Magyarul

What's New in the Gallery

The Web Gallery of Art was opened in October 1996. Since then many changes occurred which can be summarized as follows.

Changes in December, 2023:

  • We continued our project designing new guided tours based on the collection of WGA. We introduced a tour introducing visitors to various aspects of the art of portrait painting. We present portraits by grouping them according to various aspects: the format, the depicted sitter, the view of the sitter, the setting and the functions they fulfil.

  • We recommend our visitors participate in the new Guided Tour #14c: The Art of Portrait Painting.

Changes in September, 2023:

  • We continued our project designing new guided tours based on the collection of WGA. We are now introducing one which presents to the participants the realistic tendencies of 16th-century Italian painting - from Leonardo's naturalism to Caravaggio's realism - in the major art centres in Lombardy: Milan and its broader environment, Brescia, Bergamo, and Cremona.

  • We recommend our visitors participate in the new Guided Tour #11c: Lombard Painting in the 16th century.

Changes in July, 2023:

  • We introduced a new guided tour presenting the history of the still-life genre and its subgenres, distinguished according to the depicted objects or the composition of the still-life. We give a detailed description of the nine categories with explained characteristic examples.

  • We recommend our visitors to participate in the new Guided Tour #14b: Still-Life Paintings

Changes in May, 2023:

  • We designed and introduced a new guided tour, during which the participants can get acquainted with six religious architectural units (a church or one part of it, such as a chapel or sacristy) decorated with outstanding Renaissance sculptures made after a unifying design by one or a few collaborating artists. We selected examples from various regions of Italy (Tuscany, Marches, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Liguria), all with sculptures of the period 1450-1550. The complex content of the tour made it necessary to use additional sources outside the WGA to present it in its entirety.

  • We recommend our visitors to participate in the new Guided Tour #11b: Italian Renaissance chapels with sculpted decoration.

Changes in November, 2022:

Changes in August, 2022:

Changes in June, 2022:

Major changes in January, 2022:

  • Over 1400 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 52.800. The newly added images contain the works of 123 new artists.
  • The majority of the new images show works of fine arts, decorative arts and architecture, which were made at the end of the 19th century, extended to the beginning of World War I. This period witnessed the birth of modern art, starting with works created in the Art Nouveau style, an ornamental style of art that flourished between c. 1890 and 1910 throughout Europe and the United States. Art Nouveau is characterized by its use of a long, sinuous, organic line and was employed most often in architecture, interior design, jewellery and glass design, posters, and illustrations.
  • The newly added images of architecture, paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and graphics and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire image collection and the catalogue of the newly added images can be downloaded. In addition, we provide also the catalogue containing 5587 artist biographies.
  • The milestones in the development of the collection are summarized in a table and a graph.
  • All versions of presentation (standard, mobile and wide screen) of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously.
  • The security of the website was strengthened.

Major changes in June, 2021:

Change in March, 2021:

  • The presentation of the entire WGA collection, designed for wide screens and introduced earlier, was significantly upgraded. On large screen surfaces, this presentation offers all features of the standard version with significantly more effective use of the collection. Together with all previous presentations of particular sections, it can be reached through the "WIDE SCREEN MODES" button in the upper menu row.

Major changes in December, 2020:

Major changes in June, 2020:

Major changes in January, 2020:

Major changes in September, 2019:

  • Over 710 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 48.000. The newly added images contain the works of 51 new artists.
  • The newly added images of paintings, architecture, and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • In addition to a general upgrade, this time we focused on 16th-17th-century European architecture. Most of the new images are related to this field.
  • The special presentations, designed for wide screen and introduced earlier, of the Sculpture Section, and Architecture Section were enhanced and improved. Both can be reached through the button "WIDE SCREEN MODES" in the upper menu row.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in May, 2019:

  • Over 680 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 47.300. The newly added images contain the works of 47 new artists.
  • The newly added images of paintings, sculpture, and architecture, illuminations and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • In addition to a general upgrade, this time we focused on two subjects: 14th-15th-century Italian painting and 17th-18th-century French art and architecture. The majority of the new images are related to these fields.
  • For some of the new images the sources were the websites of museums and libraries which offered high-quality images for downloading. We are deeply indebted to them for their generosity.
  • The special presentations, designed for wide screen and introduced earlier, of the Sculpture Section, and Architecture Section were enhanced and improved. Both can be reached through the button "WIDE SCREEN MODES" in the upper menu row.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in January, 2019:

