Egon Schiele | The genius who died at 28

Painter and precociously talented draftsman; accepted into Vienna's Academy of Fine Arts in 1906 at age sixteen.

From 1907 was mentored by Gustav Klimt, who invited him to exhibit at monumental 1909 Kunstschau exhibition.

From 1910, works characterized by virtuosic use of line in penetrating portraits with expressive, contorted, sexually explicit bodies.

Happy Valentine's Day 💕 | La storia di San Valentino 💕

Saint Valentine, officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with "courtly love".

At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under date of 14 February.

One is described as a priest at Rome, another as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and these two seem both to have suffered in the second half of the third century and to have been buried on the Flaminian Way, but at different distances from the city.

Cesar Santos, 1982 | Contemporary realism painter

Cesar Santos is a Cuban-born American painter, best known for images that transmit the impression of paintings of the past, but are also imbued with contemporary, fresh concepts and his own philosophy.

His work shows a wide range of influences, including sources as diverse as the Renaissance, Nineteenth Century academic work, and contemporary society.

His artistic energy drives him to arrange elusive figures and objects in conceptual designs, yet rendering them in a believable and convincing way.

Cesare Maggi | At least there's fire! / Almeno c'è il fuoco! 1898

An early work by Italian divisionist painter Cesare Maggi (1881-1961), "At least there's fire!" - signed and dated "Firenze 1898"- was one of two exhibited by the artist, not yet eighteen, at the fifty-second annual exhibition of the Society of Fine Arts in Florence (1898-1899).

Alexi Torres, 1976 | Symbolist painter

Cuban painter Alexi Torres creates works that capture the creative powers of the universe as well as the problems facing it.

He grapples with how to express the influences of the past, possibilities of the future and the responsibilities of the now.

Torres creates woven canvasses which immortalize influential figures and emblems past and present.

Romel de la Torre, 1963 | Figurative painter

"I find spiritual beauty in all the things that I paint.

The innocence of a child's face, the endless blue color of the sky, the smell of flowers in the garden, the sound of raindrops falling on the roof.

These gives joy in my heart, inspiration, and gratitude... of being an artist" - Romel de la Torre

Born in Cebu City, Philippines in a community of artists, Filipino painter Romel de la Torre's artistic interest started at a very young age.

With the encouragement of his parents he began sketching the world around him.

John Ruskin: "All great and beautiful work has come of first gazing without shrinking into the darkness"

Quotes and paintings by John Ruskin

• "All great and beautiful work has come of first gazing without shrinking into the darkness".

• "Tutte le opere grandi e bellissime nascono dall’aver prima guardato, senza indietreggiare, nell'oscurità".

• "We blanch cotton, and strengthen steel, and refine sugar, and shape pottery; but to brighten, to strengthen, to refine, or to form a single living spirit, never enters into our estimate of advantages".

Ilham Mirzayev, 1965 | Abstract painter

Ilham Mirzayev was born in Nakhchivan, the Azerbaijan Republic.

He studied at the Azerbaijan State Art School named after Azim Azimzade (1980-1984).

He is a member of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan (1989) and the Union of Artists of Nakhchivan AR (2012).