Amazing discoveries made by scientists, looking at the paintings of great painters. Scientific breakthroughs in oil and canvas What is depicted in the painting by Giovanni Machines

antique painting is part of the world historical and cultural heritage. For fans of antiques, old paintings from our collection will be a great addition to the interior and collection. Your attention is presented, oil painting, antique drawings, pastels, as well as old lithographs of recognized masters.

In our gallery you can buy antique paintings of both European and Russian schools of painting. The collection of our gallery also contains rare panels, ancient bas-reliefs and antique engravings.

In the gallery you can buy old paintings by artists such as , , , , , , , and many others.

Antique paintings in the gallery collection

The collection of our gallery presents a classic example of French genre painting of the mid-eighteenth century by Jacques de Lajou - painting "Bathing Sultana".

The works of Jacques de Lajoux retained a close connection with the tradition of the Italian and French Baroque and were practically not affected by the academic classicism of the 18th century.

His work allows us to trace the impact of the pictorial heritage of the so-called Watteau school on the nature of the works created by French masters in the second quarter of the 18th century. Despite some similarity between the manners of Jacques de Lajoux and Francois Boucher, he retained an individual approach to images and dissimilarity to the frivolous manner, excessive effeminacy and sweetness of minor Rococo masters. His paintings are characterized by a sense of ephemerality, subtle poeticization, eloquent pauses and half hints.

An important sign of the aesthetics of the gallant age in painting is some understatement, a game, giving the viewer the opportunity to guess and think out the plot of what is happening.

If you look closely at the picture, then first of all the look falls on the luxurious powder-colored drapery crowning the laconic rocaille architectural element, then it glides over the female figure in the pose of an ancient goddess and stops at two maids who obligingly bowed to their mistress, and Venus appears in the guise contemporaries of the artist. The languid posture of the Sultana is regal and majestic, the flexible lines of her body are full of musical smoothness.

Garlands and bouquets of luxuriant flowers- a real hymn to the full-blooded female beauty. The work of Jacques de Lajoux retained an aristocratic character and met the requirements of Rococo art, the main goal of which is to please and entertain.

You can buy an antique painting "The Bathing of the Sultana" by Jacques de Lage in our gallery, located at: Tverskoy Boulevard, 26.

Professor James Nienhuis of the University of Wisconsin Department of Plant Science uses a 17th-century painting to show students how selective breeding has changed watermelons over the past 350 years. We are talking about the work of the Italian artist Giovanni Stanchi, which he painted between 1645 and 1672.



Painting by Giovanni Stanchi
Image: Christie's

The watermelons in this picture are in the lower right corner. And they are not at all what we are used to seeing them. “It's fun to go to fine art museums, look at still lifes and see what our vegetables looked like 500 years ago,” Niinhuis told Vox.

Fragments of a painting by Giovanni Stanchi
Image: Christie's

Watermelons came to Europe from Africa and, presumably, took root in local gardens at the beginning of the 17th century. Professor Niinhuis believes that old watermelons were just as sweet as today's ones. The appearance of the berries changed during the selection process: a person did it in such a way as to increase the amount of lycopene, a substance that gives the red color to the flesh of a watermelon.

Through hundreds of years of cultivation, we have turned small white-fleshed watermelons into larger berries full of lycopene.
Vox

By the way. South Africa is considered the birthplace of the watermelon. "Watermelons were brought to medieval Western Europe in the era of the Crusades. Watermelons were brought to Russia by the Tatars in the 13th-14th centuries." -

For scientists, paintings by great artists are not only works of art, but also a unique historical document. Thanks to the observation of the masters of the realistic school, we have amazing evidence of how our world has changed. "KP" will talk about several discoveries that were made through a thorough study of the works of ancient painters.

Giovanni Stanchi (1608 - 1675), Italy

• Painting: "Still life with watermelon and fruit" (between 1645 and 1672).
• Branch of science: crop production.
• The essence of the discovery: scientists got a visual representation of what a wild watermelon looked like and what ways its selection went.

