Canaletto (1697-1768)

Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto, was a Venetian painter famous for his landscapes, or Vedute of Venice.

He was also an important printmaker in etching. His pupils included his nephew Bernardo Bellotto, Francesco Guardi, Michele Marieschi, Gabriele Bella and Giuseppe Moretti.

The painter, Giuseppe Bernardino Bison was a follower of his style. Joseph Smith sold much of his collection to George III, creating the bulk of the large collection of Canalettos owned by the Royal Collection.

There are many examples of his work in other British collections, including several at the Wallace Collection and a set of 24 in the dining room at Woburn Abbey. Canaletto's views always fetched high prices, and as early as the 18th century Catherine the Great and other European monarchs vied for his grandest paintings.

Claude Monet | Morning on the Seine near Giverny, 1897

Begun in 1896, Monet’s Mornings on the Seine series was not completed until 1897 because of inclement weather.

Having patiently scouted out views along the river, Monet then painted the pictures from a boat that he had converted into a floating studio.

For an extended period he rose by dawn in order to paint the changing effects of light as the sun came up.

He then lined up the canvases on easels in his studio to complete them together as a series.

Fifteen were shown at the Galerie Georges Petit in 1898. | © Metropolitan Museum of Art

Claude Monet | Morning on the Seine near Giverny, 1897 | Metropolitan Museum of Art

Lena Sotskova (Russian, 1963)

Lena Sotskova was born in Moscow. She was discovered as a child prodigy at the age of four. A descendant of generations of the Russian aristocracy, Lena was fortunate to have a privileged upbringing and elite education in leading art schools and through private lessons from masters of painting.

Lena Sotskova was studying and working in the vaults of prestigious institutions such as The Hermitage, The Louvre, Art Fund of Russia and royal palaces and cathedrals of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

She was involved in the restoration of rare pieces of art that were damaged during the Moscow fire of 1812 during the war with Napoleon Bonaparte.

Miroslav Yotov (Bulgarian, 1977)

Miroslav Yotov was born in Isperih, Bulgaria. Yotov or Cirk as he is fondly known to his friends is an enterprising and versatile young artist whose work and scope embraces an amalgam of styles that highlight his unique individualism and view of the world.

His style is unique - because of its Bulgarian accent and emotion, the brush strokes are well articulated and on occasions lustful, as if he is trying to seduce the viewer. This particular idiosyncrasy has won him accolades and admiration from his peers, critics and connoisseurs.

He has participated in several exhibitions in Bulgaria including major ones in Shumen, Isperih and Divdiadovo.

His paintings are well sort after by the discerning connoisseurs, young professionals and entrepreneurs with a sophisticated taste for vibrant and captivating colours and that unique Balkan perspective.

Pompei | Il Museo a cielo aperto

Pompei si trova in Campania, Italia, non lontano da Napoli.

La sua principale attrazione è l'antica città romana in rovina con lo stesso nome, che fu inghiottita dal Vesuvio nel 79 d.C.

I Romani presero il controllo di Pompei intorno al 200 a.C. Il 24 agosto del 79 d.C., il Vesuvio eruttò, seppellendo la vicina città di Pompei sotto cenere e fuliggine, uccidendo 20.000 persone e preservando la città nel suo stato da quel giorno fatale.

Caravaggio (1571-1610)

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was an italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593-1610.

He is commonly placed in the Baroque school, of which he was the first great representative.

Even in his own lifetime, Caravaggio was considered enigmatic, fascinating, rebellious and dangerous.

He burst upon the Rome art scene in 1600, and thereafter never lacked for commissions or patrons, yet handled his success atrociously.

L'Angelo del dolore, 1894

L'Angelo del Dolore (in inglese: Angel of Grief) è un monumento funebre realizzato nel 1894 dallo statunitense William Wetmore Story.

È situato sulla tomba della moglie Emelyn Eldredge Story, nel cimitero acattolico di Roma.

Fu terminata prima della sua stessa morte, e quindi oggi l'Angelo è il monumento funebre della coppia e del loro figlio Joseph, morto a sei anni nel 1853 a Roma.

L'Angelo del Dolore è una scultura in marmo e pietra. Le regole della Chiesa cattolica vietavano di seppellire in terra consacrata i non cattolici (protestanti, ebrei e ortodossi, ma anche suicidi ed attori), queste persone dopo la morte erano rifiutate dalla comunità cristiana cittadina ed erano seppellite fuori dalle mura della città, od al margine estremo di queste.