Major changes in September, 2018:

Major changes in May, 2018:

  • Over 650 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 45.400. The newly added images contain the works of 80 new artists.
  • In this upgrade we focused on Flemish art (paintings, sculpture and architecture) in the 17th century. The most important tapestry weavers from the Brussels and Antwerp workshops and some of their works are also included.
  • The newly added images of painting, sculpture,and architecture and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • Special presentation of the Sculpture Section, designed for wide screen, was introduced, while the presentation of the Architecture Section was enhanced and improved. Both can be reached through the button in the upper menu row.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in January, 2018:

  • Over 500 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 44.800. The newly added images contain the works of 69 new artists, mostly (53) architects.
  • In this upgrade we focused on the enhancement of the Architecture Section by adding new images and complementing the description of buildings with ground plans and cross-section drawings, when available.
  • The newly added images of architecture and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • The special presentation of the Architecture Section, designed for wide screen and introduced during the last upgrade, was enhanced and improved.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in September, 2017:

  • Over 800 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 44.300. The newly added images contain the works of 221 new artists, among them 51 painters, 167 architects, and 3 other artists.
  • In this upgrade we focused on late 18th-century and 19th-century architecture, on Scandinavian art (based mostly on the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen) and on northern Italian art (based mostly on the collection of the Galleria Sabauda, Turin).
  • The newly added images of architecture, paintings and other works can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • We introduced a special presentation of the significantly upgraded Architecture Section, designed for wide screen.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in April, 2017:

Major changes in December, 2016:

  • Over 1.200 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 42.400. The newly added images contain the works of 203 new artists, 82 architects and 121 other artists (mostly painters and sculptors).
  • The scope of the architecture section was significantly extended by including Mannerist and Baroque architecture in Western, Southern and Central Europe.
  • The newly added images of paintings can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way. Similarly, the new images of sculptures, of graphics, and of the significantly enhanced architecture section can be reviewed.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in July, 2016:

  • Over 1.000 new reproductions are added to the collection, the total number of images being increased to over 41.100.
  • The scope of the collection is extended to Pre-Romanesque art and architecture of the 8th-10th centuries. Most of the new images represents medieval art and architecture by anonymous masters and architects, consequently the number of new artists is much lower than in previous upgrades.
  • The newly added images (except those for architecture) can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way. The extended and partly rearranged architecture section can be reviewed.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • We celebrate the twentieth anniversary of publishing the Gallery by adding a link online since 1996 which leads to a document summarizing the history of the development of the collection.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in March, 2016:

  • Over 900 new reproductions, among them the works of 78 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 40.100. The newly added images (except those for archcitecture) can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
  • In this upgrade we extended the architecture section to Medieval (Romanesque) architecture from the 11th-13th centuries. The architecture section was rearranged accordingly.
  • Another focus in the upgrade was on the enhancement of the works by 19th-century sculptors.
  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

Major changes in November, 2015:

  • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format. The downloadable list of the women artists in the collection was also updated.
  • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

    • Major changes in July, 2015:

    • Over 1.200 new reproductions, among them the works of 90 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 38.000.
    • In this upgrade we focused on 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting with special emphasis on Rembrandt and his circle and followers. As a result, the section devoted to Rembrandt was greatly enhanced, particularly the pages for graphics works, and partly rearranged.
    • As suggested by some of our visitors, the section devoted to Andrea Mantegna was significantly enhanced and rearranged.
    • Due to the great number of the new images, we introduced a new feature: the newly added images (except those by Rembrandt and Mantegna) can be browsed and reviewed in a simple and comfortable way.
    • The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format. The downloadable list of the women artists in the collection was also updated.
    • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

    Major changes in March, 2015:

    • Over 800 new reproductions, among them the works of 81 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 36.800. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • In this upgrade we focused on images from illuminated manuscripts of religious or secular content, particularly illuminations depicting both the religious life in the monasteries and details of everyday life of ordinary people in the medieval period. As a reult, the section devoted to illuminated manuscripts was greatly enhanced and partly rearranged.
    • The architecture section was significantly enhanced and rearranged.
    • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

    Major changes in November, 2014:

    Major changes in July, 2014:

