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

  • Biography: Jessie Willcox Smith

    Biography: Jessie Willcox Smith

    Jessie Willcox Smith (1863–1935), an American illustrator and painter, holds a revered place in the annals of American art, particularly for her significant contributions to the Golden Age of American illustration. Born…

  • The Renaissance: Not As Golden As We Think?

    The Renaissance: Not As Golden As We Think?

    Art lovers and historians alike often view the Renaissance as a shining era of cultural rebirth, marked by unparalleled advancements in art, science, and human thought. This period, which spanned roughly from…

  • Dagestan: The History of its Art

    Dagestan: The History of its Art

    The cliffs of Dagestan have held their silence for thousands of years, but the rocks themselves remember. On the high escarpments above the Caspian Sea, etched into sandstone and shale, are some…

  • Biography: Jean-François Raffaëlli

    Biography: Jean-François Raffaëlli

    Jean-François Raffaëlli (1850–1924), a French painter, printmaker, and sculptor, played a pivotal role in the late 19th-century French art scene, contributing to the evolving artistic movements of the time. Born on April…

  • Love Story: Norman Rockwell and Mary Barstow

    Love Story: Norman Rockwell and Mary Barstow

    When you think of Norman Rockwell, vivid images of Americana likely spring to mind: the small-town charm, the everyday heroes, the quintessential moments of mid-20th century American life. Yet, behind these iconic…

  • The History of Art in Rome

    The History of Art in Rome

    Before Rome was Rome, it was a land of shifting identities, ancient languages, and vibrant cultural exchanges. The story of Roman art doesn’t begin with marble busts or imperial forums—it begins with…

  • Biography: Käthe Kollwitz

    Biography: Käthe Kollwitz

    Käthe Kollwitz (1867–1945), a German artist, printmaker, and sculptor, stands as one of the most powerful and compassionate voices in the history of modern art. Born on July 8, 1867, in Königsberg,…

  • Biography: Henry Fuseli

    Biography: Henry Fuseli

    Henry Fuseli, born Johann Heinrich Füssli on February 7, 1741, in Zürich, Switzerland, was a Swiss painter, draughtsman, and writer best known for his works that bridge the realms of Neoclassicism and…