Photo courtesy of: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/14665-christ-before-pilate-hans-multscher.html 1) This striking and clever piece of artwork is titled
Eva Prima Pandora. It was painted in Paris by Jean Cousin the Elder around 1550. It was made with oil paints on wood. Jean Cousin the Elder was a French artist who lived around 1500-1593. He was a painter, sculptor, etcher, and engraver. Although he has created many excellent pieces of artwork, this one is by far my favorite.
2) I am a particular fan of
Eva Prima Pandora for many different reasons. I think it should be well-known by others because it is an exceptionally well-thought-out and meaningful piece. Visually, it is very elegant as well as unsettling. The dark tones of the paint give the picture an almost disturbing undertone, and the woman-- the centerpiece of the painting--is bathed half in shadows and half in light. This hints at the unearthly, the otherworldly, and the unknown. However, the best part of this artwork is definitely the idea. You see, the woman in
Eva Prima Pandora is actually a cross between two famous mythical women. One of them is Eve: the woman in the Bible who to ate the Fruit of Knowledge, although she knew it was wrong. In eating the fruit, Eve knowingly disobeyed God's orders; committing the first sin. The second woman is Pandora, who, in Greek mythology, disobeyed her husband and the gods by opening a box. Pandora's box contained all of the evils in the world. By opening it, she set the evils free, and contaminated what was once a pure and beautiful world. These two women are similar characters in both tales; for both supposedly commited Original Sin as a result of ignorance, greed, and weakness for temptation. By looking closely at this picture, we can see that the woman in the center of the painting is holding in one of her hands a long branch that represents the Fruit of Knowledge, which was eaten by Eve in the Garden of Eden. Her other hand covers the lid of Pandora's box. Clearly, this woman is intended to be a cross between Eve and Pandora; the twin mothers of all evil. Furthermore, entwined around the hand covering Pandora's box is a long serpent. The serpent is a universal symbol of cunning; usually depicted as a companion of the Dark Goddess Lilith. Lilith is referred to in many cultures: she is a Mesopotamian storm demon, an Arabian Jinn, the Greek Lamia, the Hebrew Layla, the original vampiress, the original succubus, and the first wife of Adam in the Christian faith. It is said that it was Lilith who, in the form of a serpent, was recorded in the Bible to have tempted Eve; convincing her to eat the Fruit of Knowledge. Her companions are the owl and the serpent. In all religions, Lilith is the uncontested goddess of death, storms, chaos, temptation, lasciviousness, feminine equality, and the night. In the painting
Eva Prima Pandora, the woman is naked, and her body is elongated; resembling the snake's. This is a clear indication of the sensuality and power for which Lilith was known. The Fruit of Knowledge, Pandora's box, the woman's sexuality, and the combinations of light and shadows all give this woman a distinct resemblance to not only Eve and Pandora, but to Lilith as well. If you need any more convincing, pay attention to the hand holding the Fruit of Knowledge. It is resting on a human skull: symbolic of despair, disaster, and death. Also, the two holes in the background of the painting cause the cave that the woman resides in to bear a distinct resemblance to a gigantic skull. *******************************************************************************
Photo courtesy of: http://wordinfo.info/unit/3772/ip:1/il:H 1) Another piece of artwork I love is this fascinating 'hand painting' by Guido Daniele. Although it may seem impossible, Daniele--who was born in Italy and graduated from Brera School of Arts-- created this masterpiece using only paints and a human hand. Unfortunately, no matter where online I searched, I was unable to find a specific creation date or title for this piece. Daniele's work is extremely unique, because he generally paints on people's bodies, instead of on canvases. He has an obvious love for bold, vivid colors.
2) This artwork should be well-known by others because it is an ingenious idea; using the human body, and the various shapes that a hand can form, in order to make art. It has bright, vibrant colors that make it seem even more alive. As a huge animal lover, this painting strikes a certain chord with me because in a way, by showing how similar the human hand can be to the face of an animal, Daniele is establishing a connection between human beings and the animals with which we share this planet. Once again, I consider the idea of this painting the best part of it. It is a statement, as well as unique and original. However, it should be noted that the craftmanship and design are exceptional as well. *******************************************************************************
Photo courtesy of: http://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/the-beggar-boy-by-bartolome-esteban-murillo/ 1) Beggar Boy, an oil painting by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, is another one of my favorite paintings. It was painted circa 1650.