    • Over 1.300 new reproductions, among them the works of 169 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 35.100. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format. The list of the women artists in the collection was also updated.
    • The scope of the collection was extended by creating a new section for architecture. As a first step, we focused on architecture in Italy, particularly in the Renaissance period. Although new images will be added to this section in the future, we do not intend to build up as comprehensive collection for architecture as we do for painting. This section serves the better understanding the artistic periods of fine arts.
    • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

    Major changes in March, 2014:

    • Over 600 new reproductions, among them the works of 88 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 33.900. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or relocated images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The majority of the new artists (56 from 88) included in the collection are English, Scottish, and Irish. With a few exceptions, these artists were active in the Georgian and Victorian periods of British history (in the 18th and 19th centuries), mostly as animal, sporting or landscape painters. Their works frequently appear at auctions and are very popular with private collectors.
    • The focus of the present upgrade was on Italian paintings of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. We added many new scans, replaced some old ones and rearranged the images when the new additions required it. Significant changes occurred in the following sections:

    • The mobile version of the Gallery was upgraded simultaneously with the standard version.

    Major changes in November, 2013:

    Major changes in July, 2013:

    • Over 650 new reproductions, among them the works of 31 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 32.500. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • During this upgrade we focused on the illuminated manuscripts produced in the 11th-16th centuries. Up to now, the section of the collection related to this art form was a rather neglected part of the gallery. By adding the new images, the number of illuminations was doubled and now it exceeds 1.000. Consequently, most of the new artists are illuminators. The section for illuminations (miniatures) was completely rearranged, please check your bookmarks, if you have any.

    Major changes in March, 2013:

    • Over 750 new reproductions, among them the works of 177 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 31.800. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format. The list of the women artists in the collection was also updated.
    • The majority of the newly added images represent the painting and sculpture of the last quarter of the nineteenth century outside France, particularly in Italy, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia, Central Europe and North America, with an outlook to the first decade of the twentieth century. No further extension of the collection to the twentieth century is planned.

    Major changes in November, 2012:

    Changes in May, 2012:

    • The mobile version (a html-based system designed for small screens, still considered experimental) was significantly improved and synchronized with the recently enhanced traditional version. Now all images in the collection can be searched and accessed in the mobile version, too.

    Major changes in April, 2012:

    • Over 600 new reproductions, among them the works of 43 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 29.000. In addition, over 400 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • Among the major changes, the sections for were considerably enhanced and partially rearranged.

    Major changes in December, 2011:

    • Over 800 new reproductions, among them the works of 50 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 28.400. In addition, over 150 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved and rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • Among the major changes, the sections for were considerably enhanced and partially rearranged.

    Major change in November, 2011:

    • An experimental version designed for small screens (for mobile devices) was introduced. It is intended for use on screens with resolution of 320 x 480. This version is based on the entire database of the collection (over 28.400 reproductions in August 2011), but some of the advanced services of the standard version (guided toures, dual mode, postcard service, music service) are omitted. The mobile version can be entered from the upper menu bar or from the title page.
    • The catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats from the mobile version, too.

    Major changes in August, 2011:

    • Over 600 new reproductions, among them the works of 91 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 28.400. In addition, over 150 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved and rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • Among the major changes, the sections for were considerably enhanced and rearranged.
    • Within the medieval part of the collection, the Mosaic Section was considerably enhanced and completely rearranged by adding numerous new images of Italian mosaics produced between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries.
    • Responding to the request of many visitors (mostly women), we prepared a list contaning the names of the women artists whose works are displayed in the Web Gallery of Art. You can download this list and browse the reproductions either from this list or from a new guided tour added to our guided tours.

    Major changes in April, 2011:

    • Over 1.000 new reproductions, among them the works of 79 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 28.400. In addition, over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The sections for were enhanced and rearranged.
    • Taking into account that the majority of our users may have broadband access and use wide screens, we decided to display larger images in cases when the quality of the source materials makes it possible. The first example is a large image of Michelangelo's Last Judgment.
    • By adding new mp3 music files, we now offer a wider selection of Medieval, Renaissance and early Baroque music for listening while viewing the pictures.

