Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres | Gli aforismi

• I capolavori non sono fatti per sbalordire. Sono fatti per persuadere, per convincere, per entrare in noi attraverso i pori.

• In arte si arriva a un risultato notevole solo piangendo. Chi non soffre non crede.

• Studiate il bello in ginocchio.

• Chi non vorrà attingere ad altra intelligenza che alla sua, si troverà ben presto ridotto alla più miserabile di tutte le imitazioni: a quella delle sue stesse opere.

Leonardo da Vinci | Differenza infra poesia e pittura

Trattato della Pittura - Parte prima /18

La pittura immediate ti si rappresenta con quella dimostrazione per la quale il suo fattore l'ha generata, e dà quel piacere al senso massimo, qual dare possa alcuna cosa creata dalla natura.

Ed in questo caso il poeta, che manda le medesime cose al comun senso per la via dell'udito, minor senso, non dà all'occhio altro piacere che se uno sentisse raccontare una cosa.

Or vedi che differenza è dall'udir raccontare una cosa che dia piacere all'occhio con lunghezza di tempo, o vederla con quella prestezza che si vedono le cose naturali.

Giorgio Kienerk | Post Impressionist / Symbolist painter

Italian painter and sculptor Giorgio Kienerk (Firenze 1869 - Fauglia/Pisa 1948) born to an old Tuscan family. Kienerk began to study drawing and sculpture with the master Adriano Cecioni.

At the age of only 17, he had the opportunity to show his works at the Florentine Promotrice show for new talent.

When his teacher Cecioni died unexpectedly in 1886, Kienerk worked with Telemaco Signorini, who pushed him to master painting as well.

Kerdalo, 1962 ~ Urban street scene

French painter Kerdalo was born in 1962 in Chamalières. His paintings catch the light and dazzle at first sight as do the town of Paris from which he draws his inspiration. His works often recall the sweet memories of childhood, when time seems to stop. After his studies at the school of Applied Arts and a short passage in the world of Comic strip, he took back his brushes and studied with great interest the Impressionist Masters and so managed to create his own style. Kerdalo knows how to use the slightest lighting and the smallest ray on the street to sublimate the town and to create a serene and calm atmosphere special of Paris.

Silvestro Lega | Macchiaioli painter

Italian painter Silvestro Lega (1826-1895) was one of the leading artists of the Macchiaioli and was also involved with the Mazzini movement.

Lega was born in Modigliana, near Forlì, to an affluent family.

From 1838 he attended the Piarist College, where his skill at drawing became evident.

From 1843-1847 he attended the Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, studying drawing under Benedetto Servolini (1805-79) and Tommaso Gazzarini (1790-1853), then studying painting, briefly, under Giuseppe Bezzuoli.

Jeanie Tomanek, 1949 ~ Allegorical/Narrative painter

American painter Jeanie Tomanek inspired by literature, folktales and Myths, she portrays tall, snow white, bald women in dreamlike settings. A couple of years ago, Jeany left the corporate life behind to follow her passion and fully focus on her artwork. As she explains, painting helps her to develop her inner voice: “I paint to explore the significance of ideas, memories, events, feelings, dreams and images that seem to demand my closer attention”.

Frits Thaulow | Skagen painter

Frits Thaulow (1847-1906) was a Norwegian Impressionist painter, best known for his naturalistic depictions of landscape.

Johan Frederik Thaulow was born in Christiania, the son of the wealthy chemist, Harald Conrad Thaulow (1815-1881) and Nicoline "Nina" Louise Munch (1821-1894). Thaulow was educated at the Academy of Art in Copenhagen in 1870-72, and from 1873-75 he studied with Hans Gude at the Baden School of Art in Karlsruhe.

Thaulow was one of the earliest artists to paint in Skagen in the north of Jutland, soon to become famous for its Skagen painters.

Mark Shasha, 1961 | Plein Air painter

Mark Shasha is an Award-winning American artist.

He is also an author, illustrator, educator, actor and a songwriter.

His paintings, drawings and prints are found in public and private collections around the world and have appeared in museums and galleries for more than three decades.

His children's books appear regularly on bestseller lists and have been read by millions worldwide.