Latest Stories

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

Cardiff Giant: Truth Behind America’s Fake Giant

On October 16, 1869, two unsuspecting workers digging a well behind a barn in Cardiff, New York, stumbled upon what appeared to be a ten-foot-tall petrified man buried beneath the soil. The…
Inspiration: “Max Schmitt in a Single Scull,” by Thomas Eakins

Few American paintings combine athleticism, artistry, and personal tribute as seamlessly as Max Schmitt in a Single Scull by Thomas Eakins. Completed in 1871, the work captures a solitary moment on Philadelphia’s…
Helsinki: The History of its Art

The earliest human lives around what would become Helsinki unfolded in a landscape that barely resembles the modern capital—both in form and in scale. The Baltic Sea was a colder, more erratic…
Art of the Folly: Quirky Architecture in European Gardens

Tucked into the rolling estates of Europe, you might stumble upon a miniature Roman temple, a weathered Gothic ruin, or even a pyramid, seemingly dropped into the middle of a manicured field.…
Albania: The History of its Art

Albania’s artistic heritage occupies a peculiar position within the broader framework of European art history. It is both embedded in the great tides of Mediterranean civilization and curiously peripheral, often overlooked in…
The Future of Art Looks Bleak: What to Expect in 100 Years

Art has always been a mirror of civilization. From the cave paintings at Lascaux to Michelangelo’s David and Rembrandt’s stirring portraits, great works have reflected the values, faith, and aspirations of their…
Voice of the Crown: The Architecture of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, stands as the heart of British political life and a defining symbol of constitutional monarchy. Nestled on the north bank…
Inspiration: “River Landscape,” by Annibale Carracci

Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) was a central figure in the reform of Italian painting in the late 16th century. Alongside his cousin Ludovico and brother Agostino, he co-founded the Accademia degli Incamminati in…
White Mountain Art: America’s Landscape Legacy

The White Mountains of New Hampshire, with their sweeping ridgelines, pristine valleys, and clear mountain light, captured the imagination of 19th-century American artists like few places ever had. These highlands, forming part…
Tibet: The History of its Art

Long before the chant of Buddhist monks echoed through the high plateaus and valleys of Tibet, the region bore witness to a rich spiritual and visual culture rooted in what is now…
The Spotted Horses of Pech Merle

Tucked into the limestone hills of the Lot department in southern France, the Pech Merle cave offers a stunning glimpse into the artistic vision of humanity’s distant past. Located near the village…
The Skagen Painters: Nordic Light on Canvas

In the far northern reaches of Denmark lies a coastal village that once shimmered not only with natural light, but also with artistic ambition. Skagen, situated where the Kattegat and Skagerrak seas…