01 Painting, 20th Century Interpretation of the Bible! With Footnotes - 36

Alfred Eisenstaedt, (American, 1898-1995)

Dying Monk, Varlaan Monastery, Thessaly, Greece, 1934, c. 1979

Gelatin silver

9 x 7 inches (22.9 x 17.8 cm)

Private collection

Alfred Eisenstaedt (American, 1898-1995). Born in 1898, Eisenstaedt and his family moved to Berlin when he was just a little boy. He began taking photographs as a young teenager. After serving with the German army during World War I, he returned to freelance photography, eventually working for the Associated Press in the late 1920s and early 1930s. 

Eisenstaedt’s work for the AP allowed him to interact with many important political people of the day. In fact, he took pictures of both Hitler and Mussolini in the years prior to World War II. But the rise of the Nazi party in his home country bode ill for Eisenstaedt and his family since they were Jewish. Sensing the danger, they immigrated to New York in 1935, and Eisenstaedt became a U.S. citizen the very next year. 

His photographic work from Germany was respected enough to help him land a position as one of the first staff photographers for the then new Life magazine. He would remain with Life for over 35 years, becoming a famous photo-journalist and contributing over 90 cover, as well as other photos on the inside pages. One of his best known pictures, often called "V-J Day in Times Square" shows a jubilant sailor kissing a nurse with great abandon.  More on Alfred Eisenstaedt

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01 Works, RELIGIOUS ART - Interpretation of Russian mythology, With Footnotes - 101

Ryzhenko Pavel Viktorovich

Peresvet victory, c. 2005

Oil on canvas 

170x210 cm

Private collection

Alexander Peresvet was a Russian Orthodox Christian monk who fought in a single combat with the Tatar champion Temir-murza at the opening of the Battle of Kulikovo (8 September 1380), where they killed each other.

He is believed to have hailed from the Bryansk area and took the monastic habit at the Rostov Monastery of Saints Boris and Gleb. Alexander and his friend Rodion Oslyabya joined Russian troops approaching to fight against Mamai invasion.

The battle of Kulikovo was opened by single combat between the two champions. The Russian champion was Alexander Peresvet. The Horde champion was Temir-murza. The champions killed each other in the first run, though according to a Russian legend, Peresvet did not fall from the saddle, while Temir-murza did.


Peresvet's body, together with that of his brother-in-arms Oslyabya, were brought to Moscow, where they lie buried at the 15th-century Theotokos Church in Simonovo. More on Alexander Peresvet

Ryzhenko Pavel Viktorovich was born in 1970 in the Northwestern Russian city of Kaluga. He served in the Soviet then later Russian military 1988-1990, as part of an elite guards airborne unit. At age 20 he entered the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture for a six year course of study that left him a professor of art. Starting in 1997 he taught at the academy focusing on architecture, restoration and composition.


However, he soon took to painting historical military scenes, typically Russian in origin.

In poor health at just age 44, he donated all of his paintings to the Russian government before he died of a stroke in the summer of 2014. He is criticized by some as being a revisionist of the Monarchist era history of the Old Russian Empire. More on Ryzhenko Pavel Viktorovich

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, and The Canals of Venice

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03 Carvings, Biblical Carvings & Sculpture With Footnotes 6

A carved wooden crucifix figure without cross

Republic of Benin. Late 19th to early 20th century

13 3/4"h x 11"w x 2 1/2"d.
Private collection

A brass crucifix with multiple figures

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kongo. Late 19th to earch 20th century

 11"h x 6 1/4"w x 3/4"d

Private collection

African crucifixes are the result of the adoption and almagmation of disperate relgious views. Christan iconography was first introduced to the African content in the 15th century by the Portuguese. By the early sixteenth century the king of Kongo was baptized and began a partnership with the king of Portugal. To reinforce his power and ties to the Catholic Church, prestige piece were made echoing Christian designs and symbolism. Piece are still made today that blend the traditions of African art with those of the Christian Church. More on African crucifixes

A carved wooden effigy figure of St. Antoine, a Franciscan Monk 

Possibly Democratic Republic of the Congo. Late 19th to early 20th century

10 1/2"h x 3"w x 3 1/2"d

Saint Anthony of Padua (Portuguese: Santo António), born Fernando Martins de Bulhões (1195 – 13 June 1231), also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal, and died in Padua, Italy. Noted by his contemporaries for his forceful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was the second-most-quickly canonized saint after Peter of Verona. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946. He is also the patron saint of lost things. More on Saint Anthony of Padua

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

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