NTD Original

06/12/2023

Michelangelo’s “Pietà” depicts the Virgin Mary mourning Christ. The focus is on Mary, whose calm, solemn face reflects her unwavering faith despite her profound loss. Michelangelo’s mastery of light and shadow further enhances the emotional depth of the piece.

The most tragic sight imaginable is a mother who has lost a child. Witnessing such a thing, most shrink from the searing sense of loss, the emptiness of bereavement. Yet when Michelangelo unveiled his “Pietà”—the image of the Virgin Mary mourning the lifeless Christ—he revealed how sorrow c...

06/12/2023

Eric Genuis, a pianist and composer, has dedicated his career to bringing his music, which communicates hope, to places without hope, such as rehab centers, prisons, and inner-city schools. His foundation, Concerts for Hope, furthers this mission.

There was a gang member who had been in prison all his life, who said he’d never once cried in all his years. He’d buried his mother, he’d buried his father, and he saw the door to his future close when he was sentenced to be locked up for decades, maybe the rest of his life. But then, in pris...

05/12/2023

British painter Frederic Leighton's "Elijah in the Wilderness" portrays an angel caring for the prophet Elijah in the wilderness. Warm, muted colors create a tranquil scene, and may suggest that true tranquility comes from a rest found in selflessness.

05/12/2023

Sant's painting "Courage, Anxiety, and Despair: Watching the Battle" depicts three women embodying these emotions while observing an unseen battle. It’s an introspection on our personal struggles and the sources of these struggles often remain hidden.

‘Courage, Anxiety, and Despair: Watching the Battle’ A repeated theme throughout art history is the Three Graces. The Three Graces were goddesses from Greek mythology. Initially, they were goddesses of nature, but later, they attended Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. They were usually ...

30/11/2023

The NTD International Figure Painting Competition aims to promote traditional fine arts with the theme “pure truth, pure kindness, pure beauty.” Artists like Sandra Kuck, Clodoaldo Martins, and Philippe Lhuillier shared how the competition’s mission influenced their work.

Award-Winning Oil Paintings Now Available to Public Through New Online Store The NTD International Figure Painting Competition is unique among the art competitions of the world. That it only judges representational styles is rare enough, but the competition also places focus on content and meaning,....

30/11/2023

Chinese calligrapher Liu Xitong, persecuted by the CCP for his faith, fled to the U.S. He was featured in the documentary "When the Plague Arrives," writing a Chinese idiom meaning "When chaos is extreme, order must be restored."

When Liu Xitong was asked by a film crew to write four words in Chinese calligraphy, he agreed immediately, heartily, and for reasons the crew did not yet know. Once a famous calligrapher back home in China, Liu had since left the country where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) persecuted him for hi...

29/11/2023

19th-century French symbolist painter Gustave Moreau sought to infuse spirituality into art, countering the scientific approach of 18th-century art, and he studied Renaissance masters. His painting "Perseus and Andromeda" depicts the Greek myth about beauty, love, and courage.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart Gustave Moreau was a 19th-century symbolist painter in France. The symbolists believed that the art of the 18th century was too scientific and had discarded spirituality from its subject matter and ex*****on. Artists also found themselves compet...

29/11/2023

French romanticist painter Théodore Géricault aimed to create emotionally charged art, depicting the human spirit’s hope in horrific circumstances. He suggested that beauty lies not in order and structure, but in the struggle and hope for survival as in his painting “The Raft of Medusa.”

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart During the 19th century, at the height of the Enlightenment, neoclassicists and romanticists debated the purpose of art. The neoclassicists looked back to ancient Greece and Rome for guidance. They were concerned with reestablishing order and st...

28/11/2023

20th-century American painter, Norman Rockwell, depicted the nuances of American life in his art. His "Golden Rule" painting, uniting diverse figures under a compassionate statement, emphasizes our shared humanity and promotes kindness.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart Recent events concerning the death of George Floyd have unleashed anger across the United States. Peaceful protests are being conducted, but unfortunately, these are often overshadowed by the looting and rioting of a few instigators. Everyone is...

28/11/2023

"Paradise Lost," a 17th-century epic poem by John Milton, explores the conflict between God and Satan. William Blake's 19th-century illustrations for "Paradise Lost" depict this narrative, with a unique interpretation of the Son casting rebel angels into Hell.

As we come close to the middle of 2020, I’m left asking “What else will happen?” It’s been an eventful year so far, to say the least. I’ve been thinking deeply about the events that have occurred this year, and I believe the time is ripe to reflect on ourselves and question what it means t...

