Artist: Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) Title: Christ Presented to the People Sodoma (Giovanni Antonio Bazzi) was trained in Lombardy, but most of his career was spent in Siena, where he was, together with Beccafumi, an influential artist. This work dates from the last decade of his life. The u...

The Ringling Museum of Art was worth the trip to Sarasota, Florida. At first, I didn\'t know what to expect. I thought it would be a boring museum of prints or a limited collection on display for a period of time; however, this was not the case. John Ringling was co-founder and owner in 1884, along...

Giovanni Francesco Bernardone (Saint Francis) was born in Assisi, Italy to a wealthy merchant father. Francis had an easy and laid back in early life. Later he began a pious life, helped out lepers, and restored old churches. All of Francis\' charity made his father angry with him and Francis was d...

When it comes to powerful religious figures, the Virgin Mary seems to be alone in a Boys' Club. Many people look at the Christian faith and assume it favors males because all of its spiritual leaders are male (Jesus, the Apostles, and even God is called "He"). However, the Virgin Mar...

Saint Francis of Assisi Saint Francis of Assisi was born in 1182, the only son of Pietro Bernardone, a wealthy cloth merchant of central Italy. Peitro gave his son the name of Giovanni at baptism, though he afterwards changed it to Francesco, perhaps in honor of his trading in France. Pietro's...

Leonardo Da Vinci, Annunciation 1472-75 circaTempera on wood, cm 98x217 Inv. 1890, n. 1618 The work came to the Uffizi in 1867 from the monastery of San Bartolomeo of Monteoliveto, near Florence. It was ascribed to Domenico Ghirlandaio until 1869, when some critics recognised ...

Da Vinci's "Last Supper" is a priceless piece of art with much hidden meaning. Under the study of Verrocchio as a painter and a sculptor, he was able to use his skills in creating a very detailed and a very naturalistic piece of work that would be remembered for hundreds of years. He was also able t...