    Major changes in December, 2010:

    • Over 800 new reproductions, among them the works of 73 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 26.000. In addition, over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The majority of the added new images and new artists belongs to the Italian Renaissance. Taking into account that the works of art created in the Italian Renaissance form the core of our collection (both historically and statistically), we decided to extend the collection to the field of architecture, too, including photos of the most important buildings from this period and the biographies of their architects. Although we do not intend to build up as comprehensive collection of architecture as we do of painting and sculpture, we shall add further photos of Renaissance buildings from Italy and from other parts of Europe.
    • The sections for were enhanced and partially rearranged.

    Changes in August, 2010:

    • The section of Piero della Francesca, the great Italian Renaissance painter, was rearranged and enhanced with new and improved scans, with special emphasis on his masterpiece, the frescoes in Arezzo.
    • Guided tour #4 presenting Piero della Francesca's restored fresco cycle The Legend of the True Cross in the church of San Francesco in Arezzo was completely redone from the scratch. The tour is available in two versions, one for monitors with wide screen, and the other for older monitors with 4:3 ratio.

    Major changes in July, 2010:

    Major changes in February, 2010:

    • Over 750 new reproductions, among them the works of 81 new artists, were added to the collection. The total number of images now increased to over 24.000. In addition, over 150 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The sections for were enhanced and partially rearranged.

    Major changes in October, 2009:

    • Over 600 new reproductions were added to the collection, the total number of images now increased to over 23.000. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added, improved or rearranged images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The scope of the collection was extended to the 11th century, and by means of the new images the art of the Romanesque period (architectural sculpture, mural painting, illuminated manuscripts, stained-glass window, tapestry, goldsmithry) is presented.
    • As a further enhancement, a small but representative group of Byzantine-style icons were addded to the collection.

    Changes in June, 2009:

    • The selection of music was enhanced by adding more medieval musical pieces from the 12th-15th centuries as well as several characteristic and popular compositions from later periods. See our selection of the MP3 music.

    Major changes in May, 2009:

    • Over 1.300 new reproductions, among them the works of 203 new artists were added to the collection. Furthermore, over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The total number of images now increased to over 22.600. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added 1.389 images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.

    Major changes in December, 2008:

    • Over 1.000 new reproductions, among them the works of 132 new artists were added to the collection. Furthermore, over 100 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The total number of images now increased to over 22.600. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added or improved 1.135 images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The scope of the collection has been extended to the third quarter of the nineteenth century. As a general rule, artists born before 1830 were included. 94 artists of the 132 new artists were born or active in the nineteenth century. The styles which followed Romanticism were included until Impressionism, the latter being excluded. No further extension is planned.
    • We continued to build up our modest collection of decorative arts, this time by expanding the pages of earthenware.

    Changes in November, 2008:

    • The postcard service was improved by adding the possibility to attach musical pieces to the picture postcards. A selection of about 100 classical pieces of good quality is provided. Furthermore, the editing of the postcards became more user-friendly.
    • There are minor improvements in the search system and ln the picture viewer.

    Major changes in June, 2008:

    • Over 1.000 new reproductions, among them the works of 125 new artists were added to the collection. Furthermore, over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The total number of images now increased to over 22.600. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added or improved 1.333 images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format. The majority of the added new images and new artists belongs to the Netherlandish (Flemish and Dutch) school with special emphasis on the 17th-century Golden Age of Dutch painting. Taking into account the significance of graphic arts in the Dutch Golden Age, the works of many important printmakers were also included.
    • The section of Pieter Bruegel the Elder was rearranged and newly commented, it includes now practically all known paintings by the artist. The pages of two great masters of the Delft school, Johannes Vermeer and Pieter de Hooch were enhanced by new scans.
    • We continued to build up a modest collection of decorative arts, and we created a new section to present some of the most important objects of this field.

    Major changes in February, 2008:

    • Over 800 new reproductions, among them the works of 103 new artists were added to the collection. Furthermore, over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The total number of images now increased to over 19.300. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added or improved 1.032 images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The musical selection was considerably enhanced by adding a list with links to the major on-line radios providing entirely (or in some cases mostly) classical music on a 24-hour basis. The list can be reached by the button List of on-line classical music radio stations in the upper menu bar.

