Anna Ancher | Sewing fisherman's wife, 1890

Sewing fisherman's wife is an oil on canvas painting created by Anna Ancher (Danish Skagen painter, 1859-1935) in 1890.

The painting is in the collection of the Randers Museum of Art in Denmark.

Anna Anchers is celebrated for her transgressive use of color and her fabulous ability to capture a ray of sunlight.

The fine work Sewing fisherman's wife is significant for the artist's work with sunlight in an interior.

Anna Ancher | Sewing fisherman's wife, 1890 | Randers Museum of Art in Denmark

René Magritte | Le Préméditation, 1943

"Before the war, my paintings expressed anxiety", René Magritte explained, "but the experiences of war have taught me that what matters in art is to express charm.

"I live in a very disagreeable world, and my work is meant as a counter-offensive".

Painted during the final months of 1943, Le Préméditation is one of the earliest in a series known as Le Surréalisme en plein soleil (Surrealism in sunshine), created by Belgian Surrealist René Magritte (1898-1967) during the turbulent years of the Second World War in the hope of re-enchanting daily life.

A radiant bouquet of springtime flowers all improbably sprouting from the same plant, Le Préméditation captures a magnificent vision of optimism and hope.

René Magritte | Premeditation, 1943 | Christie’s

Salvatore Quasimodo | Antico inverno / Ancient Winter

Desiderio delle tue mani chiare

nella penombra della fiamma:

sapevano di rovere e di rose;

di morte. Antico inverno.

Alfred Sisley | Snow Effect in Louveciennes, 1874 | Museum Barberini, Potsdam

Antonio Mancini | La lacrima, 1883-1890

Dopo un duro ricovero nel manicomio Provinciale di Napoli nel 1881, Antonio Mancini (1852-1930) trovò ospitalità a Roma, presso gli zii Andrea e Noemi, e durante il suo soggiorno in città può dedicarsi alla pittura utilizzando i nipoti come modelli.

In questa tela si vede infatti Agrippina, con lo sguardo delicato e sofferente e gli occhi lucidi inumiditi dalle lacrime.

Proprio questo dettaglio dà il titolo all’opera, e si dice fosse stato un rimprovero del pittore a far scaturire il pianto.

Antonio Mancini | La lacrima, 1883-1890 (detail) | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano

Claude Monet | Deux femmes en barque, 1887

In 1883, Claude Monet (1840-1926) acquired a property in Giverny, a small village in his native Normandy.

Over the next several decades, the artist transformed the isolated, overgrown grounds that surrounded his new home into a lush private paradise, replete with overflowing flowerbeds, sweeping willow trees, wisteria vines, and an infamous waterlily pond.

This curated gardenscape would ultimately inspire some of the artist’s most infamous works in the second half of his career.

Claude Monet | Deux femmes en barque, 1887 | Christie's

Rudi Hurzlmeier, 1952 | Cartoonist / Illustrator

Rudi Hurzlmeier (born in Mallersdorf Abbey, in Bavaria) is a German cartoonist, painter and author.

Hurzlmeier has been dedicated to comic art since the early eighties.

His works have also been acclaimed by classical art critics.

In 2010 he was awarded the German Caricature Prize in Dresden, the most important award for cartoonists in Germany.

Gaetano Previati | Maternity, 1890-1891 | From Scandal to Masterpiece

The "Maternity" is a monumental painting in which the Italian symbolist painter Gaetano Previati (1852-1920) interpreted the theme of Christian tradition in a secular way.

The painting was completed between 1890 and 1891 resides at the GAM - Gallery of Modern Art in Milan.

The "Maternity" has a complex and tormented genesis, not only due to the difficulties connected with the unconventional interpretation of a great theme, but also because of the high costs of making a painting of monumental dimensions (177 x 411 cm) .

A fundamental work, the painting represents a turning point in Previati's career and a manifesto of the new divisionist painting.

Gaetano Previati | Maternità, 1890-1891 | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano

Tito Corbella (1885-1966)

Tito Corbella (Pontremoli, 1885 - Rome, 1966) was an Italian painter and postcard designer.

Tito Corbella first studied chemistry at the University of Padua.

However, he changed fields and continued his studies at the Academy of Visual Arts in Venice, where he was a pupil of Guglielmo Ciardi and Ettore Tito.

After his training, he began a career as an illustrator.

In early 1912, he focused more on portraits of women and lovers.

Helen Keller: "Tieni il viso rivolto al sole e non vedrai mai le ombre"

Helen Adams Keller (1880-1968) è stata una scrittrice ed accademica Americana, che, pur essendo sorda e cieca, si è fatta paladina della causa dei ciechi, dei sordi e dei muti in tutto il mondo.

Figlia di un direttore di giornale, Helen Keller contrasse la scarlattina all'età di diciannove mesi, che la lasciò cieca e sorda.

