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.
The Dog Men (Coprophagia)
Luis Alberto Acuña
This disturbing drawing (1988) shows three gaunt hybrid figures with human torsos and doglike heads crouched on all fours. Part of Acuña’s late series on distorted bodies, it examines the boundary between human and animal. The title refers to coprophagia (the consumption of excrement), which Acuña uses to articulate a vision of moral collapse and social dehumanization.
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.
The Appearance of Christ to the Disciples
Master of Cabestany
This 12th-c. Romanesque sculpture by the Master of Cabestany depicts Christ revealing himself to his disciples after the resurrection. The artist is known for figures with large heads, flat foreheads, long noses, and almond-shaped eyes. Likely from the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, the work exemplifies the Master of Cabestany’s influence across Southern Europe, from Tuscany to Navarre.
Cupid Pleads with Jupiter for Psyche
Raphael
In this fresco (1517–18), Raphael depicts the moment when Cupid petitions Jupiter for Psyche’s immortality. Jupiter’s intimate gesture suggests divine consent and compassion, while Cupid’s youthful vulnerability contrasts with the god’s authority. The work reflects Renaissance fascination with classical myths and divine love.
Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix
Antonio Canova
This statue (1805–08) presents Pauline Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon, as Venus, reclining semi-nude and holding the golden apple of victory. Commissioned by her husband Camillo Borghese, the statue blends neoclassical elegance with sensual myth. Its rotating base once allowed viewers to admire it from every angle.
The Infant Jesus with a Lamb
Bernardino Luini
This oil and tempera on panel (c. 1525) captures the tenderness of the Infant Jesus, or Gesu Bambino, embracing a lamb—a symbol of his future sacrifice as the Lamb of God. Luini’s High Renaissance style blends divine purity and human innocence, creating a serene image of spiritual love and redemptive foreshadowing.
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.
St Bartholomew Flayed
Marco d’Agrate
This marble statue (1562) shows St Bartholomew as a flayed figure, his own skin arranged like a draped garment around an exposed muscular body. Such extreme anatomical precision draws on Renaissance study of dissected cadavers. The saint’s upright stance and calm, frontal gaze demonstrate how martyrdom could be articulated as steadfast faith rather than physical defeat.
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.
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.
The Capture of the Cretan Bull
Lycungus Painter
Heracles grapples with the Cretan bull, locking its horns as the animal lunges, while Athena and a youthful attendant stand calmly among stylized trees. The scene represents his seventh labour, subduing the bull sent by Poseidon after King Minos withheld a promised sacrifice. This Apulian red-figure volute krater (mixing bowl) (360–345 BC) reflects South Italian interest in myth as a drama of human strength under divine supervision.
Santa Conversazione (detail)
Ambrogio Bergognone
This panel 1490-95) features a trio of female saints bearing lilies, symbolizing purity. Adorned with gold and intricate embroidery, their garments suggest sanctity and nobility. The solemn expressions and clasped books evoke wisdom and devotion, emphasizing the fusion of holiness and human dignity in late Gothic religious art.
Archangel Michael
Raffaello da Montelupo
This marble statue (1544) once crowned the fortress, showing the Archangel Michael in the moment of sheathing his sword after ending the plague of 590. The figure’s contrapposto stance and idealized anatomy recall classical sculpture, while the raised wings and military dress assert his role as heavenly protector. The blend of antique form and Christian subject turns a local miracle into a civic symbol of deliverance.
Fire in the Borgo
Rapahael and Giulio Romano
This fresco (1514) captures a legendary fire in Rome's Borgo district, illustrating divine intervention through Pope Leo IV's prayer. The fresco, part of the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican, blends classical and Renaissance elements, showcasing dynamic figures and architectural precision. This work reflects the era's belief in the power of faith and the church's central role in societal protection and order.
“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!