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Emotional Enigma in the Sculpture of Michelangelo
Michelangelo's most well-known works exist on a colossal scale, from his formidable statue of David to the High Renaissance frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Yet, his art could also be tender and lyrical, dwelling upon the inherent tensions of the human condition. Art Historian Alison Cole examines one such example, the Taddei Tondo (c.1504-1505)— the only marble sculpture by Michelangelo in a British collection. Cole provides a rich insight into the artist's life, influences and unique approach to sculpture.
Time Period:
16th century
Alison Cole is the Editor of The Art Newspaper and an art historian who specialises in the Italian Renaissance and the visual arts. She has written several books on art history and has been an art critic for The Independent and The Arts Desk. She has also worked as an Executive Director for some of the UK's leading cultural organisations, including The Art Fund, Southbank Centre and Arts Council England, and now advises on advocacy, arts and museum strategy, and digital initiatives, as well as launching her own cultural education projects. Her books include Italian Renaissance Courts: Art, Pleasure and Power (2016) and Michelangelo The Taddei Tondo (2017).
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The Ambassadors: The Mysteries of Holbein’s Masterpiece
Discover the astonishing skull hidden in plain sight in Holbein’s masterpiece, The Ambassadors.
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The Mona Lisa: Painting beyond Portraiture
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1 Minute 1 Work: Gerhard Richter, Annunciation after Titian, 1973
Learn about Richter’s ardent commitment to Titian’s canvas — and the impossibility of such a painting for our times — with writer Robert Storr.
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Discover the astonishing skull hidden in plain sight in Holbein’s masterpiece, The Ambassadors.
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Who was Mona Lisa? Why is this painting so important? We asked leading Leonardo da Vinci expert, Martin Kemp.
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Learn about Richter’s ardent commitment to Titian’s canvas — and the impossibility of such a painting for our times — with writer Robert Storr.
10:58
Robert Storr explores how this influential artist channelled her psychological pain to create some of the most visceral works of the twentieth century.
1:10
National Trust curator David Taylor remarks on a ‘portrait’ of a prosperous country estate near Manchester.
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Discover the mesmerising mathematical phenomenon of moiré in Conrad Shawcross’s monumental works.