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World Of Art By Sue

@worldofartbysue.bsky.social

950 followers 2.2K following 830 posts

History of Art for everyone (themes change monthly)! Other interests include: world history, genealogy, books, photography, gardening, (US) football and dinosaurs. Life goal: to learn something new every day. Degree in Art History from McGill University

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · Nov 14

Hello, Blue Skyers! My account is to bring the joy and beauty of Art to everyone, along with a little background info on each piece featured. I look forward to connecting with you here in the civilized space that is Blue Sky! ~ Sue

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 9h

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ (1599 – 1660), “Infanta Margarita”, 1659. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
#arthistory #art #portrait #Velazquez

I’m very glad that I was not a noble or royal in the Spanish court in the 17th century because there is no way that I would be able to navigate life wearing the “guardainfante” – that amazing cage hip structure that was all the rage in Spain (I would not have done well as an antebellum Southern belle, either). The guardinfante was very controversial when it first appeared in the 1630s (not the least because it was rumored that the structure was used to camouflage secret pregnancies) but the ladies loved it so it became a very visible sign of rank with the width strictly court-regulated. Velázquez painted multiple portraits of the infanta Margarita; this one, in a glorious, blue silk dress with wide silver trim, was painted for the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I who was to marry the young Spanish princess. Margarita Teresa is 8 years old in this 1659 painting – one of Velázquez’ last paintings before he died in 1660 – and she married the Emperor (who also happened to be her uncle: don’t get me started on Habsburgs) when she turned 15. If she looks familiar, perhaps you recognize her from Velázquez’ “Las Meninas” when she was aged 5 (and also wearing a guardinfante even then!). Velázquez was famous for his loose brushwork, especially in his later work, and the silk here glows as it catches the light; the silk, the silver braid trim on the dress, the lace collar and the fur muff are all very loosely detailed but somehow we still feel the different textures. In contrast, the artist has more carefully painted Margarita’s face and hands so that her pale skin and golden hair are emphasized by the informality of the dress handling. Note also that Velázquez includes a background setting in his portrait; most of the portraits we’ve seen this month have plain, solid backgrounds.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 1d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI (1593 – 1653), “Portrait of a Seated Lady (possibly Caterina Savelli?)”, c. 1625. Private collection.
#arthistory #art #portrait

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 2d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
FRANS POURBUS (1569 – 1622), “Portrait of Elisabeth of France, Queen of Spain”, c. 1615. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

Pourbus was a third generation Flemish portrait painter who became the court painter for the Duke of Mantua in 1599 and then for the French royal court in 1609. His portraits are of royal family members and higher nobles. His portrait of Elisabeth, the daughter of King Henri IV of France and Marie de’Medici, was painted around the time of her marriage, by proxy, to the future Philip IV of Spain; upon her marriage, she became Queen Isabella of Spain and Portugal. Pourbus painted Elisabeth/Isabella in a formal court gown of silk, with delicate embroidery and incredible sleeves, and a glorious starched lace ruff collar (looks so pretty but must have been extremely uncomfortable to wear). Elisabeth also sports swaths of pearls(on her dress, in her hair, on her ears) to attest to her chastity and high social station. She doesn’t look terribly happy, in my opinion. The positioning of her hand, which draws the eye to the family jewel pinned to the front of her gown, is a typical gesture in Pourbus portraits.

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 3d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
LAVINIA FONTANA (1552 – 1614), “Portrait of Laura Gonzaga in Green”, 1580. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, Virginia US.
Fontana was the portraitist of choice for the rich and powerful noblewomen of Bologna.
#arthistory #art #portrait

Fontana's attention to detail and her ability to render rich fabrics made her famous, and she never lacked for clients. In 1604, she moved to Rome where she became a portraitist at the court of Pope Paul V. “Portrait of Laura Gonzaga in Green” is a perfect example of Fontana’s Mannerist style. Her subject is shown in a three-quarter, slightly turned frontal pose; she looks directly out at the viewer. Her gown is a richly patterned brocade embroidered with gold thread, with elegantly trimmed sleeves. She wears an abundance of pearls – markers of both chastity and high social status. Fontana’s popularity was due in part to her technical expertise at painting the luxurious, textured fabrics and expensive jewels of her sitters, without excess drama. Her portraits are captures of her sitters’ likenesses combined with social statements. Green was an expensive dye hue and therefore a high prestige color.

