• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
    • Awards & Honors, Pomp & Circumstance
  • Blog
    • Modern, 18th, 19th Century
    • Baroque, Rococo
    • Renaissance
    • Ancient, Roman, Medieval
    • Culture, Festivals, Music, Literature
    • Art News, Current Events
  • FaceBook
  • Pinterest
  • Italian with Melissa
    • Studentessa Matta Italian Site
    • Learn Italian at home with Melissa
    • Study in Italy with Melissa
  • Melissa’s Books
    • Melissa’s Author Website
  • Store
  • Sign Up & Connect
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

Blog

Teresa Oaxaca — Contemporary American Artist who Paints with a Renaissance Twist

I am entranced by the American painter Teresa Oaxaca—not only by her paintings but also by the artist herself. At the age of 12, she discovered Leonardo da Vinci and by age 15 she decided to make art her career. Oaxaca, originally from Sacramento, California, studied in Florence, Italy, and now … [Read more...] about Teresa Oaxaca — Contemporary American Artist who Paints with a Renaissance Twist

The Art of Beautiful TV: Medici 3

I just finished up watching the third season of The Medici — Masters of Florence that is now available on Netflix. To read the article in Italian click here: Spoiler alert: Lorenzo de’ Medici – il magnificodies at the age of forty-three, and his wife Clarice dies at the age of … [Read more...] about The Art of Beautiful TV: Medici 3

Spotlight on Georgy Kurasov: Contemporary, Colorful, Emotive Cubist Painter

Recently I came across the work of Georgy Kurasov and was drawn in by the fantastical colorful images, reminiscent of 1920’s cubism. So, first, I was surprised to learn Kurasov is a contemporary painter. And then, I was amazed to learn that as a young art student, Georgy's teachers initially thought … [Read more...] about Spotlight on Georgy Kurasov: Contemporary, Colorful, Emotive Cubist Painter

Happy 568th Birthday Leo!

Today, April 15, 2020 Leonardo turns 568 years old! Buon compleanno, Maestro! One could wax on and on about the genius of Leonardo (and over the years many people have!) how he was an inventor, painter, sculptor, architect, and military engineer. He was a gifted man with a curious mind. … [Read more...] about Happy 568th Birthday Leo!

Art, Life, Marriage in time of Covaid-19

To read the original post in Italian click here! Despite the entire world being locked up in quarantine, and many routines and plans being postponed and canceled, my family finds a moment to celebrate a momentous event in our lives.  Today my son is getting married. We are joining the … [Read more...] about Art, Life, Marriage in time of Covaid-19

SmARTalec — Art Cartoons

Today, just for fun… let’s go a little art hysterical! It’s time for a little levity in Art. These days we could all use a good dose of laughter. Did you know that Art doesn’t have to be a dusty, recitation of intellectual facts? No, not at all! You can always find humor in Art! And some of … [Read more...] about SmARTalec — Art Cartoons

The Art of the bidet and the urinal.

What is Art? Can it be found in the design of a bidet or a urinal? In my opinion, of course! I'm a big contender that Art can be found in the most unusual places — even the bathroom. It is all in the way you see and perceive things. Back in 1917, Marcel Duchamp put on display his "found … [Read more...] about The Art of the bidet and the urinal.

Spotlight on Alberto Pancorbo

Welcome to the Art of Loving Italy website, where I wax on wildly and enthusiastically about art and Italy. But that doesn’t mean my posts will always focus on Italian art or Italian artists. The Art of Loving Italy is a mentality – a way of seeing the world and all the beauty in it. … [Read more...] about Spotlight on Alberto Pancorbo

Artemisia Gentileschi – A woman who triumphed against great odds

From the first day, I was introduced to Artemisia in a darkened lecture hall in college, I have been fascinated and intrigued by the seventeenth-century artist’s story. Artemisia was a sixteenth-century artist pitted against a male-dominated society. During her lifetime Artemisia suffered … [Read more...] about Artemisia Gentileschi – A woman who triumphed against great odds

The man who wrote the book of Love — Petrarch’s sonnets to Laura

The only love that lasts is unrequited love. You’ve heard of Heathcliff and Cathy. You already know the stories of Scarlett O’Hara and Ashley Wilkes, as well as Dante and Beatrice. You may also be familiar with Charlie Brown’s love for the Little-Red-Haired Girl. But, are you familiar with the … [Read more...] about The man who wrote the book of Love — Petrarch’s sonnets to Laura

Umberto Boccioni and Futurism

As we turn the page and face a new year, I wanted to talk about an artistic movement that dared to break with the past and create a unique, forward-thinking expression of the world. The movement I refer to is — Futurism. In retrospect, Futurism might seem a little outdated — being over 110 … [Read more...] about Umberto Boccioni and Futurism

The magic of the Magi.

