Bartholomeus van der Helst | The Musician, 1662

Tuning the strings of her theorbo-lute, a beautiful musician directs an engaging glance at the viewer.

The foreground of the picture displays a viola da gamba and sheet music for tenor and soprano voices, suggesting that the lute player anticipates a duet.

Dutch painters of the seventeenth century frequently associated music-making and courtship with amateur concerts, providing opportunities for mingling and flirtation. | Source: © Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bartholomeus van der Helst | The Musician, 1662 | Metropolitan Museum of Art

Andreas Achenbach | Fisher Couple on the Beach, 1910

Andreas Achenbach (1815-1910) was a German landscape and seascape painter in the Romantic style.

He is considered to be one of the founders of the Düsseldorf School.

His brother, Oswald, was also a well known landscape painter.

Together, based on their initials, they were known as the "Alpha and Omega" of landscape painters.

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun | Genius of Alexander I, 1814

"Genius of Alexander I" a remarkable painting created by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) in 1814. The artwork can be found in the prestigious Collection of State Hermitage, located in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In this neoclassical masterpiece, Vigee Le Brun skillfully portrays the essence and power of Alexander I, who was the ruler of France at that time.

The artist's attention to detail is evident as she captures every intricate feature with precision on canvas using oil paints.

Andreas Achenbach | Fischmarkt in Ostende

Andreas Achenbach (1815-1910) was a German landscape painter, associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting and born in Kassel.

He began his art education in 1827 in Düsseldorf under Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow at the Düsseldorf Academy of Painting.

He studied at St Petersburg and travelled in Italy, Holland and Scandinavia.

Boris Kustodiev | Pittore accademico

Boris Michajlovič Kustodiev / Борис Михайлович Кустодиев (Astrachan', 7 marzo 1878 - Leningrado, 28 maggio 1927) è stato un pittore e scenografo Russo.

Gioventù

Boris Kustodiev nacque ad Astrachan', nella famiglia di un professore di filosofia, storia della letteratura e logica presso il locale seminario teologico.

Suo padre morì giovane, ed il peso del mantenimento della famiglia ricadde sulle spalle della madre.

La famiglia Kustodiev affittò una piccola ala della casa di un ricco mercante.

Joshua Burbank, 1968 | Mixed media painter

Originally from California, Joshua Burbank graduated from San Francisco art school in the year 2000.

As an apprentice he worked under the noted sculptor Al Farrow, whose artwork adorns the cover of 2013 David Bowie single The Stars.

He has exhibited once with The Outsiders, at 2013's solo exhibition.

Sandro Botticelli | Madonna of the Pomegranate, 1487

The Madonna of the Pomegranate was painted in circa 1487 with tempera on a wood panel by Sandro Botticelli.

It is now in the Uffizi in Florence.

Sandro Botticelli was a leading Italian Renaissance artist from Florence, Italy.

The Madonna (art) uses the circular format, better known as a tondo, which focuses the attention on the main characters, the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, who are surrounded symmetrically by angels on each side.