Latest Stories

Our growing archive of info about art, design, and culture.

  • Inspiration: “Saimi in the Meadow,” by Eero Järnefelt

    Inspiration: “Saimi in the Meadow,” by Eero Järnefelt

    Eero Järnefelt was the son of General Alexander Järnefelt and Baroness Elisabeth Järnefelt (née Clodt von Jürgensburg).  After graduating from a private academy, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki from 1874 to 1878, the Imperial Academy of…

  • Love Story: Man Ray and Lee Miller

    Man Ray and Lee Miller’s relationship is a tale of love, creativity, and collaboration. Their passionate connection not only fueled their personal lives but also had a significant impact on the world…

  • Inspiration: “Lady Godiva,” by John Collier

    Inspiration: “Lady Godiva,” by John Collier

    Lady Godiva is an 1898 painting by English artist John Collier, who worked in the style of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The portrayal of Lady Godiva and her well-known ride through Coventry, England,…

  • Biography: Gaston La Touche

    Biography: Gaston La Touche

    Gaston La Touche (1854-1913) was a French artist known for his contributions to the Symbolist and Post-Impressionist movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was primarily a painter but…

  • Biography: Marie Bashkirtseff

    Biography: Marie Bashkirtseff

    Marie Bashkirtseff (Maria Konstantinovna Bashkirtseva) was a Ukrainian-born artist, diarist, and sculptor who lived from 1858 to 1884. She was born on November 11, 1858, in Gavrontsi, a village in present-day Ukraine,…

  • Sydney: The History of its Art

    Sydney: The History of its Art

    The first art ever made in what we now call Sydney wasn’t painted with oils or exhibited in white-walled galleries. It was carved into sandstone platforms, painted on rock shelters, and inscribed…

  • Palacio Nacional, Mexico City: Exploration

    The facade is bordered on the north and south by two towers and includes three main door ways, each of which lead to a different part of the building. The southern door…

  • Tonalism: The Dreamlike Art That Transformed Painting

    Tonalism: The Dreamlike Art That Transformed Painting

    Tonalism was a revolutionary art movement that emerged in the United States during the late 19th century, bringing a new, atmospheric approach to landscape painting. Unlike the bright, energetic brushstrokes of Impressionism,…

  • Mexican Wrestling Meets the Day of The Dead

    The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends…

  • Biography: Pierre Puvis de Chavannes

    Biography: Pierre Puvis de Chavannes

    Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (1824-1898), was a French painter known for his significant contributions to the Symbolist and mural painting movements of the 19th century. Puvis de Chavannes was not only a…

  • Biography: Paul César Helleu

    Biography: Paul César Helleu

    Paul César Helleu (1859–1927) was a French painter and engraver best known for his elegant and stylish portraits, particularly those of high society figures and members of European aristocracy. He was born…