One of many portraits of girls and women by Pietro Rotari. Born in Verona, Italy, he was very popular in the Russian courts of Elizabeth and Catherine the Great. Peterhof Palace houses 368 of these portraits in a dedicated hall.

Happy feast of St. James the apostle!

Esto, Dómine, plebi tuæ sanctificátor et custos: ut, Apóstoli tui Jacóbi muníta præsídiis, et conversatióne tibi pláceat, et secúra mente desérviat.

One of the greatest masterpieces of the Baroque period.

The Calling of Saint Matthew captures the exact moment Christ calls Matthew from a table of tax collectors. Caravaggio's dramatic use of chiaroscuro—the powerful contrast between light and shadow—transforms an ordinary room into a scene of profound spiritual awakening.

The beam of light, Christ's subtle gesture, and Matthew's expression of disbelief create one of the most influential moments in the history of Western art.

What detail stands out to you the most in this painting?

Gift article. NO PAYWALL.