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Georgy Savitsky’s painting “Street in Sukhumi” (1939) hides a surprising creative contrast. The artist was renowned in the USSR as a monumental battle painter, a co-founder of the Association of Artists of Revolutionary Russia (AARR), and the driving force behind the panoramic work “Storming of Perekop.” Yet in this intimate piece he emerges as a refined lyricist.

That year proved fortunate for him: he married painter Maria Polishchuk, who inspired him with soft, sunlit motifs. Rather than the rigid tenets of Socialist Realism, he turned to an impressionist idiom. He deftly conveyed the scorching southern air, the play of shadows on palm fronds, and the unhurried rhythm of a resort town. The canvas demonstrates that Soviet art was not confined to strict boundaries, but welcomed freer painterly experiments.

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In 1869, poverty-stricken artists Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Work 1) and Claude Monet (Work 2) painted side by side under the same title, "The Frog Pond." It was the name of a floating restaurant near Paris. The nickname came from the "frogs"—bold girls who flouted society's morals and swapped lovers like gloves, hopping from partner to partner. The cafe owner fed the artists for free, taking away their "failed" sketches to cover the stains on the walls. Today those stains are worth millions.

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Alexander Gerasimov
"Gifts of Autumn," 1935

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Thomas Theodor Heine
"Sigfried," 1921

This is the most iconic painting by German artist, illustrator, and caricaturist Thomas Theodor Heine (1867–1948), depicting a melancholy pug bearing the grandiose name Sigfried, seated solemnly on a large red armchair.

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Ghosts from the Victorian era

Michael Lorcasio crafts eerie nightlights in the form of glowing Victorian-era ghosts. Meticulously detailed, these sculptures captivate with their haunting realism.

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A vivid genre painting by Paul Gauguin, one of the most prominent figures of Post-Impressionism, created in the distinctive cloisonnism style—a form of Synthetism. This approach is characterized by flat, bold areas of color defined by strong, contrasting outlines, along with a deliberate departure from traditional academic perspective.

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💵 How Salvador Dali Dined at Someone Else’s Expense*

The surrealist Salvador Dali loved luxurious restaurants—but hated paying for them. So he devised a bold scam: turning his signature into personal currency. Gathering crowds in Paris’s finest dining spots, the artist would order lavish delicacies and expensive wines. At the end of the meal, Dali would calmly write out a check—then flip it over and leave a quick sketch on the back.

He had perfectly calculated human psychology. No restaurateur would ever cash that check. Why? Because the original drawing on the reverse was worth dozens of times more than the price of the meal. Instead, those checks ended up framed on restaurant walls—while not a single cent was ever deducted from the cunning genius’s account. Boldness and brand, it turned out, were all he needed for a lifetime of free feasts.

*Photo features rapid linear sketches and original autographs by Salvador Dali*

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Jerzy Marian Kędziora (born 1947)

A Polish sculptor renowned for his balancing sculptures

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«The Five Senses» by Jacques Linard

Seventeenth-century artists loved still lifes—elegant, yet often simple in composition. At first glance, Jacques Linard’s painting appears unremarkable: a typical arrangement of fruits and flowers on a table. But the French painter embedded a deeper, philosophical narrative within the scene. Every object carries symbolic meaning, together representing the five human senses.

1. The mirror — sight
2. The flowers — smell
3. The fruits — taste
4. The sheet music — hearing
5. The playing cards and velvet pouch — touch

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Émile Munier
"Best Friends," 1882

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Interior, a 1931 portrait by American artist Hans Weingartner, reflects the mood of the Great Depression era. Before us is a young woman immersed in melancholy. Her still pose, head resting on her hand, echoes classical European iconography, conveying a deep sense of solitude.

Every detail in the room carries symbolic weight. The dark dress and heavy burgundy curtains emphasize the enclosed, oppressive space. In contrast, the vibrant landscape on the wall acts as a metaphor for freedom and lost brighter days. On the patterned tablecloth, a quiet still life unfolds: a thick book symbolizing intellectual boundaries, a ripe apple hinting at temptation, and two roses in a narrow vase, representing youth beginning to fade. The precise, intricate lines reveal an artist deeply versed in anatomy and the traditions of German realism.