    Changes in October, 2007:

    • New guided tour #11a Venetian Altarpieces was introduced. This tour presents over fifty large altarpieces executed for churches in Venice during the 15th and 16th centuries. The range of the artists who created the altarpieces extends from Late Gothic masters such as Antonio Vivarini to Tintoretto, the last great Renaissance master. Taking into account the large dimensions of the altarpieces, they are presented here by larger reproductions than the standard in our collection. The suggested musical listening during the tour is Antonio Vivaldi: Gloria, RV 589.
    • The section of Giovanni Bellini was rearranged, the majority of the images were replaced by new, improved and larger scans; at the same time some of the commentaries were reedited and new commentaries were added.

    Major changes in September, 2007:

    • Over 1.100 new reproductions, among them the works of 86 new artists were added to the collection. Furthermore, over 500 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The total number of images now increased to over 19.300. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats. Furthermore, the catalogue of the newly added or improved 1.615 images can also be downloaded in MS Excel format.
    • The majority of the newly added and improved images as well as the new artists are related to Venetian art. The sections for the greatest Venetian painters such as were enhanced and totally rearranged. Furthermore, the pages of other other important Venetian painters, such as Cima da Coneglianio, the Crivelli, the Vivarini, Jacopo Bassano were also significantly improved.
    • The medieval section of the collection was enhanced by creating separate pages for 12th-14th-century mosaics and 15th-16th-century glassware. These pages, together with other pages belonging to the category of applied art, will be developed in the future, without intending to build up a comprehensive collection of these kinds of art objects.

    Changes in May, 2007:

    • The medieval section of the collection, containing architectural sculpture, illumination, stained glass window and goldsmiths' work from the 12th to 16th centuries, has been rearranged and enhanced by the addition of new images with special emphasis on stained glass and metalworks.
    • The total number of images now increased to over 17.300. The updated catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded in various formats

    Major changes in April, 2007:

    • Over 1.000 new reproductions, among them the works of 137 new artists were added to the collection. Over 100 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The catalogue of the newly added images, as well as the catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded.
    • The majority of the newly added images and artists is related to French painting and sculpture. Taking into account the important role played by graphic artists in the development of 16-18th-century French art, a number of printmakers are also included, and some prints, stained-glass paintings, metalworks and tapestries are also presented, without intending to build up a comprehensive collection of these kind of art objects.

    Major changes in November, 2006:

    • Over 800 new reproductions, among them the works of 165 new artists were added to the collection. Over 200 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The catalogue of the newly added images, as well as the catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded.

    Change in August, 2006:

    • The service for providing background music has been improved by adding a selection of music in MP3 format to the existing selection of MIDI files. The list of the new musical pieces can be found by clicking the button of the upper menubar.
      • Please note that this is neither a comprehensive nor a representative musical collection. Its only aim is to provide a good selection of classical music to listen while viewing and studying the old masters' works. The musical pieces were selected in such a way that visitors could find music suiting for the stylistic periods from Gothic to Romanticism. In many cases we suggest listening to musical pieces
      • composed in the same period;
      • treating the same subject as a particular work of art (example: the Ovidian story of Atalanta);
      • inspired by an art object (example: Respighi's Triptych on Botticelli's paintings);
      • related to the subject or the artist of a particular art object;
      • and so on.

    Change in April, 2006:

    Major changes in March, 2006:

    • About 900 reproductions, among them the works of 169 new artists were added to the collection. Over 300 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The catalogue of the newly added images, as well as the catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded.
    • The sections presenting the art of FRA ANGELICO, ARNOLFO DI CAMBIO, Pietro LORENZETTI and SIMONE MARTINI were rearranged, enhanced and commented.

    Change in January, 2006:

    • An experimental discussion board has been launched to provide a forum where visitors of the Gallery can exchange opinions and ideas on issues related to art history, as well as on particular artists and works of art. You can find the board by clicking the button on the upper menu bar. If this initiative meets the visitors' approval we shall permanently maintain and moderate it.

    Changes in November, 2005:

    • About 600 reproductions, among them the works of 72 new artists were added to the collection. Over 350 images were replaced by new, improved scans. The catalogue of the newly added images, as well as the catalogue of the entire collection can be downloaded.
    • The sections presenting the art of Pieter Pauwel RUBENS and Hieronymus BOSCH were rearranged, enhanced and commented.