Quindi comunicò principalmente usando cartelli domestici fino all'età di sette anni, quando incontrò la sua prima insegnante Anne Sullivan (1866-1936), parzialmente cieca, avendo contratto il tracoma all'età di cinque anni ed ampiamente riconosciuta per i suoi successi nell'istruire ad alto livello una persona priva di vista, udito e linguaggio normale.

Sullivan, che si assunse l'oneroso e spesso frustrante compito di insegnare a Keller l'alfabeto manuale, tamburellando sul palmo della mano e come leggere le labbra appoggiando il pollice e l'indice sul viso di chi parlava, insegnò a Keller il linguaggio, inclusa la lettura e la scrittura.

Dopo un'istruzione sia presso scuole specialistiche che tradizionali, Keller frequentò il Radcliffe College dell'Università di Harvard e divenne la prima persona sordocieca negli Stati Uniti a conseguire una laurea in arti.

Helen Keller

Jane Crowther, 1962

Originally from York (UK), Jane Crowther studied Illustration BA(Hons) at Kingston Polytechnic.

In the early 1990’s, whilst based in North London, Jane designed a small range of greeting cards to supplement her meagre income as an artist, initially selling them at craft fairs alongside her large multi-media paintings.

The cards started to sell really well and Jane made the commercial decision to concentrate on her card designs.

Alex Gross, 1968 | Pop surrealism painter

Alex Gross lives in Portland, Oregon. In 1990, he received a BFA with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

Since then, he has had ten solo exhibitions at various galleries, and participated in dozens of museum and gallery exhibitions across the globe.

His 2017 exhibition with Corey Helford Gallery was his most recent solo exhibition.

In the summer of 2007, Alex's first retrospective museum show was held at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California.

Joseph Lorusso, 1966 | Il pittore romantico

Di origini italiane, Joseph Lorusso è stato esposto all'arte in tenera età.

Attraverso diversi viaggi iniziali in Italia, i suoi genitori lo hanno introdotto alle opere dei maestri italiani.

Lorusso avrebbe guardato a queste influenze durante il suo primo sviluppo artistico e sono ancora evidenti nel suo lavoro odierno.

Durante gli anni della scuola, Lorusso si è specializzato in acquerelli e si considera un autodidatta come pittore ad olio.

Eva Melhuish | Scandinavian Christmas cards

Eva Melhuish is an illustrator who has been published across Europe, the USA and has worked on global projects with UNICEF.

With a Swedish mother and English father, Eva is bi-lingual and has travelled extensively.

Her work reflects this diverse background and she illustrates a wide range of subjects, from natural history and horses to gardening and educational books.

Eva grew up in Sweden and her Scandinavian roots are a key influence.

Ed Wheeler | Santa Classic

In a series of self-portraits dressed as Santa Claus, Philadelphia-based artist Ed Wheeler, photographer, incorporates himself in classical paintings from Botticelli to Caravaggio to Monet.

In so doing he transforms the masterworks of art history from the Renaissance to the Surrealists. Santa Classics, his derivative art series, is based on a digital photography process.

Wheeler’s goal is to pay homage to the original paintings while offering art lovers an additional reason to smile.

Francesco Hayez | The Kiss, 1859 | Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan

Molly Brett | Writer / Children's book illustrator

Molly Brett (1902–1990) was an English illustrator and writer of children's literature, best known for her anthropomorphic artwork.

Molly (Mary Elizabeth) Brett grew up in the English county of Surrey, surrounded by animals and nature.

Her mother, Mary Gould Brett, was a respected animal painter who encouraged her daughter to paint from life, and this is reflected in Molly's gift for making her animals look thoroughly naturalistic while giving them human characteristics and activities.

Bertolt Brecht | Of all the works of man / Tra tutte le opere

Of all the works of man I like best

Those which have been used.

The copper pots with their dents and flattened edges

The knives and forks whose wooden handles

Have been worn away by many hands: such forms

Seemed to me the noblest.

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) | Crouching Boy, 1524 | Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Wisława Szymborska / René Magritte | A Note / Una nota

Life is the only way

to get covered in leaves,

catch your breath on the sand,

rise on wings;

to be a dog,

or stroke its warm fur;

René Magritte

to tell pain

from everything it's not;

to squeeze inside events,

dawdle in views,

to seek the least of all possible mistakes.

An extraordinary chance

to remember for a moment

a conversation held

with the lamp switched off;

and if only once

to stumble upon a stone,

end up soaked in one downpour or another,

mislay your keys in the grass;

and to follow a spark on the wind with your eyes;

and to keep on not knowing

something important.

Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska (1923-2012)

René Magritte | L'Utopie, 1945 | Cleveland Museum of Art

Wisława Szymborska | Una nota

La vita - è il solo modo

per coprirsi di foglie,

prendere fiato sulla sabbia,

sollevarsi sulle ali;

essere un cane,

o carezzarlo sul suo pelo caldo;

distinguere il dolore

da tutto ciò che dolore non è;

stare dentro gli eventi,

dileguarsi nelle vedute,

cercare il più piccolo errore.