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 4d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
PAOLO VERONESE (1528 – 1588), “The Finding of Moses”, c. 1581/82. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Veronese was a master at painting luxurious textiles and he does not disappoint here.
#arthistory #art #Veronese

Veronese has taken the Biblical story of Moses being plucked from the river Nile by pharaoh’s daughter and costumed the participants as 16th century Venetian noblewomen! Veronese’s pharaoh’s daughter is gloriously dressed in heavy silk brocade laced with gold thread – the height of extreme luxury – with a fitted bodice, layered sleeves and a full skirt. Her hair is elaborately braided and twisted into an updo that any fashionable Venetian lady would covet. Her female attendants are all wearing brilliantly hued silk gowns. Veronese has composed a very theatrical scene with rhythmic color patterns of turquoise and orange (one might think he was a Miami Dolphins fan) that splash from one side of the canvas to the other. He liked this story so much that he painted several versions of “The Finding of Moses”, all using contemporary dress, as an excellent means of showing off his mastery of color and light.

Reposted by World Of Art By Sue

🅢🅗🅔🅔🅝🅐 @sheena-mck.bsky.social · 6d

Attention Alphabetters!
Mon 6 Oct is the start of Week O and the theme for the #AlphabetChallenge is Opulent. Anything showing great wealth and extravagance- palaces; super yachts; diamonds; or designer couture. Basically anything we can’t afford 😂
Use the # below and have fun😊

12 22 94

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 5d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
UNKNOWN BRITISH ARTIST, “A Young Lady, Aged 21, possibly Helena Snakenborg, later Marchioness of Northampton”, 1569. Tate Britain, London UK.
#arthistory #art #portrait

It seems very likely that this is a portrait of Helena Snakenborg, a Swedish-born noble who married the British William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton in 1571. She was aged 21 in 1569, as the writing on the painting states, and became a close friend of Elizabeth I. The artist is unknown but his style is English. The lady wears a rich red gown with heavily embroidered sleeves; the floral theme of the sleeves is of the Tudor rose, a symbol of Elizabeth I. The sitter has a carnation behind her ear, which was often used to symbolize a betrothal (again, the timing fits with Helena Snakenborg). She wears a French style hood on her head, which allows for her beautiful red hair to be visible. Every detail of the sitter’s attire testifies to fashionable Elizabethan court dress, and therefore a show of wealth and position. The heavy gold chains and liberal use of gold braid and seed pearls for decoration emphasize this exalted status.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 6d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
BERNARDINO CAMPI (1522 – 1591), “Portrait of a Woman”, late 1560s. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City US.
Campi was a northern Italian artist, working frequently in his native Cremona.
#arthistory #art #portrait

This portrait of a lady is, like many of Campi’s portraits, of an unidentified sitter who wears the fashionable styles of northern Italy. Although we don’t know who she is exactly, she most definitely was noble given the expensive fabrics and gold lace evident in this portrait. The pointed bodice was a very popular fashion choice around Cremona in the 1560s, as was the close hair style. Her sleeves are tailored with a quilted detailing that is quite lovely. She wears a sheer partlet for modesty at the wide, squared neckline. She holds an elaborate fan in one hand and cradles a small dog (often used as a symbol of fidelity) with the other. Campi’s portrait style was rather stiff and reserved: the unknown lady shares a wary expression with her pup. This portrait was stolen by the Nazis during World War II but was restituted to the family post-war.