    Changes in May, 2005:

    • About 500 reproductions, among them the works of 66 new artists were added to the collection. The majority of the new images and artists belong to the Spanish school of painting. Over 150 images were replaced by new, improved scans, mostly for upgrading the pages featuring Spanish artists. The catalogue of the newly added images can be downloaded.
    • The sections presenting the art of EL GRECO and Diego VELÁZQUEZ were rearranged, enhanced and commented.
    • The guided tour Art in Spain has been upgraded.
    • Technical improvement: for easier recognition of the thumbnail images, their size is increased by 50% in the standard view.

    Change in January, 2005:

    • New feature is introduced: visitors now can create their own Lists of Artists by setting conditions for the artists' nationality, for the stylistic period (Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, etc.) and the time-line (in 50 year-steps) in which the artists were active. Painters and sculptors can be separated; all lists can be sorted by any of the conditions. By the introduction of this feature the request of many visitors is fulfilled.

    Major changes in December, 2004:

    • The time-frame of the collection was extended by a half century up to about 1850. Consequently, the collection now covers the Neoclassicist and Romantic periods, too.
    • Over 1000 reproductions of the works of 235 new artists, from which 59 are sculptors, were added to the collection. The new artists are the main representants of Neoclassicism and Romanticism from all over Europe. Due to the strong correlation between European and American art in this period, the major American masters are also included. The catalog of the new images can be downloaded in MS Excel or MS Access format.
    • The greatest among the newly added masters, such as
      are presented in detail.

    Changes in September, 2004:

    • The collection was transferred to a new server, the URL changed.
    • Introduction of a new graphic design, all scripts and the navigation system were improved.
    • The pages featuring Botticelli were redone with 200 new images.

    Changes in July, 2004:

    • The guided tour The Art of Giotto was upgraded using new text and more images. As part of the upgrade, over 250 images were replaced by improved new scans.

    Changes in June, 2004:

    Changes in May, 2003:

    Changes in November, 2002:

    Major changes in October, 2002:

    Changes in April, 2002:

    • New Guided Tour on the Narrative Fresco Cycles by Benozzo Gozzoli is started.
    • Major technical improvements:
      • The search for the artists' names can be performed now by either selecting the name from a list or typing into the search box a string of the name.
      • The standard layout of the site is changed. At the bottom of the screen a simplified, although powerful enough, search engine is at the disposal of the visitors.
      • The Dual-Window View is introduced. In this layout the screen is divided into two parts making possible two independent browsing processes for displaying two pages (images, biographies, commentaries etc.) simultaneously on the screen. Change between the Standard Mode and the Dual Mode is always possible.

    Major changes in March, 2002:

    • Reproductions of the works of 108 new artists were added to the collection. The new artists are mostly Italian from the 17-18th centuries and Dutch from the 17th century.
    • The number of reproductions increased to over 10,100, and over 200 images were replaced by new, higher resolution scans. Significant changes occurred:

    Major changes in November, 2001:

    Changes in June, 2001:

    Major changes in May, 2001:

    • The scope of the collection was extended to the 18th century, consequently the collection now includes stylistically the late Baroque and Rococo periods, historically the entire 18th century until the French Revolution.
    • The number of reproductions increased to over 8.500 and over 100 images were replaced by better quality new scans.
    • Reproductions of the works of 84 new artists (among them 28 sculptors) were added to the collection. The new artists are mostly French and English from the 17th and 18th centuries.
    • New guided tour #12 French painting and sculpture in the 15th-18th centuries was introduced.

    Major changes in February, 2001:

    • The number of reproductions increased to over 8.000 by the addition of 700 new images.
    • Reproductions of the works of 47 new artists were added to the collection. The new artists are mostly Italian and French.
    • Guided Tour #5 Visit to the Sistine Chapel was completely redone enhanced with new images of the restored frescoes.
    • Guided Tour #1 Overview of the Italian Painters was restructured, making the navigation easier; the explanations of the various local schools were supplemented.

    Change in December, 2000:

    • Improved postcard service: postcards can be sent simultaneously up to 20 e-mail addresses.

    Major enhancement in October, 2000:

    • By adding about 850 new images the number of reproductions increased to over 7.300. Furthermore, over 300 images were replaced by better quality new scans. Major changes:
      • Reproductions of the works of 65 new artists were added to the collection. The new artists are mainly - although not exclusively - Dutch and Flemish painters from the 17th century.
      • Many new images were added to the pages of the 17th-century Dutch masters like Vermeer, Hals, Hooch, Dou, Metsu, Maes, Ter Borch, Terbrugghen, and others.
      • About 100 new biographies and 1000 new picture commentaries were added.
    • Painting in the Low Countries (Tour #7) was updated by including the new artists.
    • The Search Engine was improved by extending the search capabilities to the location (museums, church collections) of the displayed artworks.