René Magritte

Un’occasione eccezionale

per ricordare per un attimo

di che si è parlato

a luce spenta;

e almeno per una volta

inciampare in una pietra,

bagnarsi in qualche pioggia,

perdere le chiavi tra l’erba;

e seguire con gli occhi una scintilla

nel vento;

e persistere nel non sapere

qualcosa d’importante.

René Magritte

Mahmoud Darwish | Un altro giorno verrà / Another day will come

Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008) è stato un poeta, scrittore e giornalista Palestinese.

È autore di circa venti raccolte di poesie, pubblicate a partire dal 1964, e sette opere in prosa, di argomento narrativo o saggistico.

È considerato tra i maggiori poeti in lingua araba.

Darwish ha vinto numerosi premi per le sue opere.

È stato giornalista e direttore della rivista letteraria "al-Karmel" (Il Carmelo), e dal 1994 era membro del Parlamento dell'Autorità Nazionale Palestinese.

È considerato poeta nazionale della Palestina per cui scrisse nel 1988 la Dichiarazione d'indipendenza, poi proclamata da Yasser Arafat.

I suoi libri sono stati tradotti in più di venti lingue e diffusi in tutto il mondo.

Mahmoud Darwish | Un altro giorno verrà

Shamsia Hassani | Hope is always beautiful even when you know you are the loser

Un altro giorno verrà, un giorno femmineo,

alla metafora trasparente,

compiuto, diamantino, di visita nuziale, soleggiato,

fluido, allegro. Nessuno sentirà

alcun bisogno di suicidio o di migrazione.

Poiché ogni cosa, fuori del passato, è naturale e vera,

sinonimo dei suoi attributi originari.

Shamsia Hassani

Come se il tempo oziasse in vacanza… "Prolunga il bel

tempo

della tua grazia. Illùminati nel sole dei tuoi seni di seta,

e aspetta l’arrivo della buona novella. Poi,

potremo crescere. Abbiamo ancora tempo

per crescere dopo questo giorno…"

Un altro giorno verrà,

un giorno femmineo,

dal cenno canterino e dal saluto e verbo azzurri.

Tutto è femmineo fuori del passato,

l’acqua scorre dalle mammelle della pietra.

Nessuna polvere, nessuna siccità, e nessuna sconfitta.

E le colombe dormono in un carro armato abbandonato

quando non trovano un piccolo nido

nel letto degli amanti.

Shamsia Hassani

Mahmoud Darwish | Another day will come

Another day will come, a womanly day

diaphanous in metaphor, complete in being,

diamond and processional in visitation, sunny,

flexible, with a light shadow. No one will feel

a desire for suicide or for leaving. All

things, outside the past, natural and real,

will be synonyms of their early traits. As if time

is slumbering on vacation…"

Shamsia Hassani | Love

"Extend your lovely

beauty-time. Sunbathe in the sun of your silken breasts,

and wait until good omen arrives. Later

we will grow older. We have enough time

to grow older after this day…"/

Another day will come, a womanly day

songlike in gesture, lapis in greeting

and in phrase. All things will be feminine outside

the past. Water will flow from rock's bosom.

No dust, no drought, no defeat.

And a dove will sleep in the afternoon in an abandoned

combat tank if it doesn't find a small nest

in the lovers' bed…

Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008) was a Palestinian poet and author who was regarded as Palestine's national poet.

In 1988, Darwish wrote the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, which was the formal declaration for the creation of a State of Palestine.

Darwish won numerous awards for his works.

In his poetic works, Darwish explored Palestine as a metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile.

He has been described as incarnating and reflecting "the tradition of the political poet in Islam, the man of action whose action is poetry".

He also served as an editor for several literary magazines in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Darwish wrote in Arabic, and also spoke English, French and Hebrew.

Book sculptures by Jodi Harvey-Brown

- "I have always loved art, and I have always loved to read.

Books pull you into a new world, while art lets you see it.

It made sense to me that these two mediums should come together.

The books that we love to read should be made to come to life.

Characters, that we care so much for, should come out of the pages to show us their stories.

What we see in our imaginations as we read should be there for the world to see.

My book sculptures are my way of making stories come alive" - Jodi Harvey-Brown.

Enoch Wood Perry | A Month’s darning, 1876

In their subject matter and compositional format, Enoch Wood Perry’s watercolor paintings are quite similar to his oils, and his method of applying paint was consistently characterized by fastidious attention to detail.

Like his colleague Eastman Johnson, Enoch Wood Perry (1831-1915) studied in Düsseldorf and Paris, where he acquired a respect for careful draftsmanship.

He exhibited "A Month’s Darning" in 1876 at the American Society of Painters in Water Colors and later the same year at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, where it was acclaimed for its evocation of times past.

The critic for the "New-York Tribune" found the woman’s head to be "the best part" of the composition and only regretted "that the sweet-faced girl . . . should have such large-footed men-folks to darn for". | Source: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Enoch Wood Perry | A Month’s Darning, 1876 | Metropolitan Museum of Art