Reposted by World Of Art By Sue

𝙲𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙸𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜 @churchstreetimages.com · 12d

Join the #BlueSkyArtShow
Saturday October 4, 2025
The theme is #Relax

Any art, any skill level
Use both tags to be
included in our feed.
Multiple entries welcome

More details in the comments

#photography #drawing #painting #sketching #writing #poetry #watercolor

Photo of clouds in the sky with text over it reading:
Join the #BlueSkyArtShow
Saturday October 4, 2025
The theme is #Relax

Any art, any skill level
Use both tags to be
included in our feed.
Multiple entries welcome

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 7d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
ALESSANDRO ALLORI (1535 – 1607), “Portrait of Lucrezia de’Medici”, 1560. North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina US.
#arthistory #art #portrait

Lucrezia was the fifth child of Duke Cosimo I de’Medici and Eleonora of Toledo (whom we saw in her pomegranate gown in yesterday’s post). Alessandro Allori was a Late Mannerist painter who was trained by Bronzino. This portrait was made for Lucrezia’s brother, Francesco, around the time that she was to be married to Alfonso II d’Este; she was 15 years old. Allori depicts Lucrezia as powerful and wealthy, wearing a dark velvet gown (the dark color was a status symbol) with a tall standing collar and a white linen ruffle at the neck. Her gown has an overall diamond pattern and full sleeves that are slashed and padded. She sports a jeweled belt and a necklace of very large pearls. The artist has given her a commanding expression on her face, but in truth she was of fragile health her entire life and died (probably of tuberculosis) about one year after this portrait was painted.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 8d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
BRONZINO, aka Agnolo di Cosimo, (1503 – 1572), “Portrait of Eleonora of Toledo with her son Giovanni de’Medici”, 1544-5. Uffizi Museum, Florence, Italy.
#arthistory #art #portrait

Bronzino was an Italian Mannerist artist whose portrait paintings present his subjects with an air of seriousness and hauteur (and long, elegant hands/fingers – I love Mannerist hands!). Eleonora of Toledo was the wife of Cosimo I de’Medici, and she, like her husband, was formidable. Bronzino paints Eleonora with the second of her eleven Medici children. The gown here is spectacular – a silk brocade with gold embroidery in a pomegranate and pine cone design (Christian symbols of resurrection and regeneration). Silk brocade was the most expensive fabric available at the time and was a specialty of the robust Florentine textile industry. To further emphasize Eleonora’s status and importance, Bronzino has filled the portrait’s background with blue pigment made from lapis lazuli, an extremely expensive material frequently used for the clothing of the Virgin Mary in art. Indeed, Eleonora and Giovanni are presented by Bronzino as a modern Madonna and Child.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 9d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
HANS HOLBEIN the YOUNGER (1497 – 1583), “Jane Seymour”, 1536-7. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
The great Swiss-German artist, Hans Holbein, was named King’s Painter to Henry VIII of England in 1535.
#arthistory #art #portrait #gowns

Henry VIII of England's third wife, Jane Seymour, who bore him his only legitimate son. It is through Holbein’s keen eye that we have a clearer picture of Tudor nobility and royalty. Holbein’s portraits are exquisite, combining precise details of outward appearance with subtle layers of symbolism to give us complex representations of his subjects. Jane Seymour was Henry VIII’s third wife, marrying him quickly after Anne Boleyn (wife #2) was dispatched. Boleyn, whom Holbein also painted, was raised in the French court and so favored French attire. Holbein paints Seymour in a quintessentially English gown of heavy silk or velvet, with a squared neckline and gorgeous sleeves. Her hood is a gable hood – more structured and conservative than the French hoods worn by Boleyn – made of black velvet with gold trim and a jeweled border to match her neckline. Holbein has presented Jane Seymour as very English, obedient and regal in a quiet, non-flashy way. Not to mention the adornment of many pearls to attest to the new queen’s chastity.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 10d

