Celebrating Greece’s War of Independence Bicentennial — honouring the revolutionary fighters of 1821 who sacrificed everything, so future generations could live in freedom and dignity.
El Greco: Formative Years
Born in Crete in 1541, Domenikos Theotokopoulos — El Greco — left behind a remarkable Icon in Syros, bridging Post-Byzantine tradition and Renaissance Mannerism in his extraordinary formative years.
Panagia Kosmosotira in Feres
Founded by Sevastokrator Isaakios Komnenos in 1152, Panagia Kosmosotira in Feres stands as a magnificent Byzantine treasure — his final resting place, adorned with exquisite 12th-century Constantinopolitan frescoes.
Correggio’s Jupiter and Io
Correggio’s Jupiter and Io masterfully twists Renaissance harmony into Mannerist excitement — Io’s sensuous, entwining body against Zeus’s dark cloud creating an unforgettable contrast of texture, colour and desire.
Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos
Hegeso’s magnificent 5th-century funerary stele, attributed to Kallimachos, captures an elegant Athenian woman in a timeless everyday moment — a graceful reminder that human life is fleeting and precious.
What a life you had Bianca Cappello!
Born Venetian nobility, Bianca Cappello chose passion over propriety, rising dramatically to become Grand Duchess of Tuscany — beloved, powerful, and controversial until her mysterious death alongside Francesco de’ Medici.
Wondrous Birds
Hans Thoma’s distinctive Romantic Realism — deeply rooted in nature’s idyllic grandeur, inspired by Courbet and Renaissance masters — created a uniquely personal artistic vision, bridging German tradition and timeless natural beauty.
Aelia Galla Placidia
Imperial daughter, captive, empress and regent — Galla Placidia’s astonishing life traversed courts, battles and exile, leaving behind her magnificent Ravenna Mausoleum as an eternal testament to her extraordinary resilience.
Van Eyck – An Optical Revolution
Jan van Eyck’s revolutionary mastery of oil, light and breathtaking naturalism transformed painting forever — Ghent’s landmark exhibition unites his finest works, celebrating the optical revolution he boldly inspired.
Pompeiian Portraits of Distinction
A striking Pompeian portrait captures a refined young couple—stylus and papyrus in hand—poised in quiet thought, embodying elegance, intellect, and the timeless allure of Roman artistic sophistication.