A favorite pastime of James Niinhuis, professor of plant science at the University of Wisconsin, is looking at still lifes in museums.

It's amazing to see how selective breeding has changed the look of fruits and vegetables over the past 500 years, he says. - In my classes on the history of agricultural crops, I usually show students a 350-year-old watermelon from Stanki's still life.

This striped one has a thick rind and some red flesh. The edible part is 6 separate sections with seeds. The middle, which is now the sweetest part, is made up of fleshy white fibers. It is unlikely that Giovanni painted an unripe watermelon: black seeds are a clear sign that he is ripe. Modern watermelons look much more appetizing.

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 - 1669), Netherlands

• Painting: "Self-portrait" (1659) and others.
• Branch of science: medicine.
• The essence of the discovery: high cholesterol and atherosclerosis lead to early aging.

To track age-related changes in a group of volunteers, a scientist will need a lifetime. Is it possible to speed up the process?

This question was asked by physicians from Georgetown University. They turned to the work of Rembrandt, who painted about 40 self-portraits at different periods of his life. The realist's hand very accurately displayed the external signs of progressive atherosclerosis.

A self-portrait of 1659 attracted special attention of doctors. At this point, Rembrandt is only 53 years old, but he looks much older than his years. A thickened lilac vessel is clearly visible on the left temple, which probably caused the headache that tormented the artist. Wrinkles under the eyes and a barely noticeable white spot in the left pupil also indicate high cholesterol levels.

Peter Paul Rubens (1577 - 1640), Flanders

• Painting: "Three Graces" (1638) and others.
• Branch of science: historical epidemiology.
• The essence of the discovery: the time and geography of the appearance of infectious rheumatoid arthritis in Europe has been established.

Today, this disease mainly affects the elderly: every 20th person on earth who has reached old age suffers from pain in small joints. But during the Renaissance, a real epidemic of this disease suddenly broke out in the Old World, which Europeans did not know before.

This phenomenon was recorded by the great Rubens. The characteristic deformation of the fingers on the hand is visible in the painting "Three Graces". The second wife of Rubens, Elena Furman, acted as a model for all three plump beauties (the artist married a 16-year-old girl when he turned 53). When the Fleming finished the painting, the woman was 23 years old.

Dr. Thierry Appleboom of the University of Brussels conducted his own investigation. He noticed that signs of rheumatoid arthritis appear first in the paintings of the Flemish masters. Rubens himself lived in Antwerp, a major port city where ships returning from the New World often anchored. And for America, rheumatoid arthritis is a native disease. The oldest burials of Indians who suffered from this disease were found in the state of Alabama and date back to 4500 BC. Europeans brought smallpox to America, which decimated millions of Indians. And brought back home syphilis and rheumatoid arthritis. Since the Europeans were not immune to this scourge, the epidemic became explosive.

Rubens himself suffered from arthritis. In recent years, he had difficulty holding a brush in his hands, most of the work was done by his students, he took on only the most important areas: he painted the faces and hands of the characters. Now such aggressive forms of arthritis have become a rarity - the immune system has learned to resist the infection.

Giovanni Stanchi, nicknamed De Fiori ("flower man"); Rome, 1608 - after 1675 - Italian still life painter and decorator.

Still life by Giovanni Stanchi, 17th century.

Watermelons in our time are no longer watermelons of past years, as painting testifies. Look at a 17th-century painting by the Italian artist Giovanni Stanchi. One of his still lifes ("Watermelons, Peaches, Pears and Other Fruits in a Landscape", 1645-72) depicts a cut watermelon with a knife frozen over a pinkish, pale flesh full of dark seeds - and it is very different from the bright juicy red watermelons with a small scattering of seeds that we see when we cut them today.

The painting, which was sold last year at Christie's, shows a watermelon in the midst of domestication from a wild form that originated in Africa.

Let's trace the work of breeders, which led to the evolution of watermelon, through the paintings of old masters! How great that many artists loved to draw watermelons! These pictures may well be shown in the classes on teaching crop selection.

