Inspiration: “Bauernmädchen,” by Wilhelm Leibl
Leibl was born in Cologne, where his father was the director of the Cathedral choir. He was apprenticed to a locksmith before beginning his artistic training with the local painter Hermann Becker in…
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Our growing archive of info about art, design, and culture.
Inspiration: “Summer Lush,” by Amelie Lundahl
Amélie Lundahl was the youngest of eleven children. Her mother died when she was three months old and her father, Abraham, a Town Representative (public prosecutor) died when she was eight. From…
The Lie of Cultural Appropriation in Art: When Do We Push Back?
Have you ever looked at a piece of art and wondered about the origins of its elements? This question often stirs debates around cultural appropriation in art. Some argue that borrowing elements…
Inspiration: “Apple Blossom,” by George Clausen
George Clausen was born in London on 18 April 1852, the son of a decorative artist of Danish descent. From 1867 to 1873, he attended the design classes at the South Kensington Schools in…
Cairns: The History of its Art
The artistic story of Cairns begins not in galleries or studios, but in the terrain itself—an unruly collision of sea, rainforest, and sun-bleached inland. Few Australian cities are as geographically isolated and…
Biography: Władysław Ślewiński
Władysław Ślewiński (1856–1918) was a Polish painter associated with the Symbolist movement. He was born in Kraków, Poland, and later studied at the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts. Ślewiński also spent time…
Inspiration: “Franz von Lenbach with Wife and Daughters,” by Franz von Lenbach
Franz von Lenbach with Wife and Daughters is a striking portrait that showcases both the artistic mastery and personal life of one of the 19th century’s most esteemed portrait painters. Franz von…
Biography: Pekka Halonen
Pekka Halonen, a name synonymous with the Finnish National Romanticism movement, is celebrated for his captivating and serene depictions of the Finnish landscape. Born on September 23, 1865, in Lapinlahti, Finland, Halonen…
Biography: Robert William Vonnoh
Robert William Vonnoh (1858–1933) was an American Impressionist painter known for his captivating landscapes and portraits that captured the essence of everyday life. Born on September 17, 1858, in Hartford, Connecticut, Vonnoh’s…
Inspiration: “Blooming Summer,” by Eero Järnefelt
Eero Järnefelt was the son of General Alexander Järnefelt and Baroness Elisabeth Järnefelt (née Clodt von Jürgensburg). Several of his eight siblings also became well-known: Kasper, a literary critic. Arvid, a judge and writer. Armas, a composer and conductor. Aino, wife…
Inspiration: “Girl” by George Clausen
George Clausen was born in London on 18 April 1852, the son of a decorative artist of Danish descent. From 1867 to 1873, he attended the design classes at the South Kensington…
Biography: James Ensor
James Ensor was a man with many faces. Born in Ostend, Belgium in 1860, he was the son of an English father and a Flemish mother. He grew up in a house…
