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Fountain of the Four Rivers
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Pope Innocent X commissioned this fountain from Bernini for his family palace. Bernini, one of the most famous sculptors of the time, created this magnificent fountain with representations of the four major rivers of the world. It is a strong testament to the power of the Pope. -
Ecstasy of Saint Teresa
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This marble sculpture of Teresa of Avila is the masterpiece of a masterful sculptor. Bernini created the sculpture and the setting in which it resides. The way the sculpture grows out of the raw marble creates a supernatural feel that is truly magnificent. -
Aristotle with a Bust of Homer
by Rembrandt van Rijn. Aristotle, in his grand robes and jeweled belt has placed his hand on a bust of the blind poet Homer in this oil on canvas painting. Often seen as a commentary on the relationship between art and science, the painting has been interpreted differently throughout history, but it has always been considered an essential, beautiful work. -
Forest Scene
by Jacob van Ruisdael. Ruisdael was a renowned landscape painter. With the beautiful glow of the clouds, natural depiction of water, and vibrant birch trees in this painting, it is no wonder why. -
Las Meninas
by Diego Velázquez. Velázquez, a leading figure in the Spanish Golden Age, gives us a glimpse of life in the Spanish court in this oil on canvas painting. It is a candid viewpoint and one not often seen in the fine art world. -
Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon
by Cyrano de Bergerac. This satirical book is often cited as the first work of science fiction. The narrator reaches the moon by using a ship powered by fireworks. The book spoke to many later authors and influenced many future works of science fiction and literature. -
Self Portrait
by Rembrandt van Rijn. Called the greatest of all of Rembrant’s numerous self portraits, this oil on canvas painting depicts the artist with a magnificent grandness, declaring the importance of both art and the artist. -
Girl with a Pearl Earring
by Johannes Vermeer. This is one of the more famous examples of a tronie painting from the Dutch Golden Age where the painting depicts a face or bust of an unidentified person in costume. -
St. Peter's Square
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The plaza in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City is a grand entrance to one of the grandest pieces of Renaissance architecture. St. Peter’s Square, with cobblestone paving surrounded by Tuscan colonnades, does not attempt to overshadow the church and enhances the beauty of the renowned building. -
Paradise Lost
by John Milton. The Biblical epic the most widely studied and praised work from England’s most famous poet of the time. -
Spring Landscape
by Kano Tan'yu. The Kanō school was Japan’s most famous school of painting and Kanō Tan'yū was the school’s leading painter. The ink tint on silk has both traditional Japanese style and subject matter, which are still influential today. -
Ships on a Stormy Sea
by Willem van de Velde the Younger. De Velde was known for his depictions of marine vessels. This painting is a beautiful rendering of ships and the ocean. The anger of the sea wonderfully contrasts with the golden glow of the sun’s healing light showing at the same time the danger and attraction of life at sea. -
Badshahi Mosque
Comissioned by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, was the largest mosque in the world at the time of its construction and is one of Pakistan’s most treasured landmarks. -
Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple
by Gérard de Lairesse. Lairesse was influential and renowned in his day, but was lambasted as inferior to his contemporaries after his death. History has been more kind to him, and this work is an example of one of the artists numerous talents. A teacher and a theorist, his work deserves a place in history. -
Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles
by Jules Hardouin Mansart. One side of the hall has arches filled with mirrors which relect the windows of the opposite side in an overwhelmingly amazing vision of decadence. -
Gwaneumbodhisavtta
Painted by three Buddhist monks, the Gwaneumbodhisavtta was painted while praying for rain during a drought. The hanging painting and its depiction of beautifully adorned robes is a fine example of the interaction between Buddhist spirituality and art. -
Dido and Aeneas
by Henry Purcell. Purcell is one of England’s most well known composers and this is his first opera. The opera is considered to be the first opera of England and has influenced many works that came after it even though it was only produced for private circles and never the theater. -
Portrait of Isaac Newton
by Godfrey Kneller. Isaac Newton is responsible for the basis foundation of science as we know it today. This portrait allows us to meet the man who changed the world. -
The Grote Markt and Sint-Bavokerk, Haarlem
by Gerrit Adriaenszoon Berckheyde. A cityscape painter, Berckheyde uses parallel lines and perspective to create a fascinating view. With precise detail, he has painted a work that is immediately appealing and difficult to look away from. -
The Carrot
by Willem Frederiksz van Royen. A still life oil on canvas of a strange carrot shows that, even three hundred years ago, some people made weird art. -
The Kangxi Emperor of China at age 45
This painting by an unknown artist on silk is a fine representation of art during the last imperial dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty. Kangxi’s rule was notable for his emphasis on the importance of the written word, and this painting, showing the emperor in his library, is a meeting of the different arts.