‘Tis the season to be triumphant and jolly! It is also the season to embrace the spirit of hope and miracles of the human heart. When we do — miracles happen. There is no bigger miracle than the birth of a child. It is truly a mystery and wondrous thing, no matter what religion you practice … [Read more...] about The magic of the Magi.

Bringing the “Grand Tour” home!

This is a post reprised from the Studentessa Matta Dual Langauge Italian Blog. To read the post in Italian Click this link Back in the day, to expand your horizons and see great works of art, you had to travel great distances to find them. It was called “The Grand Tour” — and no I’m not talking … [Read more...] about Bringing the “Grand Tour” home!

Eternally Artemisia Book Video Trailer

Artemisia is here! Aside from working very hard on the story for over a year (getting the plot lines just right, writing, rewriting, proofing, and rewriting some more) in my case, since I am the author, designer, layout artist, illustrator, publisher, editor, and proofer and videographer—believe … [Read more...] about Eternally Artemisia Book Video Trailer

Eternally Artemisia is published!

I am very happy to announce I’ve published my third novel set in Italy! Eternally Artemisia Some loves, like some women, are timeless. After an intense year—yet at the same time a very rewarding year—of research, writing, editing, illustrating, rewriting, and countless hours of editing, I’d … [Read more...] about Eternally Artemisia is published!

Art and Artemisia come to life!

It’s been a while since I wrote a post on the Dreaming Sophia Art History Blog site. The first reason why I’ve been a little absent from this site is that for most of the summer of 2018 I was traveling in Italy. I spent the entire months of June and September, first in Montepulciano and then in … [Read more...] about Art and Artemisia come to life!

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 7
  • Go to Next Page »

Subscribe to the Art of Loving Italy Blog

Follow along on Instagram @studentessamatta

Friday afternoon vibe. Watermelon basil Margherita Friday afternoon vibe. Watermelon basil Margheritas.
Just think… you could be here with me in June. S Just think… you could be here with me in June. Spots available for the 2023 Matta Arezzo Italian Language program. Details on the Studentessamatta.com website and in bio.
The Great Creator made Adamo… and the next thing The Great Creator made Adamo… and the next thing he did was to give him a pair of Fruit of the Loom underpants. 

Indossa queste. Sta arrivando un gruppo di turisti americani! / Put these on. A group of American tourists is about to arrive!

Because of the incidents that past week involving a teacher in Florida being fired for teaching her class of sixth graders about Michelangelo’s magnificent statue of David during an art history lesson about the Renaissance…because 3 parents thought is was pornography…. Even Adam is getting himself dressed with God’s assistance!

Hard to believe, right? Seriously Florida, get over yourself, take an art history course, and grow up.

Young people need to learn about the David and the Renaissance. They need to know and understand the importance of this era and the changes that came about by artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo, Botticelli, and Raphael. Educating students about art and culture helps to broaden their horizons and stimulate their critical thinking skills.

Learn more in a new post on the Studentessa Matta Website. Links in Bio.

#ArtHistoryKids #artHistory #RenaissanceArt  #Michelangelo #DavidFlorence #DavidStatue #FloridaTeacherFiredPresentingMichelangelo #FamousArt  #GalleriaDellAccademia #studentessamattacrazyaboutitaly
Apparently, someone in Florida just noticed Michel Apparently, someone in Florida just noticed Michelangelo’s 15th-century sculpture of David doesn’t have a stitch of clothes on! 

They just realized — David, infact, is stark naked! As a result, a teacher in Tallahassee, Florida, was fired. 

For an art historian, it is kind of exciting when a work of art has the power to ruffle feathers, cause scandal and make people think outside their little boxes. But firing a teacher for enlightening her students about Michelangelo’s extraordinary masterpiece, the David, is absurd! 

Learn more about this story in a new post on the Studentessa Matta website and what the Mayor of Florence has decided to do for the teacher who got fired. Links in Bio

#MichelangeloDavid #DavidFlorence #ArtinFlorence #ItalianArt #RenaissanceArt #FlorenceMasterpieces #Sculpture #TuscanyArt #FlorenceCulture #FlorenceTourism #Michelangelo #GalleriaDellAccademia #ItalianCulture #DavidStatue #TravelItaly #FlorenceHistory #artHistory #FamousArt #FloridaTeacherFiredPresentingMichelangelo #ArtHistoryKids #studentessamatta
agnolotti del plin … La mia scelta per cena at R agnolotti del plin … La mia scelta per cena at Red Ash in downtown Austin! Squisito! #redashaustin
Buon compleanno a me! Happy birthday to me! Adoro Buon compleanno a me! Happy birthday to me! Adoro il 28 marzo! Il mio giorno preferito dell’anno.
La Maremma photo di Wrejzlik Siete mai stati nell La Maremma photo di Wrejzlik

Siete mai stati nella Maremma! Una bellezza selvaggia.

Melissa Muldoon © 2023 Built with and Genesis Framework by Bellano Web Studio