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Joseph-Noël Silvestre
"Robespierre Kissing His Wife's Corpse," 1893

The painting draws from a true story. In February 1793, Antoinette Gabrielle Danton died in childbirth. A week later, her husband returned to Paris, exhumed her coffin, opened it, covered her face with kisses, and begged her forgiveness for his infidelities. At that very moment, a death mask was taken from her face. The funeral bust made from it caused a scandal when exhibited—and today it remains preserved in the Troyes Museum.

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Taj Mahal: A Marble Symphony of Love

This majestic five-domed mausoleum-mosque in the Indian city of Agra was built between 1632 and 1653. Standing 74 meters tall, it was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan as a tribute to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who tragically died during the birth of their 14th child. The complex, surrounded by lush gardens, fountains, and a long reflecting pool, features four minarets at its corners—its pristine white façade mirrored perfectly in the water.

A masterpiece of Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal seamlessly blends Indian, Persian, and Islamic influences. The walls, crafted from rare marble, shift in hue—from soft pink at dawn to silvery blue under moonlight. Recognized for its unparalleled beauty, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and later named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

#WorldHeritage #SevenWonders #TajMahal #Architecture #History #LoveStory

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Edward Munch
"Melancholy", 1894–1896

Once, the Devil retired and sold his tools. Crowds gathered around his display: the dagger of Envy, hammer of Anger, snares of Greed, arrows of Jealousy, nets of Fear—each polished, priced, and tempting.

At the center, on a velvet cushion, lay a worn wooden wedge—priced higher than all others combined.

A buyer scoffed:
“Why such a fortune for this battered peg?”

The Devil smiled:
“This is Apathy—my most treasured tool. When people see anger or envy, they resist. But Apathy works in silence. I slip it into the crack of doubt. They don’t notice—until their heart hardens, their hands fall limp. Apathy paralyzes will. Once they surrender, I use any other tool freely.”

#Apathy #SpiritualWarfare #Temptation

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Lucas Cranach the Elder
"Salome with the Head of John the Baptist", c. 1530

A striking example of religious painting, where a biblical narrative merges seamlessly with an elegant secular portrait.

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Carl Bryullov
"Portrait of Countess Yulia Pavlovna Samoilova with Her Ward Giovannina Pacini and a Young Black Servant", 1832–1834

This grand portrait hides a bold romantic drama. Countess Yulia Samoilova, Russia’s wealthy aristocrat and Karl Bryullov’s muse, defied society by supporting the artist and living in Italy.

She strides forward in satin, her grace mirrored by Giovannina Pacini—daughter of composer Pacini, adopted by Samoilova—and a young servant. Later, her wards sued her, seizing her fortune. Yet here, they’re frozen in youth, glowing under Italian light.

#ArtHistory #RussianArt #Romanticism
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“Eel Walking” by Mark Newman (2009) —

a bronze masterpiece of small-scale sculpture, standing about 50 cm tall. Only 20 original copies exist, hidden away in private collections. At auctions, the figurine fetches $5,000–$7,000. The work’s highlight lies in its illusion: the fish’s body skillfully conceals the girl’s thighs, creating a hypnotic effect of a single, fluid dance beneath the water.

#sculpture #art #bronze #illusion #marknewman

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Ron Francis
"Skateboard", 2009

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.

— Helen Keller

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Emerald pendant cross, 17th century

A refined jewelry masterpiece: a gold cross pendant adorned with Colombian emeralds and enamel. Crafted by Spanish artisans around 1650–1700, during an era when jewelry design sought the highest expressiveness and intricate detail.

The large emeralds are cut into rectangular and square shapes, creating a striking contrast with the delicate openwork setting and enamel accents. The deep green hue of the stones emphasizes the object's sacred significance and prestige—pieces like this were often valued not only as treasures but also as protective talismans.

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Sergei Brushko (1958–2000)

Belarusian documentary photographer and photojournalist.

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