Carnations in a glass, by my colleague Jacob van Hulsdonck. Today has been his day.
Dr. Peter Paul Rubens
@peterpaulrubens.bsky.social
All-around genius working for peace, beauty, and intelligent thought. IRL: professor of art history. Occasionally write things about Rubens. Also Dutch art, the Bruegel family, and Elizabethan visual culture. Reader of many novels. DC & Amsterdam.
Lemons, oranges, & pomegranates in a wan-li bowl, 1630. Beautiful bounty from Jacob van Hulsdonck of Antwerp, whose day is today.
Exacting array of ingredients for an excellent supper. But with a fatal flaw: the only glass has fallen over and broken. No wine! Sad! From Jacob van Hulsdonck, whose day is today.
Flowers, mostly tulips & roses. And butterflies, And a dragonfly. By Jacob van Hulsdonck, whose day is today.
Vase of flowers sharing the table with summer's abundant fruits. By Jacob van Hulsdonck.
Plums. On a plate (reflective!). With two cherries, because that's how Jacob van Hulsdonck liked it.
5Exquisite glass filled with roses in 1640, by Jacob van Hulsdonck. His day is today.
Today's artist without a (known) birthday: Jacob van Hulsdonck, still-life painter of Antwerp. Here, from around 1620, wild strawberries in a wan-li bowl. And a carnation.
Baby J & dad are worried about junior angel about to land on one of them. But that’s life in holy family, according to Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Today has been his day.
Altarpiece of the passion: magnificent Antwerp ensemble from 1535, with paintings on wings & predella from workshop of Pieter Coecke van Aelst. He was born on this day in 1502.
In tapestry form from Pieter Coecke van Aelst: God catches Adam & Eve after original sin. Adam says, She did it! He's so pathetic.
Happy birthday Pieter Coecke van Aelst! Had a poor view of Adam, whom he always shows blaming Eve for the Fall.
Splendid multi-episode Nativity Triptych includes Annunciation (sans bird), Adoration of Kings (Baby J uncharacteristically eager for money), and humble shepherd. By Pieter Coecke van Aelst.
Saint Jerome contemplating the sorry state of the world. Know how he feels! By Pieter Coecke van Aelst, born OTD in 1504.
Triptych with Adoration of the Magi, conveniently designed to provide a separate wing for each king. Baby J very, very unsure about the intentions of his visitors. By Pieter Coecke van Aelst.
Pieter Coecke van Aelst visited Constantinople 1533. Here, from Customs & Fashions of the Turks (published posthumously by his entrepreneurial wife Mayken), procession of Sultan Süleyman through the Hippodrome.
Just when you think you've found a nice, private spot for some music, courtship, etc, Death and Folly show up and try to join in the fun. So annoying! By Pieter Coecke van Aelst, born OTD in 1502.
In honour of #InternationalOwlDay. (It may be a bit niche [or maybe not, seeing the popularity of #TheOdyssey], but it's my favourite of any memes I've made.)
Born on this day in 1502, in Aalst: Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Painter, designer, traveler, translator. A true renaissance man. Here, beautiful Annunciation from 1525.
Joanna of Castile and Philip the Fair, a Habsburg before the jawlines. Parents of Charles V. Painted by Juan de Flandes, a Flemish painter in Spain, in 1500.
Women messing w/ men's heads du jour: Salome demurely receiving John the Baptist's head on her plate. Executioner is like Sorry man, have to do this. By Juan de Flandes, whose day is today.
Portrait of a girl, possibly Catherine of Aragon (or Juana, her sister) at age 11. Painted by Juan de Flandes, a Flemish artist in Spain, in 1496. Today is his day.
Glorious main altarpiece in cathedral of Palencia, with sculpture by Felipe Vigarny and painted panels by Juan de Flandes, Flemish painter in Spain, whose day is today. Overwhelming!
Adoration of the Magi, 1510, by Juan de Flandes, a compatriot of mine but working in Spain. Big emphasis on skin color, including whitest Baby J ever. Mary is unimpressed by Magi presents.
Today is also #NationalWatermelonDay so here is one, with some other fruits, by Fernando Botero. A little Cotán moment with those hanging oranges.