2) Aside from being an extraordinarily beautiful painting,
Beggar Boy also makes incredible use of light, shadows, and emotional appeal. I am a personal fan of this piece of artwork because it is highly sentimental, and the mastery of craftmanship required to make it is unmistakable. I believe it should be well-known by others because it is an accurate and striking depiction of the hard and painful lives of children who live in poverty and squalor. The boy's sad expression and bare, dirty feet are both heart-wrenching. I think the most important part of this piece is definately the craftmanship and design. Aside from the deep emotional impact
Beggar Boy has on the public, the image of warm sunlight pouring into his shadowed hideout is equally striking. It gives the boy a sort of soft, quiet illumination that matches the serenity of the squalid place he is sitting in.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/14665-christ-before-pilate-hans-multscher.html 1) This striking and clever piece of artwork is titled Eva Prima Pandora. It was painted in Paris by Jean Cousin the Elder around 1550. It was made with oil paints on wood. Jean Cousin the Elder was a French artist who lived around 1500-1593. He was a painter, sculptor, etcher, and engraver. Although he has created many excellent pieces of artwork, this one is by far my favorite. 2) I am a particular fan of Eva Prima Pandora for many different reasons. I think it should be well-known by others because it is an exceptionally well-thought-out and meaningful piece. Visually, it is very elegant as well as unsettling. The dark tones of the paint give the picture an almost disturbing undertone, and the woman-- the centerpiece of the painting--is bathed half in shadows and half in light. This hints at the unearthly, the otherworldly, and the unknown. However, the best part of this artwork is definitely the idea. You see, the woman in Eva Prima Pandora is actually a cross between two famous mythical women. One of them is Eve: the woman in the Bible who to ate the Fruit of Knowledge, although she knew it was wrong. In eating the fruit, Eve knowingly disobeyed God's orders; committing the first sin. The second woman is Pandora, who, in Greek mythology, disobeyed her husband and the gods by opening a box. Pandora's box contained all of the evils in the world. By opening it, she set the evils free, and contaminated what was once a pure and beautiful world. These two women are similar characters in both tales; for both supposedly commited Original Sin as a result of ignorance, greed, and weakness for temptation. By looking closely at this picture, we can see that the woman in the center of the painting is holding in one of her hands a long branch that represents the Fruit of Knowledge, which was eaten by Eve in the Garden of Eden. Her other hand covers the lid of Pandora's box. Clearly, this woman is intended to be a cross between Eve and Pandora; the twin mothers of all evil. Furthermore, entwined around the hand covering Pandora's box is a long serpent. The serpent is a universal symbol of cunning; usually depicted as a companion of the Dark Goddess Lilith. Lilith is referred to in many cultures: she is a Mesopotamian storm demon, an Arabian Jinn, the Greek Lamia, the Hebrew Layla, the original vampiress, the original succubus, and the first wife of Adam in the Christian faith. It is said that it was Lilith who, in the form of a serpent, was recorded in the Bible to have tempted Eve; convincing her to eat the Fruit of Knowledge. Her companions are the owl and the serpent. In all religions, Lilith is the uncontested goddess of death, storms, chaos, temptation, lasciviousness, feminine equality, and the night. In the painting Eva Prima Pandora, the woman is naked, and her body is elongated; resembling the snake's. This is a clear indication of the sensuality and power for which Lilith was known. The Fruit of Knowledge, Pandora's box, the woman's sexuality, and the combinations of light and shadows all give this woman a distinct resemblance to not only Eve and Pandora, but to Lilith as well. If you need any more convincing, pay attention to the hand holding the Fruit of Knowledge. It is resting on a human skull: symbolic of despair, disaster, and death. Also, the two holes in the background of the painting cause the cave that the woman resides in to bear a distinct resemblance to a gigantic skull. ******************************************************************************* 
Photo courtesy of: http://wordinfo.info/unit/3772/ip:1/il:H 1) Another piece of artwork I love is this fascinating 'hand painting' by Guido Daniele. Although it may seem impossible, Daniele--who was born in Italy and graduated from Brera School of Arts-- created this masterpiece using only paints and a human hand. Unfortunately, no matter where online I searched, I was unable to find a specific creation date or title for this piece. Daniele's work is extremely unique, because he generally paints on people's bodies, instead of on canvases. He has an obvious love for bold, vivid colors. 2) This artwork should be well-known by others because it is an ingenious idea; using the human body, and the various shapes that a hand can form, in order to make art. It has bright, vibrant colors that make it seem even more alive. As a huge animal lover, this painting strikes a certain chord with me because in a way, by showing how similar the human hand can be to the face of an animal, Daniele is establishing a connection between human beings and the animals with which we share this planet. Once again, I consider the idea of this painting the best part of it. It is a statement, as well as unique and original. However, it should be noted that the craftmanship and design are exceptional as well. ******************************************************************************* 
Photo courtesy of: http://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/the-beggar-boy-by-bartolome-esteban-murillo/ 1) Beggar Boy, an oil painting by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, is another one of my favorite paintings. It was painted circa 1650. 2) Aside from being an extraordinarily beautiful painting, Beggar Boy also makes incredible use of light, shadows, and emotional appeal. I am a personal fan of this piece of artwork because it is highly sentimental, and the mastery of craftmanship required to make it is unmistakable. I believe it should be well-known by others because it is an accurate and striking depiction of the hard and painful lives of children who live in poverty and squalor. The boy's sad expression and bare, dirty feet are both heart-wrenching. I think the most important part of this piece is definately the craftmanship and design. Aside from the deep emotional impact Beggar Boy has on the public, the image of warm sunlight pouring into his shadowed hideout is equally striking. It gives the boy a sort of soft, quiet illumination that matches the serenity of the squalid place he is sitting in.
