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  3. Art history behind the figures — historical paintings of George, Neptune, Schiller, Victoria and Goldelse

Art history behind the figures — historical paintings of George, Neptune, Schiller, Victoria and Goldelse

For each speaking figure of BerliNike, the most famous paintings in art history — from Raphael to Anton von Werner. Documented with painter, year, …

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Every figure that stands on a plinth in Berlin has older pictures behind it. George rides to the dragon in Venice, Madrid and London; Neptune calms the storm in Rubens; Schiller looks out from the portraits his contemporaries painted. This series presents, for each figure, the paintings that shaped its image in Europe, with painter, year, collection and the sources behind the details.

All pictures shown are in the public domain and come from Wikimedia Commons. Painter, year and location are taken from each file's metadata and from museum collection pages. Where sources disagree, the text says so.

The pages in this series

Each page on a figure starts with the works themselves and then leads to the story behind them: the legend or myth, the commission, the afterlife. Each ends with a timeline, frequently asked questions and the list of sources.

Frequently asked questions

Where do the pictures on these pages come from?

From Wikimedia Commons, each under the licence “Public domain”. The caption names painter, title, year and collection.

Why only public-domain paintings?

Because they may be shown, linked and quoted freely. The painters died long before the term of protection ran out.

Sources and references

  1. Wikimedia Commons — Main page

The pages in this section

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