“It is my intention to rebuild the old castle ruin of Hohenschwangau … in the authentic style of the old German knights’ castles.” That sentence, written by king of Bavaria Ludwig II to his friend and protégé, Richard Wagner, started the incredible architectural project that became Neuschwanstein Castle. Not only did he build an architectural marvel,…
Donatello and His Victorious Davids
Italian sculptor Donatello worked at the dawn of the Renaissance. His works epitomize the beauty and ingenuity of the era and set the standard for sculpture from then on. Donatello sculpted figures full of life. He did so by looking at the classical sculptures of ancient Rome, and by faithfully copying life itself. His sculptures…
Masters of Color and Light
May 16, 2022
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Arts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightGentile BelliniGiovanni BelliniRadiant LifeRenaissance ArtTitianVenice
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Few cities capture the romantic imagination quite like Venice, and its winding canals, picturesque buildings, and shimmering lagoon have intrigued visitors for centuries. Its unique geography—118 islands connected by a network of over 400 bridges—literally and figuratively sets it apart from the Italian mainland. In art, this seclusion allowed the Renaissance to flourish in a…
Leonardo’s Movement Backward
Recently, I interviewed Martin Clayton, the head of prints and drawings at Windsor Castle. The Royal Collection Trust holds the largest number of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci anywhere in in the world. A renowned expert on Leonardo, Clayton has organized exhibitions at the Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace that have showcased these drawings. He…
The Largest Royal Palace in the World: Caserta, in Italy
May 15, 2022
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architect Luigi VanvitelliArts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightItalian Baroque architectureKing Charles of BourbonLife & TraditionRoyal Palace of Caserta
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Standing five stories tall with an incredible 1,200 rooms, Reggia di Caserta, or the Royal Palace of Caserta, is the largest royal palace in the world by volume. Honored as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, the palace was called “the swan song of the spectacular art of the Baroque” as part of its…
An Elite Friendship: Diego Velázquez and Peter Paul Rubens
May 14, 2022
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Arts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightDiego VelazquezMichelangeloPeter Paul RubensPhilip IVTraditional Culture
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In 1629, Diego Velázquez left Spain for his first visit to Italy. Although one of his country’s leading artists and court painter to King Philip IV, this was still an opportunity not to be missed. At the Spanish court, Velázquez had access to Philip’s impressive art collection, but he had not seen examples of work…
How Icons and Symbols Create Hope and Purpose
Canadian icon carver Jonathan Pageau is bringing symbolism back to life. His brilliant icon carvings hark back to a bygone world that seems relevant only to Christians, yet the icon represents the pinnacle of a symbolic world we’re all immersed in. Pageau sees symbolism as an antidote to the nihilism that pervades our world. “St….
An Exultation of Eloquence: Essays and Elegance
May 12, 2022
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Alice Thomas EllisAnne FadimanArts & CultureArts & TraditionAudrey HepburnBrightLife & TraditionMs. MannersUncategorized
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Suppose we took a spectrum of essays and decked them out in clothing that matched their style. Those pieces that deliver information—an advance in science, an event in history, a critique of some author or a piece of literature—might wear, if personified, a modest coat, slacks, a solidly colored shirt, and tie. If the writer…
Myths for Our Times, Part 2: Capaneus and the Age of Hubris
What does the story of the great ancient warrior Capaneus have to do with technology today? Or with the myth of Frankenstein, for that matter? In our first article in this two-part series, we looked at how the myth of Frankenstein (and its Greek-related story of Prometheus) was a warning to us about the dangers…
A Charming Gift for His King: ‘Las Meninas’
May 8, 2022
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Arts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightDiego VelazquezKing Philip IVLas MeninasLife & TraditionPeter Paul Rubens
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A child’s soft giggle echoes down the palace hall. Heavy skirts rustle. A lady-in-waiting enters and holds the door of the Cuarto del Principe (“Prince’s Room”) in the Alcázar Palace in Madrid, Spain. In comes a 5-year-old child, royal to be sure, to the spacious studio of the court’s chief painter, the eminent Diego Velázquez…
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