October's theme: Fabulous Gowns in Art
JAN VAN EYCK (1390 - 1441), “Madonna with Canon Van der Paele”, 1436. Groeninge Museum, Bruges, Belgium.
Okay, this is a little bit of a “cheat” since there isn’t a gown that is the main focus. But oh what gorgeous fabrics van Eyck painted!
#arthistory #art

As a dedicated Gilded Age HBO fan, I thought that we'd look at some amazing gowns in art history this month (while we wait for the next season of the show). An enthroned Madonna and Child is flanked by St. Donatian in blue on the left, and St. George (in armor) and the patron, Canon Joris van der Paele, in white. At this point in time (1436), portraits of well-dressed females weren’t yet a popular thing because religious paintings were the rule. Still, the Flemish van Eyck gives his Madonna jewel-encrusted borders on her clothing, and surrounds her with splendor (which, of course, allowed the artist to show off his textural mastery with stone, glass, carpets, armor and tiled floor). Beautiful blue brocade robes adorn St. Donatian – the patron saint of the cathedral in Bruges for which this painting was commissioned – and ornate, shining armor is worn by St. George. The simplest clothing is found on the (extremely wealthy) patron, Canon Joris van der Paele, who was in poor health and was hoping his gift would earn him a shorter period in purgatory when his end came.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 11d

September's theme: Children's Book Illustration
THE LION AND THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown Books, 2009. (For ages 2+). We finish this month of illustrators with Jerry Pinkney’s majestic THE LION AND THE MOUSE, which was awarded the 2010 Caldecott Medal.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

A close-up face of a majestic lion, looking nervously off to the left. Pinkney, who had received five Caldecott Honor awards, became the first African-American illustrator to win the prestigious Medal. THE LION AND THE MOUSE is a retelling of the classic Aesop’s Fable. This version is told visually, with the only “words” being used for animal sounds. Pinkney’s illustrations are realistic watercolors; the lion’s head shown here is actually the book’s cover image and is so beautiful that the cover does not include any title or other wording to interfere with the art. Pinkney drew his images with pencil, watercolor and colored pencil and he was careful to realistically portray both the animals and scenery of the Serengeti.

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 12d

I see lots of hep cats - does that count?!?

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Reposted by World Of Art By Sue

🅢🅗🅔🅔🅝🅐 @sheena-mck.bsky.social · 13d

Attention Alphabetters!
Mon 29 Sep is the start of Week N and the theme for the #AlphabetChallenge is Night. Nights in nature, lights of big city nights, party nights, sleepy nights, hen nights, theatre nights- if it happened at night it counts 😁
Use the # below and have fun😊

5 18 90

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 12d

September's theme: Children's Book Illustration
UNDER THE WINDOW: PICTURES AND RHYMES FOR CHILDREN by Kate Greenaway. George Routledge & Son, 1879. (For ages 2+).
Greenaway’s gentle style was hugely influential and often copied.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

A little girl on a bridge over a shallow stream; to the left, a little boy holding the leg of an upside-down boy who is tumbling near the side of the bridge. UNDER THE WINDOW was the first book that she both wrote and illustrated. Her use of pale colors and a linear frame for each poem created a visually appealing book that children and parents could enjoy together. She dressed her figures in slightly outdated clothing styles, which were especially attractive to parents who soon began clothing their own children in similar styles. Greenaway’s illustration may seem quaint to 21st century eyes but her positive images and message never go out of style.

