Saturday, November 8, 2014

Cyprus - Intellectual Pioneers 30.6.2014


"Intellectual Pioneers" - 150 years since the birth of the French artist Toulouse Lautrec, 450 years since the artist's death Michael Angelo, 450 years since the birth of scientist Galileo and 400 years since the death of the painter El Greco (born Dominikos Theotokopoulos).

El Greco - Dominikos Theotokopoulos famously known as "El Greco" was born in 1541 in Candia, Crete. As a young icon painter he left his native land circa 1567 and traveled to Venice. There he adopted Catholicism and probably became a pupil of Titan. He moved to Rome when his critical attitude to Michelangelo’s works did not endear him to the local art world. A friendly Cardinal invited him to travel to Spain where he settled in the city of Toledo until his death in 1614. One of his famous paintings the "Burial of Count Orgaz" as in the Church of St. Tome in Toledo.

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti was born in 1475 in Capressa, Italy. He was renowned as a sculptor, painter and poet. He enjoyed the patronage of Lorenzo di Medici and in 1496 he was summoned to Rome by Cardinal San Giorgio who bought his "Cupid". He is well known for his sculpture of the "Pieta" (1498-1499) for a French Cardinal's tomb in Rome, for the painting of the "Sistine Chapel" (1508-1512) and the "Last Judgement" (1537). In 1538 he was appointed architect of St. Peter's where he devoted the rest of his life until his death in 1564.
Galileo Galilei was born in 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He entered Pisa University but left without degree in 1585. In 1592 he entered Padua University where as professor of mathematics he taught until 1610. In 1609 having heard of the invention of the telescope in the Netherlands, he set about to build his own improved version. Fundemental discoveries about the movements of the planets are attributed to him, but his unorthodox views were condemned by the Catholic Church who had him imprisoned. Even then he continued his research. In 1993 the Catholic Church recognized the validity of his scientific work.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born in 1864 in Albi, France. At the age of 14 he broke both his legs resulting in permanent abnormality as they ceased to grow. In 1884 he settled in Montmartre where he became a regular visitor at the "Moulin Rouge", painting and drawing barmaids, dancers, actors, clowns and society at large. He was a gifted painter but his alcoholism forced him into a sanatorium in 1899. He recovered and resumed his life until he died in 1901.

Thank you Dear Merja.

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