The Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception, Cuzco School.

Andrey Remnev

"The process of creation for me is first of all a dialogue with myself. Search of a perfect artistic shape, its technical realisation is in fact a process of self-knowledge and self-development."
-Andrey Remnev

Jan Mijtens

Portrait of a girl picking grapes, 50 x 40.5 cm
Portrait of a Lady


Jan Mijtens (Johannes Mytens) was a painter of the Dutch Golden Age based in the Hague. He often depicted his portrait subjects in landscapes.

Vermeer

Diana and Her Companions

Frederick Arthur Bridgman

The Moroccan Girl

Apres la fete; port d’alger

On the Terrace

Jia Lu

Jia Lu (1954-) was born in China into a family of artists. She is now based in the US.
She feels strongly that beauty is the final measure of all things, and that true beauty is born of self-knowledge.

Mother Earth

Mother Earth, Jenness Cortez Perlmutter

Sleep

Alfonso Savini
George William Joy, An Eastern Girl
Pietro Antonio Rotari, Sleeping Girl
Frederic Leighton, Cymon & Iphigenia,
Flaming June

19th century painters have often been criticised for depicting women as prone, passive objects. (the Rotari looks like it's from the 18th century). There is some truth to this charge, but the energetic reds and oranges in these works provide an antidote to the subject matter.

In Hinduism, the Goddess is invoked in many different aspects, one of which is Shri Nidra (Sleep). Sleep is often devalued in the West, despite the fact that it is essential for life and creativity.

Neli Tsenova

Earth

Psyche

Psyche Opening the Golden Box, 1903, John William Waterhouse

From China

Tang Wei Min, Moon Night
Lu Jian Jun, Grand Facade No 16  

Two fine examples of the practice of western-style oil painting tradition by Chinese artists.
I also love traditional Chinese painting.

James Sant

Astronomy


Courage, Anxiety and Despair


The Communicant 

Parrasio Micheli

Young Woman Playing a Lute, c. 1570.

Micheli (16th century) was a member of the Venetian School and a student of Titian. Later in his career he was associated with Paolo Veronese, who provided him with drawings for his paintings.

Grandmother and Child

Gaetano Bellei (Italian, 1857-1922)
Grandmother and Child
25¾ x 17½ in. (65.4 x 44.4 cm.)

Zurbaran

The Childhood of the Virgin Mary, Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
Francisco de Zurbarán (1598-1664) Spanish.

Mother of the Arts

Pompeo Batoni (1708 –1787), Mercury Crowning Philosophy Mother of the Arts.
Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.

The Black Madonna of Czestachova

This appears to be a 19th century version of the famous icon.
Thanks to Barbara from stille linde for reminding me of this wonderful image.

St Catherine

Simon Vouet

Olga Suvorova

Adrian Gottlieb