Cain and Abel
Tintoretto
The scene (1550–53) shows the biblical story of Cain’s jealousy and the murder of his brother Abel. The work reflects the Mannerist style through sharp contrasts of light and shadow, twisting poses, and tense, compressed space. Tintoretto’s hallmark energy appears in the sweeping gestures and urgent brushwork that heighten the scene’s violence, underscoring the enduring power of biblical themes in Renaissance art.
Temple of Love
Richard Mique
Erected in the gardens of the Petit Trianon (1778), this neoclassical rotunda shelters a sculpture of Cupid and symbolizes Marie Antoinette’s idealized vision of romance and pastoral escape. Designed by architect Richard Mique, the temple reflects Enlightenment-era aesthetics and the queen’s longing for simplicity within Versailles’ opulence.
Archangel Michael Weighing Souls
Rogier van der Weyden
Detail from the Last Judgment Altarpiece (1445–50), created for Beaune’s Hôtel-Dieu. Archangel Michael holds scales to weigh souls, his calm gaze contrasting with the cosmic drama around him. Trumpeting angels herald resurrection, while Michael’s jeweled vestments and red wings embody divine authority. For the hospital’s patients, this image linked earthly suffering to the hope of eternal salvation.
Self-Portrait
Tintoretto
This self-portrait (1546–48) by Tintoretto, a leading figure of the Venetian Renaissance, presents the artist with an intense, direct gaze that suggests introspection and resolve. The subdued palette and earthy tones create a solemn mood, yet the brisk, energetic handling of paint hints at the dramatic style that defined his larger works. Emphasizing inner character over setting, the portrait later entered the Orleans Collection and was acquired for Marie Antoinette in 1785.
Head of a Youth
Michelangelo
This charcoal head of a youth (1511–12) fills a shallow lunette, the face turned sharply upward and modeled with dense, sculptural shading. Created while Michelangelo worked at Villa Farnesina, it is understood as a visual homage to Raphael’s work in the same setting. The fusion of muscular anatomy with a calm, idealized profile demonstrates how Michelangelo engaged directly with Raphael’s Renaissance style.
Madonna and Child with St Anne (Madonna dei Palafrenieri)
Caravaggio
This bold altarpiece (1605–06) shows the Virgin Mary guiding the Christ Child as he crushes a serpent—symbol of original sin. St Anne watches solemnly, evoking generational grace. Caravaggio’s realism and chiaroscuro infuse the holy scene with human emotion, provoking awe and controversy upon its brief display in St Peter’s.
The Rape of Proserpina
Bernini
This angle captures the emotional arc of Proserpina’s resistance as she twists away from Pluto’s grasp. Her outstretched arm and flowing hair dramatize the violence of the abduction. Cerberus, the infernal hound, reinforces the mythological setting, while the composition’s spiral motion showcases Bernini’s virtuosity in carving living flesh from marble.
Instant Gratification
Rodel Tapaya
This work (2018) reinterprets the Filipino fable of The Monkey and the Turtle, placing its lesson within a crowded jungle of gambling stalls and restless figures. Monkeys embody the tale’s impatience and hunger for quick gain, while a small turtle-the steady effort outlasts reckless desire. Log piles, patterned trunks, and theatrical foliage frame a world driven by instant gratification and easy profit. Tapaya adapts indigenous storytelling to expose modern cycles of greed.
Venus Appeals to Ceres and Juno
Raphael, Giovanni da Udine
In this scene (1518), Raphael depicts Venus appealing to Ceres and Juno for vengeance on Psyche, but both goddesses refuse. The fresco illustrates the tension between divine power and mortal love. Da Udine’s elaborate botanical festoons frame the composition, enhancing its Renaissance richness.
The Death of Adonis
Tintoretto's Workshop
The Death of Adonis (1550–55) captures Venus fainting at Adonis's death, diverging from Ovid’s Metamorphoses by including young women not in the original tale. Created by a Nordic artist in Tintoretto’s Venetian workshop, it blends Tintoretto’s dramatic style with the collaborator’s unique touch, evident in the expressive figures and vibrant colors. This fusion highlights the shared human themes of love and loss, inviting reflection on the timeless nature of myth and emotion.
