Frame of the Week

• This rendition of the Madonna and Child was created in the 15th century by Fra Filippo Lippi. The painting exemplifies the ideals and techniques of the Early Renaissance period.

• One of the most interesting aspects of the painting is the frame which the figures appear in. The window frame symbolizes a threshold between the sacred and secular realms. It suggests that the figures exist in a heavenly or divine space, set apart from the earthly realm.

• Lippi's portrayal of the Madonna and Child reflects a sense of tenderness and maternal love. The expressions on the faces of the figures exude serenity, emphasizing the intimate connection between mother and child.

Fame of the Week

• This Jan Brueghel the Elder, entitled A Village Landscape With a Market, was recently sold at a Sotheby’s auction for just under $900,000 USD.

• From a slightly elevated viewpoint, Brueghel opens a window onto the daily life of a village settled on the edge of a river, as the bright rays of a crisp sunshine emerge from behind the dwelling the rises at left. On this particular clear day, Brueghel captures a bustling market filled with cattle and livestock as villagers barter or go about their daily lives.

• For more info on the auction, click here!

Find of the Week

• Simchowitz is pleased to present Deflector Ray, the first solo show of the South African artist Jan-Henri Booyens (b.1980) in Los Angeles.

• The title comes from Star Trek, suggesting an inherent contradiction—a type of force field that can be used to absorb and protect, while at the same time, shooting outward to destroy and kill.

• From simchowitz.com