St Bartholomew Flayed
Marco d’Agrate
This haunting statue of Saint Bartholomew (1562) shows the martyr after being skinned alive, wearing his own flayed skin like a cloak. The anatomical precision reveals a Renaissance fascination with the human body, while the calm expression evokes spiritual endurance beyond physical torment.
St. Bernardino (detail)
Pinturicchio
In this detail (1484–1486), Pinturicchio portrays St. Bernardino holding an open book inscribed PATER MANIFESTA NOMEN TUUM OMNIBUS (Father, manifest Your name to all). His raised finger points toward heaven, symbolizing his mission to glorify the Holy Name of Jesus and promote peace amid social discord.
Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius
Bernini
This early masterpiece (1618–19) shows Aeneas carrying his father Anchises and leading his son Ascanius as they flee Troy. Anchises holds the Penates (household gods safeguarding family and hearth), while Ascanius carries a flame, symbol of Rome’s divine lineage. Bernini unites filial duty, piety, and sacrifice with striking youthful vigor.
Champán en el río Magdalena
De la Rue & Torres Méndez
This 1878 lithograph depicts a champán, a flat-bottomed river raft common on the Magdalena River, propelled by Afro-Colombian workers using long poles. Wealthy passengers rest under a thatched shelter, highlighting the stark racial and class divisions of the era. The image captures both Colombia’s natural landscape and its colonial labor hierarchies in transition.
Christ the Judge
Rogier van der Weyden
At the summit of the Last Judgment Altarpiece (1445–50), Christ sits enthroned on a rainbow, resting his feet on a golden globe that symbolizes dominion over the world. He raises his right hand in blessing, while his left gestures toward judgment. The sword and lily flanking him signify justice and mercy, balancing wrath with compassion. Draped in vivid red, Christ embodies divine authority, anchoring the entire altarpiece in the promise of eternal judgment and salvation.
Orestes Pursued by the Furies
Painter of the Birth of Dionysus
This Apulian red-figure krater, used for mixing wine and water, (410–390 BC) depicts Orestes defending himself with a sword against the Erinyes, avenging his mother's death. Apollo, seated with a bow, offers protection, symbolizing divine sanction amid human guilt. This scene illustrates the complex interplay of justice and retribution in Greek mythology.
Adam and Eve
Fernando Botero
These 1999 bronze figures reimagine the biblical first humans with Botero’s hallmark voluminous style. Their serene, exaggerated forms strip the myth of guilt and drama, offering a playful yet dignified meditation on innocence, corporeality, and the timeless tension between flesh and spirit.
The Garden of the Hesperides
Lycurgus Painter
This Apulian red-figure volute krater (360–345 BC) shows maidens guarding the golden apples gifted by Gaia, with the serpent Ladon coiling around the sacred tree. Heracles is tasked with retrieving these apples in his final labor. The scene symbolizes the hero's triumph over peril, reflecting the ancient Greek themes of challenge and victory.
Christ Blessing with Virgin at Prayer
Master of Flémalle
This 15th-c. oak panel by the Master of Flémalle, often associated with Robert Campin, exemplifies early Netherlandish style. It showcases realistic detail through innovative oil paint use. The depiction of Christ blessing and the Virgin Mary at prayer reflects the era’s religious devotion and artistic innovation, marking a pivotal moment in European art’s evolution.
Earth (Mother Earth)
Einar Jónsson
Einar Jónsson’s sculpture (1904–1908) portrays a monumental figure cradling a smaller, draped form symbolizing Earth. Blending allegory and myth, it reflects Icelandic spirituality and cultural narratives. The work embodies humanity’s protective yet dependent bond with nature, inviting reflection on cosmic order and the fragility of existence.
The Last Supper (with Cuy)
Diego de la Puente
De la Puente’s 1658 painting uniquely blends Spanish colonial art with Peruvian culture. It depicts Jesus and his disciples eating cuy (guinea pig), a local delicacy, instead of lamb. This substitution reflects how Catholic imagery was adapted to local customs, offering a clear example of the visual and cultural hybridization that shaped colonial Peru.
Discobolus
Myron
This Roman marble statue (mid-2nd c.) is a faithful copy of Myron’s Greek bronze Discobolus (c. 450 BC). It depicts an athlete in a dynamic pose, poised to release a discus, showcasing the Greek exploration of human form and movement. The sculpture highlights the tension and grace of athletic prowess, reflecting Roman admiration for Greek art and the enduring legacy of classical ideals in depicting the human body.
Tapestry of Fantastical Beasts in a River
Michael Coxcie
Woven in Brussels (c.1565) in a Flemish workshop according to Coxcie's design, this tapestry depicts hybrid beasts and serpents in a dense river landscape reflecting Renaissance fascination with nature’s wildness and moral allegory, symbolizing sin and chaos before divine order.
St. Andrew's Church
Bartolomeo Rastrelli
St. Andrew’s Church (1747–54) crowns a Kyiv hill with gilded domes and turquoise ornament typical of late Baroque design introduced by the Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Its dynamic composition and elaborate detailing adapt Western forms to Orthodox liturgy. The church stands as a landmark of 18th-c. imperial architecture in Eastern Europe.
Archangel Michael
Rogier van der Weyden
This panel (1445–50) from the Beaune Altarpiece shows Archangel Michael weighing souls on Judgment Day. His youthful calm contrasts with the gravity of divine judgment. The richly patterned brocade and peacock-feather wings reflect Burgundian court opulence, linking celestial imagery with the devotional grandeur of 15th-century Flanders.
“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!