The Courtyard of the Wind Palace
Salvador Dalí
Dalí’s surreal installation (1970s) features golden female mannequins resembling votive icons in windows surrounding a central bronze figure of Venus crowned with a ship. This work merges classical motifs with theatrical elements, creating a fantastical vision of fertility, mythology, and voyeurism, showcasing Dalí’s unique blend of art and architecture.
Judith Beheading Holofernes (detail)
Caravaggio
In this dramatic scene from Judith Beheading Holofernes (c.1598), the Assyrian general Holofernes struggles in his final moments as Judith, the Jewish widow, delivers the fatal blow. Caravaggio captures his terror with a contorted face and blood spurting across the bed, while Judith's hands hold him with determination. This raw depiction distills the narrative to its core: virtue triumphing over tyranny, conveyed with intense immediacy.
Zacatecas Landscape with Hanged Men
Francisco Goitia
This 1914 canvas exposes the horrors of the Mexican Revolution. Two skeletal corpses hang from a barren tree, their twisted bodies blending with the lifeless landscape, while an owl perches above as a symbol of death. Goitia, who witnessed the battle of Zacatecas, rejected heroic depictions in favor of brutal realism. His work stands as both testimony and condemnation, capturing the trauma of a nation torn by war.
Adam and Eve
Tintoretto
Tintoretto’s painting (1550–53) depicts the biblical scene of temptation in the Garden of Eden. Eve offers the forbidden fruit to Adam, with their expulsion illustrated in the background. Influenced by Michelangelo, the composition emphasizes the nude figures and employs oblique lines to structure the landscape. This work reflects the Renaissance interest in human form and moral themes.
The Apotheosis of St. Ignatius
Andrea Pozzo
Max captures The Apotheosis of St. Ignatius (1685–1694) using a viewing mirror beneath the ceiling, enhancing Pozzo’s Baroque illusionism. This optical device unveils the masterful perspective that transforms the flat vault into a celestial vision, merging art and exemplifying the Baroque fascination with perspective: a dynamic interplay between earthly and divine realms.
“When the path is beautiful, do not ask where it leads.” — Zen proverb
Welcome to my travel photography!
“When the path is beautiful, do not ask where it leads.” — Zen proverb
Welcome to my travel photography!
For as long as I can remember, my path has been one of discovery—seeking beauty, timelessness, and connection in every corner of the world. It has also been a journey of deep learning and understanding. I’ve been an avid traveler (or perhaps a travel addict?) for most of my life. My love for travel began long before I ever left home: as a child, I drew a fantasy map of my grandparents’ apartment and “traveled” through it with my cousin Sonya, imagining adventures in every corner. Nearly 90 countries and countless moments of awe later, I’m excited to share this journey with you.
Thanks to the tireless and ingenious programming of Diagilev, we’re now able to present about fifteen percent of the images I’ve accumulated over the years. More will be released in small batches depending on your interest. While the first release leans toward museum photography, later ones will include more nature, architecture, culture, and general travel experiences. If you’d like to receive email notifications about new releases, feel free to reach out—no commercial use, ever.
Throughout my travels, I’ve been drawn to two intertwined kinds of discovery. One is intellectual: learning why the world is the way it is. History became my guide, shaping my perspective and filling my camera roll with museums and old buildings. To me, history is not the past—it is the key to understanding the present and how the world became what it is. The other is emotional: seeking moments of elevation—spirituality, beauty, harmony—often found in nature, monasteries, and ancient sacred spaces. Together, these impulses shape my photography. It invites you to learn, admire, and soar—to rise above the mundane and see the world through a lens of curiosity and wonder.
Much of my later travel became possible thanks to my job with Delta Air Lines, but the wanderlust began years earlier. By the time I joined the industry, I had already visited over 35 countries and lived in several—largely thanks to a backpacking journey around the world with Luis León, whose face appears in many early photos. I grew up in Ufa in the USSR, and since leaving it I have lived, studied, and worked in Latvia, the United States, France, South Korea, Canada, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Japan, and Colombia.
A life of near-constant movement may seem a little crazy, but it has deepened my understanding of the world and produced the photography you are about to see. Over the years, my style has evolved—more intentional, more refined—yet its core remains the same: a search for understanding, timeless beauty, and a connection to those who walked this earth long before us.
I hope these photos stir something in your soul, just as they did in mine. I’d love to hear from you—whether reactions, suggestions, corrections, or a request to be added to the email list for new releases (no commercial use, I promise). You can learn more about my travels here, and my academic life here.
Enjoy our shared journey!