27/11/2023

The painting "St. Augustine" by Philippe de Champaigne suggests that confession, an act of love, requires self-reflection and honesty, and that God's grace, the essence of love, is revealed in the act of confession.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart It’s interesting how our vices lose strength when they are brought out into the open; they gain power when they’re hidden in the dark spaces of our spirit. I’ve been thinking a lot about what I see to be my own vices and how I should deal ...

27/11/2023

Caravaggio’s painting of Narcissus uses stark contrast between light and dark, with the division of the composition by the water’s edge. The darkness represents Narcissus’s self-absorption and lack of compassion, leading to his downfall.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart I am guilty of being narcissistic. I’m an artist, and I want people to see my work. I not only want people to see my work, I want them to like it. I post pictures of my work on social media and hope people will give me the coveted “like.” ...

23/11/2023

What is compassion? It may not be something that can be completely described in words. French painter William Bouguereau’s “The First Mourning” depicts Adam and Eve’s grief over their son Abel’s death, evokes a deep sense of compassion in the viewer.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart As the world responds to the growing concern about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, I am led to question my own understanding of compassion. What is compassion? What does it mean to care directly....

23/11/2023

Initially seen as an "eyesore", Gustave Eiffel's 300-meter tower in Paris faced public opposition. Despite this, Eiffel persevered and the tower was completed in 1889. Today, it's an iconic symbol of France.

They once called the proposed 300-meter monument in the heart of Paris an “eyesore”; today, it’s an icon. Gustave Eiffel’s proposal for a monumental centerpiece in France’s capital city was the source of great controversy for years. But the entrepreneur engineer’s tolerance of the critic...

22/11/2023

The Great Flood, a myth told by many cultures, holds a particular relevance in today's world, fraught with concerns about climate change and the looming threat of widespread flooding. What can the narrative of the Great Flood reveal to us?

Perhaps no myth—if myth it be—is more relevant today than the myth of the Great Flood that nearly destroyed humanity at some unknown point in the past. We colloquially use the term myth, of course, to refer to things that never happened in an historical sense, though in the case of the Flood, th...

22/11/2023

Michelangelo crafted a series of drawings intended as gifts. Among these was a piece known as “The Dream of Human Life.” In this work, Michelangelo was possibly delving into the concept of the soul serving as a bridge between heaven and earth.

A gift between heaven and earth Around 1533, the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo produced a series of drawings that he gave to his close friends. At the time, drawings were typically produced as sketches for larger works. These drawings, however, were produced as finished products to be give...

10/11/2023

Caravaggio's 1601 painting, "Conversion on the Way to Damascus," vividly portrays Saul's divine vision and fall from his horse. The indifferent horse and groom, along with the stark light and dark contrasts of tenebrism, amplify the scene's drama.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart In 1600, Caravaggio, an Italian Baroque painter of biblical scenes, was commissioned by Tiberio Cerasi to paint a scene of Paul’s conversion on the way to Damascus. Saul’s Conversion Saul of Tarsus, who would later be called Paul upon his co...

10/11/2023

In 1776, Washington's surprise attack on Trenton marked a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War, despite the harsh winter and a disheartened army. This victory, celebrated in Thomas Paine's "The Crisis," offers hope even in bleak times.

‘Times that try men's souls’ gave way to hope and optimism ’Twas the early evening of Christmas Day in 1776 and Gen. George Washington was on the verge of losing the Revolutionary War. His armies felt defeated and discouraged, his countrymen had lost confidence in his abilities, his adjutant-g...

09/11/2023

The African proverb, “When an old person dies, a library burns to the ground,” reflects the wisdom and experience lost with the passing of elders, as exemplified by the passing of Roger Scruton, known for his conservative philosophy and traditionalism.

“When an old person dies, a library burns to the ground.” That proverb, purportedly from Africa, contains a great deal of truth. Men and women who have lived 70, 80, and 90 years are repositories of wisdom and experience. They have seen things that we have only read about in books of history. In...

09/11/2023

Pompeo Batoni, an 18th-century Italian master, painted “The Return of the Prodigal Son” during the Grand Tour era. The painting depicts a biblical story of a wayward son returning to his forgiving father, symbolizing redemption and unconditional love.

I recently came across Pompeo Batoni’s “The Return of the Prodigal Son” and was immediately struck by the care and warmth between the two figures in the painting. What might this painting and the story it represents provide for us today? Pompeo Batoni and the Grand Tour Pompeo Batoni (1708–1...