Over time, watermelons began to take on different forms, with fewer seeds, more water (they became noticeably juicier) and sugar, and they developed a wonderful bright red flesh that the original wild form did not have.

The most interesting: this is not the end of evolution, watermelons continue to evolve and change today!

Now we already have seedless watermelons, melons, and even - Oh God- watermelons with human faces. And square watermelons too!

Most of us probably understand on some level that most of the fruits, vegetables, and meats in our grocery stores are not all-natural products, but rather the result of centuries of selection and modification. For example, almost all of our carrot today - orange, despite the fact that it used to have shades yellow to purple(in the 17th century). But mankind has decided to cultivate only the orange variety of carrots, with a fair amount of beta-carotene. Peach, also growing wild in China, has become incomparably larger and sweeter over time.

The works of artists, old masters, frozen fragments, stopped time, including moments of our history of agriculture.

Below are a few examples of watermelons from the past that have left a mark on art.

Albert Eckhout, "Pineapples, watermelons and other fruits (Fruits of Brazil)" (17th century), oil on canvas (National Museum of Denmark).

Giovan Battista Ruoppolo, Still Life with Fruit (17th century), oil on canvas.

Raphael Peel, "Melons and Ipomoea" (1813), oil on canvas (Smithsonian American Art Museum).

James Peel, "Still Life" (1824), oil on panel (Honolulu Museum of Art).

Agostinho José da Mota, Papaya and Watermelon (1860), oil on canvas (Museum National des Beaux-Arts).

Mihail Stefanescu, "Still Life of Fruit" (1864).

Alvan Fischer, Still Life with Watermelons and Peaches (19th century), oil on canvas on hardboard.

In 1660 Stanchi, commissioned by Cardinal Flavio Chigi, decorated his gallery with still lifes of flowers and fruit. Cardinal Chigi remained his main customer until 1673. By order of Cardinal Benedetto Pamphilj, Stanchi painted the cases of musical instruments with still lifes. In 1675 Stanchi worked with Ciro Ferri, decorating mirrors in the Palazzo Borghese. Like Mario Nuzzi, Stanki also worked as a theater decorator. Most of Stanchi's surviving paintings are in Rome. The Pallavicini Gallery has two paintings, the Capitoline Museums have two over-door paintings that previously belonged to the collection of the Sacchetti family. Flower garlands by Stanca adorn the lunettes in the Palazzo Colonna. Commissioned by Vittoria della Rovere (previously 1686), two flower garlands are now in the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Pitti.

Still life with watermelons

One of Stanka's paintings, " Still life with watermelons", attracted the attention of historians, biologists and the general public as a clear illustration of the results of selection. The picture shows that in the 17th century the rind of the watermelon was much thicker, the tough tissue divided the edible pulp into cells, and the bones were much larger.

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Literature

• Lanfranco Ravelli Stanchi dei fiori, Bergamo 2005. (Italian)
• Alberto Cottino Natura silente. Nuovi studi sulla natura morta italiana, Torino 2007. (Italian)
• M. Gregori, J. G. Prinz von Hohenzollern Stille Welt - Italienische Stilleben: Arcimboldo, Caravaggio, Strozzi, exhibition catalogue, Munich, 2003, p. 48, figs. 5, as "Giovanni (?) Stanchi" (the second). (English)

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An excerpt characterizing Machines, Giovanni

