Latest Stories
Our growing archive of info about art, design, and culture.
Kiev: The History of its Art
Few cities embody the paradox of destruction and rebirth, isolation and interconnectedness, as profoundly as Kyiv — or Kiev, as it was historically known. Straddling the Dnipro River, this city has been…
Why Hieronymus Bosch Paintings Are Such Creepy Fun
Hieronymus Bosch, the Dutch painter of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, remains one of art history’s most enigmatic and compelling figures. His surreal, chaotic works are filled with bizarre creatures,…
Biography: John White Alexander
John White Alexander (1856-1915) was an American painter and illustrator known for his captivating portraits, elegant figures, and fluid handling of drapery. Born on October 7, 1856, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania (now part…
The Mona Lisa: Masterpiece or Overrated Icon?
Is the Mona Lisa truly the pinnacle of artistic achievement, or is it just an overrated icon? This question has been at the forefront of art debates for decades. The painting’s global…
Christchurch: The History of its Art
The artistic identity of Christchurch began not with a canvas but with a cathedral plan. Before brush met board, stone met chisel. In the 1850s, the settlers of the Canterbury Association arrived…
The Hudson River School: Pioneers of American Landscape Art
The Hudson River School is widely recognized as America’s first true art movement, rooted in the profound appreciation of the natural world. Emerging in the early 19th century, it celebrated the vast…
Biography: Maurice Vlaminck
Maurice de Vlaminck, a pivotal figure in the early 20th century art scene, was a man of diverse talents and passions. Born on April 4, 1876, in Paris, France, Vlaminck was the…
Tycho Brahe Bust by The Round Tower
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) has never set foot in the Round Tower given that the first plans to build the tower date back to the 1630s and Brahe died in 1601 – not…
Wales: The History of its Art
Wales, the land of Eryri and the Brecon Beacons, of windswept coastlines and quiet stone chapels, is often described in terms of its natural beauty. But beyond its mist-cloaked mountains and slate-scarred…
Under the Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn
Construction on the bridge’s towers had commenced by at least 1901. By 1903, three workers had died while working on the Brooklyn-side tower’s caisson. A $10 million grant for the bridge’s construction was granted in…
