subliminalwarfare:

John Martin, “Creation of Light” (1824)

Technique: Mezzotint on laid paper, 25.4 x 35.3 cm

One of Martin’s masterpieces, and a highpoint of the Paradise Lost series, Martin depicts the moment when God creates the Light of Heaven, and divides the Night from the Day.

Martin produced an oil painting of The Creation of Light at the same time as the two mezzotints for Paradise Lost; the oil painting is now lost. But when it was shown in 1825. Martin received quite a bit of criticism from those who were outraged to find God depicted at all. One review dismissed the painting as “absurd beyond all conception,” and another commentator found it “the grossest of all gross ideas to make the power and essence of the Creator depend on size.” Martin was not dissuaded — indeed was probably more encouraged by the fact the painting was sold for 2000 guineas, the highest price he ever received for a single work — and used the same image in Paradise Lost. Opinion was soon to change, so that by the early 1900s the work was described as “one of the most extraordinary conceptions of a great visionary.”

misyats:

new Sigur Ros album is here! the inside of the cover is stunning.

dukate:

creepy

A Princess of Saxony | Lucas Cranach the Elder (1517)

Many of the women in Cranach’s painting have malicious and conniving facial expressions. Just look at this redhead kid. So young yet seemed to be draped with cruel intentions. I advise anyone to not stare at this one too long or you’ll have nightmares.

mitresquaremurder:

Judith mit dem Haupt des Holofernes (Judith with the head of Holofernes)

1530, Lucas Cranach the Elder

I WANT HER CLOTHES. AND HER BADASS CAPABILITIES TO SEDUCE AND BEHEAD MEN.

(I think I’m creepy…)

I agree with admiring her clothes. Not sure if I want to get into the whole chopping head stuff, though.

nwo4204life:

The Feast of Herod (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1533. Oil on limewood)

I love how the guy on the left is like, “No, thanks.”, while he tries to be polite yet fails to conceal his disgust at the, erm, questionable meal.

And the guy on the right is like, “See, I told you he’s a vegetarian!” 

Then the guy on the middle cries, “You’re a vegetarian?!”

Diptych: Two Electors of Saxony (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1509)

This portrait of the Elector of Saxony (1468 - 1532) is joined as a diptych with the portrait of his son, ‘Johann Friedrich the Magnanimous’, who succeeded him as elector in 1532. 

The pairing of portraits of father and son is unusual, and may have arisen because the six-year-old Johann Friedrich’s mother, Sophia of Mecklenburg, died giving birth to him. (words by National Gallery)

It’s very strange how the little boy is adorned in adult clothes that were meant for the highly skilled and ferocious Landsknechte soldiers. And take notice of how the colors of the foreground and background are inverted between the two pieces (black clothing and green background for the father, green clothing and black background for the son). Perhaps it’s embodying the shift of power passing through the royal blood.