Mona Lisa, Age Twelve
Fernando Botero
In this whimsical reimagining (1959), Botero transforms da Vinci’s iconic subject into a voluminous child. Created in his signature Boterismo style, the painting blends parody with homage. Born from a cleaning lady’s remark, the work helped launch Botero’s career, celebrating exaggerated form as a tool for both humor and artistic identity.
The Penitent Magdalene
Caravaggio
This painting (1594–95) shows Mary Magdalene seated in repentance, jewels cast aside at her feet. With downcast eyes and folded hands, she embodies both sensual beauty and spiritual transformation. Caravaggio merges naturalism with sacred symbolism, turning penitence into a deeply human, intimate moment of grace.
Expulsion from Eden
Maître des Médaillons
This French manuscript miniature (early 15th c.) shows Adam and Eve after the Fall, modestly covering themselves with leaves. An angel descends with a robe, while the Tree of Knowledge burns red above them. To the right stands a stone building, symbolizing exile from Paradise. The vivid colors and fine detail reflect late medieval devotional art.
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.
Cave Painter
Luis Alberto Acuña
In this mural (1960-75), Acuña imagines a prehistoric family gathered as the father paints on a cave wall. The scene blends idealized innocence with artistic origin: music, fire, and breastfeeding evoke harmony, while the act of painting becomes a metaphor for humanity’s first attempt to narrate its world. This work reflects Acuña’s fascination with the roots of civilization and his desire to forge a national artistic identity that honors both primitivism and cultural continuity.
Madonna del Padiglione
Sandro Botticelli
This tempera painting (c. 1493) shows the Virgin Mary adoring the Christ Child beneath a luxurious red canopy, assisted by angels. Botticelli fuses spiritual intimacy with courtly elegance. The open book and flowering symbols evoke divine wisdom and purity, while the tent references the tabernacle—God’s dwelling among humanity.
Loyalty from Los Disparates Series
Francisco Goya
This etching (1815–1823) by Francisco Goya, part of the Los Disparates series, explores themes of chaos and irrationality. Featuring grotesque figures, it suggests blind loyalty or foolishness, reflecting the turbulent era of Ferdinand VII’s reign in Spain. Goya’s use of aquatint and etching techniques enhances dramatic contrasts and textures, providing a dark commentary on the social and political upheavals of his time.
Pentheus Attacked by Bacchic Women
The Oxford Group Workshop
This Apulian red-figure plate (360–350 BC) shows Pentheus arming himself against Dionysus’ cult. In myth, he is seized by Bacchic women, including his mother Agave, who mistake him for prey and tear him apart. The scene warns against impiety and defying divine power, embodying the tragic cost of resisting Dionysian ecstasy and communal worship.
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.
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.
Homage to Vivaldi
Eduardo Ramírez Villamizar
This sculptural relief in painted wood (1963) reflects Villamizar’s fusion of geometric abstraction and musical rhythm. Vertical repetition and modulated forms evoke the structured elegance of Vivaldi’s compositions, transforming sound into visual cadence. It belongs to the museum’s permanent collection.
Madonna of the Towers
Bramantino
This tempera and oil painting (1515–20) presents the Madonna and Child enthroned between Saint Ambrose and Saint Michael. Set before fortified towers symbolizing Marian protection, the composition reflects Leonardo’s influence in its symmetry and restraint. Below, a toad representing the Devil lies defeated, underscoring the Virgin’s triumph over evil.
Young Sick Bacchus
Caravaggio
This self-portrait (c. 1593) shows Caravaggio as Bacchus with jaundiced skin and tense features, painted while recovering from illness. The ivy crown replaces the usual vine leaves, subverting divine idealism. Both sensual and unsettling, the image mocks classical beauty and reveals the artist’s own physical vulnerability.
Satyr Pouring Wine
Praxiteles
This Roman marble statue is a copy of Praxiteles’ 4th-c. BC Greek original, depicting a youthful satyr, a companion of Dionysus, pouring wine. Though the pitcher and cup are missing, it captures the revelry and music linked to satyrs. Found near Naples in 1797, it exemplifies Praxiteles’ style with sinuous curves and a naturalistic pose, embodying the carefree spirit of Dionysian myth.
The Wedding Banquet of Cupid and Psyche
Raphael
In this fresco (1518–19), Raphael presents the divine banquet:on the left are Neptune, Persephone, Pluto, Juno, and Jupiter receiving a drink from Ganymede. On the right sit Psyche and Cupid, gazing at each other. In the foreground, Bacchus and a young satyr pour wine, highlighting the festive nature of Cupid’s immortal union with Psyche.
“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!