Latest Stories

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

Vanishing Acts: Japan’s “Evaporated People” in Art

In Japan there is a chilling phenomenon known as “evaporation” — people simply vanish from their lives and disappear without a trace. These individuals, part of what is called Jōhatsu, walk away…
Museum Guide: The Tate Modern

Walking toward Tate Modern for the first time can feel like approaching a cathedral—though one built for machines rather than for worship. Its immense brick exterior and tall central chimney, rising from…
Biography: George Inness

George Inness was born on May 1, 1825, in Newburgh, New York, as the fifth of thirteen children of John William Inness and his wife Clarissa Baldwin. His father was a farmer, and the…
Connecticut: The History of its Art

When English settlers brought their Calvinist convictions to the Connecticut River Valley in the early 17th century, they did not come to found an artistic tradition. They came to build a godly…
Catherine Palace: A Baroque Gem of Tsarskoye Selo

The origins of Catherine Palace stretch back to the early 18th century. Around 1710, Tsarskoye Selo—then a quiet village near Saint Petersburg—was granted by Peter the Great to his wife, Catherine I.…
Massachusetts: The History of its art

In the early decades of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, there were no artists in the European sense—no easel painters, no sculptors, and certainly no decorative artisans working purely for beauty’s sake. What…
Wolves in Northern European Legend and Art

Wolves have long held a powerful place in the stories of the northern world. In the early tales of Scandinavia, Germany, and the British Isles, the wolf stands for endurance, sharp instinct,…
Stags and Their Noble Imagery in 19th Century Landscapes

The stag has been a symbol of nobility and alert strength for thousands of years. In ancient European traditions, it represented grace, speed, and a natural dignity that set it apart from…
Susanna and the Elders in Art: Virtue Under Siege Through the Ages

The story of Susanna and the Elders comes from the Book of Daniel, where a virtuous woman is falsely accused after refusing the sinful advances of two corrupt men. Though she faces…
Biography: Carl Wuttke

Carl Wuttke was born on 3 January 1849 in Trebnitz, Silesia (then part of Prussia). He entered the world in a modest environment, far from the great artistic centers of his time.…
Why Clean Design Is Overused and Lacking Soul

The roots of what is now called “clean design” trace back to mid-20th century Switzerland, where the International Typographic Style, better known as Swiss Style, took shape. Designers such as Josef Müller-Brockmann…
Rumpelstiltskin and His Influence on Art

The fairy tale known as Rumpelstiltskin was first published by Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859) in 1812. Appearing in the inaugural edition of their Children’s and Household Tales, the story…