SCAtoday.net - Fine Arts

Dante given stay of execution

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:47:59 -0400

Officials in Florence, Italy have granted Dante Alighieri, Italy's most famous poet, a stay of execution. The poet was exiled in 1302 with a mandate that he "would be executed if he stepped foot in the city again."

"Michelangelo Code" latest renaissance mystery

Sun, 6 Jul 2008 08:03:26 -0400

Reminiscent of "The Da Vinci Code," a decades-old mystery involves the claim that Michelangelo painted subversive messages into his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, including "secret" profile of the medieval poet Dante and a portrait of Jesus on the cross.

"Renaissance Faces" at London's National Gallery

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:41:25 -0400

The autumn extravaganza at the National Gallery in London will be devoted to portraits from the Renaissance, including works from Van Eyck to Titian. Charlotte Higgins of the Guardian reports on what to expect. (photos)

Youthful portrait of Elizabeth I discovered

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:11:22 -0400

A rare portrait of the young Elizabeth I dating from between 1650 to 1680 has been discovered in a private collection at Boughton House in Northamptonshire.

Ealdormere: the Movie!

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:14:58 -0400

Once upon a time.... in a Kingdom to the North.... a group of re-enactors in their late-night Pennsic cups devised a drinking game wherein real-life actors were cast as SCA members in a very fictional film. The result: Ealdormere: the Movie!

Shakespeare First Folio brings over UK£400,000 at auction

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:42:08 -0400

A rare Shakespeare First Folio was auctioned by Christies recently bringing UK£435,250 from an unnamed purchaser. The book was sold to Sir Thomas Munro of Lindertis in 1837 and remained in the family until the 1970s when bought by Christies.

Renaissance armor at the Folger until September 2008

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:18:45 -0400

The Great Hall of the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C. glints with Renaissance armor as the library presents the exhibit Now Thrive the Armorers: Arms and Armor in Shakespeare June 5 through September 9, 2008.

Roman ritual plate found in Bulgaria

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 15:18:32 -0400

A beautifully-designed Roman marble plate, inscribed in Greek, has been found in the Bulgarian spa town of Hissar, known in Roman times as Diocletianopolis. The piece has been dated to the 3rd century C.E. (photo)

1200-year-old Leshan Buddha spared by earthquake

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 17:55:45 -0400

The devastating earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan Province has spared the world's tallest statue of Buddha. The 71-meter tall Buddha, which is a world heritage site, draws millions of visitors to the province each year.

Was Shakespeare really a Jewish woman?

Sat, 31 May 2008 09:51:21 -0400

Shakespeare expert John Hudson has a new theory about who authored the Bard's plays: a Jewish woman named Amelia Bassano Lanier, the first woman to publish a book of poetry.

Collegium Cantorum to present concerts in Washington, D.C.

Tue, 27 May 2008 11:23:39 -0400

Collegium Cantorum, under the direction of Timothy Kendall, will present two performances of "DuFay: A Concert of Sacred Polyphony by the Preeminent Master of the Early Renaissance" on May 31 and June 1, 2008 in Washington D.C.

Portrait of Shakespeare's patron discovered

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:03:20 -0400

Experts believe they have discovered a portrait of Henry Wriothesley, Shakespeare's only known patron, under a later portrait of his wife, Elizabeth Vernon. The painted-over image was discovered using X-ray technology. (photo)

Beach books, medieval style

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:20:04 -0400

Are you a fan of medieval historical fiction? Don't know what to read next? Take a look at Nan Hawthorne's Medieval Novels website for ideas.

Medieval comic strip humor

Mon, 12 May 2008 07:55:31 -0400

The Museum of Depressionist Art website explains "medieval humor" with the help of the "Katzenjammer Kids" - or the medieval equivalent.

Ann Hathaway steps out of the shadows

Thu, 8 May 2008 18:29:35 -0400

Best known for her quaint house and her inheritance of the “second-best bed,” Shakespeare's wife, Ann Hathaway, has been mostly a mystery figure. Now a new book, Shakespeare's Wife by Germaine Greer, sheds some light on a little-understood woman. Katie Roiphe as the New York Times Sunday Review.