John Dickson Batten [1860-1932]

- The Garden of Adonis - Amoretta and Time, 1887

The subject of Batten's painting is taken from Book III of Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene", which is devoted to the legend of Chastity. The twins Amoretta and Belphoebe were the daughters of the nymph Chrysogone. The two babies were adopted, Belphoebe by the goddess of the hunt Diana, and Amoretta by Venus, goddess of love. Venus conveyed Amoretta to the Garden of Adonis, her `joyous Paradise', the flowers of which "dame Nature doth her beautify, and decks the girlonds of her Paramoures". However, even here the "faire flowre of beautie fades away, as doth the lilly fresh before the sunny ray", for:

Great enimy to it, and to all the rest
That in the Gardin of Adonis springs,
Is wicked Tyme; who with his scyth addrest
Does mow the flowring herbes and goodly things,
And all their glory to the ground downe flings,
Where they do wither, and are fowly mard:
He flyes about, and with his flaggy winges
Beates downe both leaves and buds withourt regard,
Ne ever pitty may relent his malice hard.

In this garden Amoretta was brought up by Psyche, and "trained up in trew feminitee" and "goodly womanhead",

In which when she to perfect ripenes grew,
Of grace and beautie noble Paragone,
She brought her forth into the worldes vew,
To be th'ensample of true love alone,
And Lodestarre of all chaste affection
To all fayre Ladies that doe live on grownd.
To Faery court she came; where many one
Admyred her goodly haveour, and fownd
His feeble hart wide launched with loves cruel wownd.

Daniel Sprick, 1953

Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scevola (1871-1950)

Head of a Lady in Medieval Costume, 1900

Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach | Symbolist / Art Nouveau painter

Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach (1851-1913) was a German painter and social reformer.

Diefenbach is a champion of reform of life , as the pioneer of naturism and the peace movement. His commune "Himmelhof" in Ober St. Veit (1897-1899) was one of the models for the students of his Gusto Graser reform founded settlements Monte Verita in Ascona.

As a painter he is an independent representative of Art Nouveau and Symbolism.

Diefenbach was a son of the painter and art teacher at the high school Hadamar Leonhard Diefenbach.

Brian O'Neill, 1969 | Figurative painter

American painter Brian O’Neill is a Signature Member of The Pastel Society of America and is proficient in a variety of mediums including oil, pastel, acrylic and charcoal.

His work has been showcased in galleries across The U.S, Canada, Japan and England.

O’Neill is most noted for his floral paintings and drawings and has been an avid gardener and nature enthusiast most of his life.

Brian is a graduate of The Ani Art Academy apprenticeship program where he studied under the guidance of acclaimed realism painter Anthony Waichulis.

In the spring of 2013 O’Neill joined The Memorial Art Gallery Creative Workshop in Rochester, NY where he teaches fundamental drawing and painting skills.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum of international stature in the centre of Copenhagen, founded in 1888 by the brewer Carl Jacobsen (1842-1914) who created one of the largest private art collections of his time.

It was named after his brewery, Ny Carlsberg, with the addition of "Glyptotek", meaning collection of sculpture.

The Glyptotek houses over 10.000 works of art divided up into two principal collections.

The museum contains two main departments of ancient and modern art, offering a unique combination of art in impressive architectural surroundings.

Vickie Wade ~ Figurative painter

Vickie Wade is a wife, mother, and passionate artist. She grew up in Puyallup, Washington and from 11 years of age painted at her grandmother’s easel. Vickie married her college sweetheart Jeff and her love and joy for him and painting grew strong. When their boys started school they moved to Nampa, Idaho to raise them in a rural setting. Teaching art classes was a delight and put Louie and Charlie through Christian education. Louie is a dentist and loving daddy to Samuel and Sydney. Charlie is a college graduate and an orthopedic rep working in Portland, Oregon. Inspired by loving family and friends, Vickie shares with you a bit of the fresh wonder in our world. Many of her realistic images focus on special nostalgic moments. Her desire is to bring you heartfelt joy and beauty through the paintings she creates.

Walter Girotto, 1953 | Figurative painter

Walter Girotto is an Italian painter ⎆, known for work in the Figurative style.

Girotto was born in a small northern Italian town called Rovigo and it was May 4th when his family moved to Turin -Italy, to seek their fortune.
For biographical notes -in english and italian- and other works by Girotto see:

• Walter Girotto ⎆