    Major enhancement in March, 2000:

    • The number of reproductions increased to over 6.500, furthermore, over 200 images were replaced by better quality new scans. Major changes:
    • New guided tours were introduced, namely
      • Tour #10 Painting of the International Gothic presenting European art around the turn of the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries,
      • Tour #11 Early Flemish Altarpieces describing some of the most important winged altarpieces of early Flemish painting from Melchior Broederlam (end of the 14th century) to Hans Memling (end of the 15th century),
      • Tour #14 Mini-Tours in European Painting providing a group of brief tours (presently: German Gothic and early Renaissance painting, Bohemian painting in the 14th century, Caravaggism).

    Enhancement in December, 1999:

    • The scope of the collection has been extended to the years 1150-1800 thus including artists and works from the late Romanesque as well as the late Baroque and Rococo periods. At the same time
      • medieval artists from Central and Eastern Europe (Austrian, Bohemian, Hungarian) were added to the collection,
      • more reproductions of illuminated manuscripts were added,
    • The number of reproductions increased to over 6.000, furthermore, over 200 images were replaced by better quality new scans. Major changes:
      • The Caravaggio and Tintoretto
        • pages were further developed.
      • Venetian, Roman and Neapolitan painting of the 17th century are better represented.
    • Tour #1: Overview of Italian Painters from 1200 to 1750 was considerably enlarged.
    • The search system was improved.

    Major enhancement in June, 1999:

    • Database was created to introduce the major fine arts museums and churches owning the original artworks reproduced in the Gallery. The database contains also supplementary information on art terms, art centres in the Italian Renaissance, famous families of the Italian Renaissance, illustrious people related to the Renaissance, popes in the 12th-18th centuries.
    • The glossary of art terms, appearing in a small additional window, can be reached from each page.
    • The catalogue of the collection can be downloaded in MS Excel, dBase IV, and delimited text formats for off-line study and search.

    Major enhancement in March, 1999:

    • Frame system is provided for easier navigation. However, the no-frame system is also retained for use with screen resolution lower than 800 x 600, as well as for bookmarking.
    • The number of reproductions increased to over 5.000, furthermore, over 100 images were replaced by better quality new scans. The additional images resulted in a more balanced distribution of the reproductions in time and schools.
    • New guided tour - Tour #9 Art in Spain - was introduced, Tour #5 to the Sistine Chapel was enhanced.
    • Technical innovations: image viewer capable of zooming in the 25%-200% size range; improved postcard service.

    Major enhancement in September, 1998:

    • With 400 new pictures added, the collection contains over 4.000 reproductions. 200 new scans improved the quality of existing reproductions.
    • New guided tour (Tour # 8) introduced to present painting and sculpture in Siena from 1200 to 1600. Special emphasis is given to Duccio, Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti.
    • Tour # 1 is supplemented by the painters of the 17th century Genoese school.
    • In the Gothic Section, the miniatures and initials from French, Italian, English, German, Austrian, Netherlandish, Spanish, Hungarian, Bohemian manuscripts are presented by 120+ reproductions.

    Major enhancement in February, 1998:

    • 600+ pictures added, mostly but not exclusively sculptures and Netherlandish (Dutch and Flemish) paintings.
    • New guided tour (Tour # 7) introduced to present painting in the Low Countries from 1400 to 1700.
    • Postcard service installed: any picture of the collection can be sent as postcard.

    Major enhancement in October 1997:

    • The time period covered by the collection was extended to years 1200-1700.
    • The art of some of the great masters are presented in a more detailed fashion, by more pictures and more comments. The list of these artists are given below.
    • The search engine has been improved by adding the possibility of advanced search; now search terms containing Boolean operators can also be used.
    • Sculpture is more markedly represented in the collection.
    • Gothic art (archtectural sculpture and miniature) is included in the collection
    • Guided Tours are introduced to facilitate the visit of the collection.
    • As a result of all these changes, the number of picture files increased from 1100 to 2900.
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