08/11/2023

Luca Giordano was a 17th-century Italian painter. His painting "Expulsion of the Money-Changers From the Temple" uses contrast, diagonals, and lines of sight to make Jesus the focal point. This artwork inspires contemplation on God’s temple in the Bible.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart The Italian painter Luca Giordano working in the late 17th century was misunderstood in his time. Initially, he was influenced by the Spanish Baroque painter José de Ribera. Later, Giordano discarded the dark and somber look of Ribera’s paint...

08/11/2023

Léon Bonnat, a French painter in the 19th-early 20th centuries, completed his painting of Job in 1880. Job is a biblical character whose faith in God is tested by Satan through great suffering. This story made you reflect deeply on your own sufferings.

Reaching within: What traditional art offers the heart I recently saw Léon Bonnat’s painting “Job,” which powerfully represents the suffering and spirituality of Job. I decided to visit Job’s story in the Bible, and I came to deeply consider my relationship to my own sufferings. Léon Bonna...

07/11/2023

The denial of spiritual realities is often linked to evil, a concept that modern thought finds unpalatable. Thomas Aquinas recognized that it leads us to the beginning of the “unnameable mystery.” Without this spiritual dimension, our lives become empty.

In our increasingly materially focused world, a world in which image is king over content, it is worth bearing in mind that sometimes the invisible aspects of life, the worlds that lie beneath what we see with the naked human eye, are of far greater import. There is a wonderful story from the Book o...

07/11/2023

The story of Cupid and Psyche provides a deeper understanding of authentic love, moving beyond the superficial pleasures we often link with the concept. It unveils the intricate relationship between the beauty of the mind and the love of the heart.

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart What does it mean to authentically love? The term “love” is often thrown at any object that provides us the slightest pleasure. We love our spouse, our children, our favorite movie and song, and even the latest chicken sandwich. We certainly...

06/11/2023

Raphael's "Acts of the Apostles” tapestries depicting the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, were commissioned by Pope Leo X in 1515 and woven in Brussel. The tapestries were recently hung on the lower wall of the Sistine Chapel.

In universal judgment, nothing more beautiful has ever been seen in the world. ut fuit universale juditium, sunt res qua non est aliquid in orbe nunc pulchrius –Paris de Grassis, master of ceremonies for the 16th-century Pope Leo X, wrote in his diary after seeing Raphael’s “Acts of the Apostl...

06/11/2023

Young artists traveled to Rome countryside for Open-Air painting. These sketches, more field notes than finished works, captured the artist's unique interaction with nature at a specific moment. This exhibition displays about 100 of such oil sketches.

Washington's National Gallery of Art presents oil sketches from across Europe “No two days are alike, nor even two hours; neither were there ever two leaves of a tree alike since the creation of all the world; and the genuine productions of art, like those of nature, are all distinct from each oth...

03/11/2023

A reflection on the Greek myth of Hercules's choice between Virtue and Vice, likening it to daily decision-making. In the myth. Despite Vice's promises of an easy life, Hercules chooses Virtue's path, which requires effort but leads to true fulfillment.

I try to wake up every day and treat that day like a lifetime, like a microcosmic version of life itself. I ask myself: “Born in the morning and dead at night, how will I live today? How can I make choices throughout the day that will allow me to sleep with peace and dignity in my heart?” I rece...

03/11/2023

"Jácara de fandanguillo - Opera Omnia" is a beautiful piece composed in 1734 by Juan Francés de Iribarren, is a testament to the rich musical heritage of the Spain Baroque period. The performance features a talented ensemble.

03/11/2023

The Greek myth of the Judgment of Paris is a tale with deep implications. The judgment leads to the Trojan War, showing how seemingly minor decisions can have far-reaching consequences.

One of the greatest stories in Greek mythology is that of the Judgment of Paris. It is in a way a simple story, but beneath the seemingly obvious veneer of “who is the fairest of them all?” there are profound implications that speak to us today, for this story will always resonate so long as hum...

02/11/2023

Historically, art has held a powerful role in depicting metaphysical ideas and Gods. However, the advent of the Scientific Revolution led to a decline in these traditional forms of art. Have we lost the soul of art?

Any youngster who loves to draw knows the wonder of creating worlds limited only by their own imagination. Creating artwork is a sort of metaphysical creation of grasping what is beyond the world of perception, and representing it through various artforms such as drawing, painting, and sculpture. Mo...