Ancient Persian sculptures

The Ancient Persians modern Iran are more familiar to us than the other empire builders of Mesopotamia or the Ancient Near East, the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Assyrians, not only because the Persians were more recent, but because they were amply described by the Greeks. Just as one man, Alexander of Macedon Alexander the Great, ultimately wore the Persians down quickly in about three years), so the Persian Empire rose to power quickly under the leadership of Cyrus the Great.

Andrey Kartashov, 1974

Ukrainian painter Андрей Карташов was born in the city of Uzhgorod, the ancient capital of Transcarpathia, in western Ukraine. The picturesque slopes of the Carpathian mountains, the majestic open spaces, the mossy stones and ancient castles awakened in him a special feeling for the world around him, and that finally led him to the decision to devote his life to art. In 1995, Andrey graduated with honors from the College of Applied Arts of Uzhgorod. His senior project was recognized as the best end-of-study project of the year, and earned him the right to enroll, without entrance examinations, at the Lvov Academy of Arts. However, for Andrey, study at Lvov would not be sufficient; only the best academy for art, that in St. Petersburg, would satisfy his desire for the highest quality instruction possible. Once in St. Petersburg, no longer surrounded by the bright and enchanting natural beauty of Carpathia, Andrey was forced to learn a more difficult skill: to distinguish the various shades of St. Petersburg’s grey.

Philippe Augé, 1935 | Surrealist painter

With unusually high praise from the modern master, George Braque, the young French artist Philippe Augé embarked on a painting career which, since the 1950’s has catapulted him into a meaningful position in the contemporary art arena.

Braque’s assessment represents the quintessence of all the qualities associated with Augé’s work today.

Recognized primarily for his delicately balanced figures and lush still lifes, his paintings vibrate with a gamut of rich color which recalls instantly the panoply of Renaissance painting.

Salvador Dalì ~ Toreador allucinogeno

Bronze and brass 82 x 12 x 12 inches, c. 1971-75; published c. 1989

Ancient Petra | Hellenistic architecture

Petra is known primarily for its Hellenistic architecture.

The facades of the tombs in Petra are commonly rendered in Hellenistic style, reflecting the number of diverse cultures which the Nabataens traded, all of which were in turn influenced by Greek culture.

Most of these tombs contain small burials niches carved into the stone.

Perhaps the best example of the Hellenistic style is seen in the Treasury, which is 24 meters (79 ft) wide and 37 meters (121 ft) tall and references the architecture of Alexandria.