Now, I know Leonardo da Vinci has already been put up here, but I think only a few people have seen this picture of a sculpture done by his master, Andrea del Verrocchio. It’s a statue representing David, with the head of the recently slain Goliath at his feet. What’s interesting about this sculpture is that, according to the ideals of Renaissance Italy, David was always supposed to be depicted as a handsome youth, and, would you know it, Verrocchio had the perfect specimen, right there in his workshop amongst his apprentices!
Yes indeed: a young (and very good-looking, in a boyishly handsome kind of way) Leonardo da Vinci became the model for David in Verrocchio’s statue. If one has only ever seen the famous self-sketch of Leonardo as an old man and thus doubts his status as a very crush-able person, well, this statue ought to change their minds by quite a bit.
I love this statue. It is attractive, but it’s also got a boyish awkwardness about it which is endearing.
There’s actually a strong argument that the famous ‘old man’ self-portrait is not of Leonardo at all and that this, by one of his apprentices is much more likely to be a realistic image of what Leonardo looked like near the end of his life. I think he was still rather handsome! Vasari can’t always be trusted but he described Leonardo as possessing “”outstanding physical beauty”.
(via thorlokid)
Owengate
The entry to Durham Cathedral.
Submitted by David Williams Photography
I still dream of this.
(Source: blackfashion, via faysbook)
Frida Kahlo
“I was born a bitch. I was born a painter.”
Mexican painter, feminist, communist. In her late teens, she was involved in a horrible bus accident that shattered the bones in her feet, and broke the bones in her leg, ribs, and pelvis. The pain from these injuries would remain with her for the rest of her life, and she would eventually undergo more than 30 surgeries. In order to cope, she painted many self-portraits of her own glorious mug. Sometimes the surgeries would leave her bedridden for days on end, but she never stopped painting. She was very outspoken and witty, and she had male and female lovers. Her life was filled with much sadness, but through it all she had much fortitude and remained strong.
(via faysbook)
Jude Law, c. 1860. Another cinematic time-traveling boyfriend, this time from Cold Mountain.
Submitted by Lisa
Because apparently he’s very popular round here.
Albrecht Dürer (21 May 1471 – 6 April 1528) Was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since… and, please look at those beautiful curls!
Anyone who had the balls to paint themselves looking like Jesus was probably pretty awesome.
(You can’t see the damage unless you look at a close up but some woman once tried to literally scratch this painting’s eyes out.)
(via shredsandpatches)
(Source: heygirlitiskstew, via formtofancy)
Fred Walters, a somewhat troubled artist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Photograph by Lewis Carroll, presumably after 1857 when Walters lost his right arm after falling off a ladder while drunk.
Submitted by notwisleybuttoowell
Heh, were there any artists associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood that *weren’t* somewhat troubled?
(Source: textsfromthetardis)
awesomepeoplehangingouttogether:
Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore.
I wish Alan Moore believed in organised religion so I could join his. *sigh* (People think I’m joking when I say that but then, I think a lot of people think Alan Moore is joking.)
