Two African women. Rainbow Paintings by Linzi Lynn, California based artist

Rainbow Paintings by Linzi Lynn
Born in London artist Linzi Lynn has lived in the USA since 1992. Since childhood the girl was going to be an artist. But Linzi’s parents saw her talent for finding drama in the everyday, and had sent her to theatrical school. In 1973, Linzi began turning her artistic creativity into painting, and theatrical background helped her to transform emotions into colors, beautiful subjects, painted on canvas. She says that “both visual art and theater are forms of creative expression, inspiration and entertainment.” The artist currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
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A huge elephant standing on a man. French artist Fabien Merelles sculpture – erasing the line between possible and impossible

Fabien Merelles sculpture
Paris based artist Fabien Merelle turned imagination into reality in his art work, erasing the line between possible and impossible. His detailed creation Pentateuque attracted much attention from viewers. Fabien Merelle’s sculpture depicts a man who balances the weight of an elephant on his back. The figure seems ambitious and large, though in fact its size is small – 76x69x30 cm. The sculpture was created by the drawing signed “carrying weight of the world on his shoulders.”
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Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John – Botticelli’s masterpiece sold for $ 10.4 million

Botticelli’s masterpiece sold for $ 10.4 million
Sometimes, painting by Florentine Botticelli “Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John”, called the Rockefeller Madonna. It’s because the painting was for 50 years in the collection of the Rockefeller family. The masterpiece by Botticelli – sold for $ 10.4 million at Christie’s on January 30, 2013. In the Rockefeller family it was from the 1930’s, and then kept in a private New York collection. Organizers had hoped for its trades $ -7 million, but the final cost considerably surpassed appraisal painting. Among other precious lots – 51 paintings, including masterpieces by FRA Bartolomeo, Agnolo Bronzino, and Lucas Cranach the younger. Also, Claude Lorrain, Francois Boucher, Jean Antoine Watteau, Thomas Gainsborough, Theodore Gericault and Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres.
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Russian billionaires most expensive art. Daria Zhukova and Roman Abramovich

Russian billionaires most expensive art, according to forbes.ru. Many masterpieces of world art gain new owners at auctions or through private transactions. They often disappear from sight for years. In Russia this question is particularly acute: about their purchases often even the owners of absolutely legitimate billion business prefer not to tell, not to mention the huge number of private buyers of antiques. But most of the major collections sooner or later come to light. Sometimes rich owners decide it’s time to show them to the world, sometimes against their will. About the collection of paintings of Russian tycoon Dmitry Rybolovlev became known only thanks to his ongoing divorce with his wife, who claimed about her rights on part of his treasures.
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A portrait of a beautiful white dog. Hyperrealistic silverpoint art by Gordon Hanley, British artist

Hyperrealistic silverpoint art by Gordon Hanley
Born in 1954, Gordon Hanley is a talented British self-taught artist. At the age of 16 his family moved to Australia, where he began exhibiting his drawings and paintings. Fortunately, his first solo exhibition of 33 paintings was a great success. He managed to sell all art works for one day. Meanwhile, Gordon has become interested in silverpoint art, drawing in pure silver metal. Traditional in the Renaissance, Medieval scribes on manuscripts first used silver point art. Noteworthy, Hanley creates highly realistic images in pure silver and 24ct gold. Beautiful paintings created by the artist decorate many public, private and corporate collections throughout Australia and overseas.
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10 most expensive musical instruments of the 21st century

Most expensive musical instruments in the world

Unique musical instruments regularly appear in the most famous auction houses. Vintage, made by famous craftsmen or belonged to the great musicians, they are one of the most sought-after items among collectors. And not only collectioners. In many countries there are special funds that collect rare musical instruments from around the world, and then provide them to the use of the lead performers. Not surprisingly, prices for such artifacts can reach transcendental heights. Forbes magazine compiled the list of most expensive musical instruments sold for the past 12 years.
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Stoker 2013 psychological thriller

Stoker 2013 psychological thriller
After father’s death to the girl India and her emotionally unstable mother Evelyn comes their mysterious uncle Charlie. Stoker 2013 psychological horror film, directed by the Korean Park Chan-wook and written by Wentworth Miller. It stars Nicole Kidman as Evelyn Stoker, Mia Wasikowska as India Stoker, Matthew Goode as Uncle Charlie Stoker. Wentworth Miller, the screenwriter was influenced by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and described his screenplay as a “horror film, a family drama and a psychological thriller.” Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt also influenced the film. Miller said: “The jumping off point is actually Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. So, that’s where we begin, and then we take it in a very, very different direction”. The film is the English-language debut by the Korean director Park Chan-wook. By the way, in Russia the film has another title – “Perverse games”. Some more interesting facts about the film – inside the post.
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Peacock National Bird of India

Peacock National Bird of India
Graceful, with beautiful shape and unearthly beautiful feathers of fantastic colors, the sacred bird Peacock inspires Indian artists, sculptors jewelers, craftsmen, writers, poets since the Harappan period to the present day. In every piece of art this majestic bird is beautifully portrayed, and found an honorable place among the decorative motifs of Indian Arts such as pottery, terracotta, bronze sculptures, textiles, paintings and applied arts – ivory, jewellery, metal-ware, etc. In Buddhist mythology, the peacock is a symbol of vanity but also a symbol of compassion and watchfulness. In Chinese mythology and folklore, the peacock is a symbol of rank, beauty, and dignity and was an emblem of the Ming Dynasty. In Hindu mythology the peacock is the mount of Brahma, Kama, and Skanda and emblem of Sarasvati.
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Russian artist Rokotov painted the Portrait of the Empress. Catherine the Great and her men

Catherine the Great and her men

Empress of Russia Catherine the Great (real name Sophie Fredericke Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst) was born on April 21, 1729 in Stettin, Germany, now it is Szczecin, Poland. At the age of 15 she married Peter III and at the age of 32 she became Empress of Russia. Catherine is remembered in the history of Russia as a patron of the arts, literature, and education. She is known not only for her great rule, during which she had made Russia the great empire, but also for her romance stories with noble favorites. The candidates for lovers she selected should have attractive appearance, physical and mental abilities, competence. The chosen favorites loved her, and she was always generous to them in return, even after the romance ended. The list of lovers included counts and princes.
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