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 13d

September's theme: Children's Book Ilustration
THE GIRL WHO DREAMED ONLY GEESE AND OTHER TALES OF THE FAR NORTH by Howard Norman, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon. Harcourt Brace & Co., 1997. (For ages 7+).
#arthistory#art #childrensbooks

An Inuit girl dreaming of flying geese in front of a full moon. Norman collaborated with Inuit storytellers to retell a selection of indigenous folktales. Leo and Diane Dillon contributed exquisite illustrations, with full color plates along with black-and-white small friezes (mimicking Inuit stone-cut prints) that run along each page. The Dillons capture the beauty and mystery of the Inuit culture in their artwork and honor the sources with dignity and grace. “This collection is not only the handsomest gathering of Inuit folktales ever, but one that will bring readers as close to a living oral tradition as printed material can. After working with folklorists and Inuit storytellers, Norman recasts ten stories from every corner of this widespread culture.” – Kirkus Review.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 14d

September’s Theme: Children's Book Illustration
JACK AND THE WONDER BEANS by James Still, illustrated by Margot Tomes. University Press of Kentucky, 1977. (For ages 5+).
James Still was a folklorist and poet who lived in a log cabin in Kentucky.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

Jack reaches the top of the bean stalk and sees the giant's castle in the distance. JACK AND THE WONDER BEANS is Still's Appalachian rendition of the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk story, written in the local dialect and illustrated with restraint by Margot Tomes. Tomes’ drawings are straightforward, colored with blues and browns. Her giants are large but not caricatures, which keeps the story grounded in reality (or at least the possibility of reality).

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 15d

September's theme: Children's Book Illustration
THE TALE OF SQUIRREL NUTKIN by Beatrix Potter. Frederick Warne & Co., 1903. (For ages 2+).
A nature lover since a young girl, Beatrix Potter filled sketchbooks with images of her many pets.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

A group of squirrels with bushy tails approach a wise old owl at the base of a tree. Potter was fascinated with natural history and made detailed sketches of plants as well as animals. She often included her drawings as embellishments in her written letters to friends, who soon encouraged her to make her stories and pictures into actual books. Her first children’s book THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT was a huge success, but the favorite Potter book in my household was her next book, THE TALE OF SQUIRREL NUTKIN (maybe because Nutkin himself is rather sassy). Potter’s books were printed in a small format, the Little Books, which are the perfect fit for young hands. Her illustrations were made with pencil drawings and watercolor washes.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 16d

September's theme: Children's Book Illustration
ALONG A LONG ROAD by Frank Viva. Little, Brown Books, 2011. (For ages 3+).
This visually appealing book takes us on a bicycle adventure.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

A boy on a bicycle following a yellow road along the seashore is the cover of this entertaining book. This visually appealing book takes us on a bicycle adventure through the town, along the seaside, through a tunnel and across the countryside, with the bicyclist’s route flowing continuously from page to page (with the yellow road printed in a raised ink). Viva’s illustrations are drawn in a modern graphic style, with rubberband-y characters and a color palette limited to just blue, red, black and white plus the yellow road.

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 16d

I'm so glad :) Doom scrolling is the pits (but I do it, too)!

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 16d

Thanks for bringing him to my attention!

World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 17d

LITTLE BROTHER & LITTLE SISTER & OTHER TALES BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM, illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Constable & Co., Ltd., 1917.
IMO fairy tales are not terribly appropriate for young children, but oh boy do I love the beauty of Arthur Rackham’s illustrations.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks

The tale of Snow White and Rose Red, as illustrated by Arthur Rackahm. Rackham was a prime part of the Golden Age of British Book Illustration (approximately 1890 to 1914). His drawings bring the stories to life. He illustrated an earlier version of Grimm’s fairy tales with intricate line drawings but for this 1917 publication (which is a rare find these days) he added color plates of his signature line drawings awash in watercolor. This plate of Snow White and Rose Red showcases his delicate touch with line and detail, using deep shadows to enhance perspective and drama. Rackham illustrated non-fairy tale books as well, but his exquisite work perfectly captures the beauty, charm, danger and fantasy of the fairy tale genre.

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World Of Art By Sue @worldofartbysue.bsky.social · 18d

September's theme: Children's Book Illustration
HARRIET AND THE PROMISED LAND by Jacob Lawrence. Simon & Schuster, 1993. (For ages 4+).
Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was one of America’s premier artists of the 20th century.
#arthistory #art #childrensbooks