- Oh, what a beast I am, however! - said Rostov, reading the letter.
- And what?
- Oh, what a pig I am, however, that I never wrote and so scared them. Oh, what a pig I am,” he repeated, suddenly blushing. - Well, send Gavrila for wine! Okay, enough! - he said…
In the letters of the relatives, there was also a letter of recommendation to Prince Bagration, which, on the advice of Anna Mikhailovna, the old countess got through her acquaintances and sent to her son, asking him to take it down for its intended purpose and use it.
- That's nonsense! I really need it, - said Rostov, throwing the letter under the table.
- Why did you leave it? Boris asked.
- What a letter of recommendation, the devil is in my letter!
- What the hell is in the letter? - Boris said, raising and reading the inscription. This letter is very important for you.
“I don’t need anything, and I’m not going to be an adjutant to anyone.
- From what? Boris asked.
- Lackey position!
“You are still the same dreamer, I see,” said Boris, shaking his head.
“And you are still a diplomat. Well, that's not the point ... Well, what are you? Rostov asked.
- Yes, as you can see. So far so good; but I confess that I would very much like to become adjutant, and not remain in the front.
- For what?
- Because, having already once gone through the career of military service, one should try to make, if possible, a brilliant career.
- Yes, that's how! - said Rostov, apparently thinking of something else.
He looked intently and inquiringly into the eyes of his friend, apparently in vain looking for a solution to some question.
Old Gavrilo brought wine.
- Shouldn't we send for Alfons Karlych now? Boris said. He will drink with you, but I can't.
- Go-go! Well, what is this nonsense? Rostov said with a contemptuous smile.
“He is a very, very good, honest and pleasant person,” said Boris.
Rostov once again looked intently into Boris's eyes and sighed. Berg returned, and over a bottle of wine, the conversation between the three officers brightened up. The guards told Rostov about their campaign, about how they were honored in Russia, Poland and abroad. They told about the words and deeds of their commander, the Grand Duke, anecdotes about his kindness and temper. Berg, as usual, was silent when the matter did not concern him personally, but on the occasion of anecdotes about the irascibility of the Grand Duke, he told with pleasure how in Galicia he managed to talk with the Grand Duke when he went around the regiments and was angry for the wrong movement. With a pleasant smile on his face, he told how the Grand Duke, very angry, rode up to him and shouted: “Arnauts!” (Arnauts - was the favorite saying of the Tsarevich when he was angry) and demanded a company commander.
“Believe me, count, I was not afraid of anything, because I knew that I was right. You know, Count, without boasting, I can say that I know the orders for the regiment by heart and I also know the charter, like our Father in heaven. Therefore, count, there are no omissions in my company. Here is my conscience and calm. I came. (Berg half stood up and imagined in his faces how he appeared with his hand to the visor. Indeed, it was difficult to portray in a face more respectful and self-satisfied.) Already he pushed me, as they say, push, push; pushed not on the stomach, but on death, as they say; and "Arnauts", and devils, and to Siberia, - said Berg, smiling shrewdly. - I know that I'm right, and therefore I am silent: isn't it, Count? "What, are you dumb, or what?" he screamed. I keep silent. What do you think, Count? The next day it was not even in the order: that's what it means not to get lost. So, count, - said Berg, lighting his pipe and blowing rings.
"Yes, that's nice," said Rostov, smiling.
But Boris, noticing that Rostov was going to laugh at Berg, artfully dismissed the conversation. He asked Rostov to tell how and where he received the wound. Rostov was pleased, and he began to tell, during the story he became more and more animated. He told them his Shengraben case in exactly the same way as those who took part in them usually tell about the battles, that is, the way they would like it to be, the way they heard from other storytellers, the way it was more beautiful to tell, but not at all. the way it was. Rostov was a truthful young man; he would never deliberately tell a lie. He began to tell with the intention of telling everything exactly as it happened, but imperceptibly, involuntarily and inevitably for himself, he turned into a lie. If he had told the truth to these listeners, who, like himself, had already heard stories of attacks many times and formed a definite idea of ​​what an attack was, and expected exactly the same story - or they would not believe him, or, even worse, they would think that Rostov himself was to blame for the fact that what happened to him did not happen to him, which usually happens to the narrators of cavalry attacks. He could not tell them so simply that they all went at a trot, he fell off his horse, lost his arm and ran with all his might into the forest from the Frenchman. In addition, in order to tell everything as it happened, one had to make an effort on oneself to tell only what happened. Telling the truth is very difficult; and young people are rarely capable of it. They were waiting for a story about how he was on fire all over, not remembering himself, like a storm, he flew on a square; how he cut into him, chopped right and left; how the saber tasted the meat, and how he fell exhausted, and the like. And he told them all this.