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What caused the official painter of the Napoleonic victories to take his own life: Antoine-Jean Gros
In June 1835, a man’s body was fished out of the river Seine in the vicinity of the town of MEUDON. The investigation established the identity and circumstances that led to this sad incident. The deceased turned out to be the artist Antoine-Jean Gros, the official painter of Napoleon I. after Surviving his main customer and employer for fourteen years, Gros took his own life – when he realized that he had changed the cause of his life.
At the time of his death, he was 64 years old. The life of Antoine-Jean Gros fell on a dramatic and difficult time for France. Continue reading
What secrets about the young virgin Mary revealed by a medieval artist:” the Boyhood of our lady ” by Surbaran
“The boyhood of the mother of God” is a painting by Francisco de Surbaran from 1658-1660, now in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. An ordinary Spanish girl is actually a prototype of the young mother of God. And the prototype of the portrait was the artist’s daughter.
About the artist
Francisco de Surbaran (baptised 7 November 1598-27 August 1664) was a Spanish artist known for his religious paintings of monks, nuns and martyrs, as well as still lifes. Surbaran earned the nickname “Spanish Caravaggio” due to the powerful and realistic use of chiaroscuro. This is a unique artist, deeply original, whose work is connected with all the roots of Spain. Continue reading
