The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner is the painting that shows the last journey of the Fighting Temeraire as it was towed away to the Thames to be broken up in a Rotherhithe shipyard after thirty-three years of not being used. The Fighting Temeraire was once a gunship that had fought gallantly in Lord Nelson's fleet at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The painting is J. M. W. Turner's tribute for the Temeraire's heroic past (The National Gallery). The glorious sunset depicts the end of the Fighting Temeraire, honouring what it had went through. The colours and specific angles in the painting shows the details of Turner's work. "If you were to stand inches away from the painting, you would clearly see miniscule things like individual windows, hanging ropes, and decorative designs on the exterior of the ship. However, if you looked over to the sun and clouds you would see a heavy accumulation of paint clumped on the canvas, giving it a sense of chaos and spontaneity." (Fox, (n.d.))

I like the soft colours of the painting an the way it was painted, as it brings a rather calm and nostalgic feeling when looking at it.


References
The National Gallery. (n.d.). Heroine of Trafalgar: The Fighting Temeraire. Retrieved November 18, 2017, from The National Gallery: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/learn-about-art/paintings-in-depth/heroine-of-trafalgar-the-fighting-temeraire

Fox, A. (n.d.). Turner, The Fighting Temeraire. Retrieved November 18, 2017, from Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/becoming-modern/romanticism/england-constable-turner/a/turner-the-fighting-temeraire

Samson and Delilah is a painting by the famous Peter Paul Rubens. It is painted around the year 1609 to 1610 and was commissioned by Nicolaas Rockox, the alderman of Antwerp. The oil painting depicts the fate of Samson's passion towards Delilah, as was said in the Bible. Samson, a Jewish hero with supernatural strength, was defeated once he fell in love with Delilah. Delilah was bribed by the Philistines, and upon discovering that his strength came from his never been cut hair, had called a barber to cut his hair while he slept in her lap. The Philistines wait at the door to capture Samson once his strength is drained from him. A statue of Venus with Cupid can also be seen at the back, "a reference to the cause of Samson's fate" (The National Gallery). 

The painting shows a sensuous scene, and it is represented greatly through the magnificent colours and soft brush strokes, looking almost real. It portrays that even a great strength can be weakened through passion. 

References
The National Gallery. (n.d.). Samson and Delilah. Retrieved November 18, 2017, from The National Gallery: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/peter-paul-rubens-samson-and-delilah

Rubens.net. (n.d.). Samson and Delilah, 1610 by Peter Paul Rubens. Retrieved November 18, 2017, from Peter Paul Rubens - Paintings & Biography: http://www.peterpaulrubens.net/samson-and-delilah.jsp

School of Athens is one of the most famous painting (fresco) by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. It was painted somewhere between the years 1509 and 1511. The painting represents all the greatest mathematicians, philosophers and scientists from classical antiquity gathered together sharing their ideas and learning from each other. ("Raphael, School of Athens", (n.d.)). They may all have lived during different generations, but in this painting, they were gathered together under the same roof.

In the very center of the picture, the two thinkers, Aristotle and Plato can be seen standing side by side. These figures are important to the Western thinking as their philosophies contributed greatly into Christianity. Plato holds his book called the Timaeus and points up because in his philosophy the changing world that we see around us is just a shadow of a higher, truer reality that is eternal and unchanging. As for Aristotle, he holds his book called Ethics and holds his hands down, his philosophy being the only reality is the one that we can see and experience by sight and touch.

Pythagoras is also featured inside the painting. He can be seen writing in his book on the lower left part of the painting. Pythagoras believed that mathematical laws operated the world, including the movement of stars and planets. According to his belief, the mathematical laws were related to ideas of musical and cosmic harmony, and to God. On the lower right part of painting, Ptolemy can be seen with his back on us, holding a sphere of the Earth. Next to him, holding a celestial sphere, stood Zaroaster. Ptolemy explained the movement of the planets and believed that all planets moved around the Earth in circles. Raphael included a self-portrait of himself, standing next to Ptolemy. He looks right out at us. ("Raphael, School of Athens", (n.d.)).

I think that the School of Athens is a magnificent painting because in just one canvas, there are a lot that can be learned about the historical figures that contributed their philosophies to the world. 

References

Raphael, School of Athens. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2017, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/renaissance-art-europe-ap/a/raphael-school-of-athens