaking vision of eternity, cosmic creation, and divine order.