West Virginia: The History of its Art
When settlers first moved into the valleys and ridgelines of what would later become West Virginia, they carried very little with them but their tools, their faith, and their memory of the…
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Our growing archive of info about art, design, and culture.
Inspiration: “Ogród Saski,” by Aleksander Gierymski
OGRÓD SASKIAleksander Gierymski (1850-1901)1887Polish Aleksander Gierymski completed Secondary State School in Warsaw in 1867, and in the same year commenced drawing studies in Warsaw. Between 1868 – 1872 he studied at the…
Inspiration: “The Young Biologist,” by Paul Peel
Peel was born in London, Ontario, and received his art training from his father from a young age. Later he studied under William Lees Judson and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins. He…
Biography: Annie Louisa Swynnerton
Annie Louisa Swynnerton (1844–1933) was a British painter who played a significant role in the late 19th and early 20th-century art scene. Born in Hulme, Manchester, England, on February 26, 1844, she…
Biography: Albert Bierstadt
Albert Bierstadt led an interesting life, to say the least. He was born in Germany in 1830, but his family moved to America soon after, settling in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Bierstadt was…
Inspiration: “In Gradina,” by Nicolae Grigorescu
IN GRADINANicolae Grigorescu (1838–1907)Unknown DateRomanian He was born in Pitaru, Dâmboviţa County, Wallachia now called Romania. In 1843 the family moved to Bucharest. At a young age (between 1846 and 1850), he became an apprentice…
The History of Art in Belgium
Belgium’s art history is a testament to its unique geographical and cultural position at the crossroads of Europe. Nestled between France, the Netherlands, and Germany, Belgium has absorbed and influenced a range…
Inspiration: “Nude Figure,” by William Brymner
Born in Greenock, Scotland, the son of Douglas Brymner the first Dominion Archivist and Jean Thomson, he moved with his family to Melbourne, Canada East in 1857. In 1864, his family moved…
Foxes in East Asian and European Folklore Art
Foxes have occupied a lively place in world storytelling for thousands of years, and artists have always been quick to capture the creature’s blend of wit, alertness, and quiet mystery. In many…
Biography: Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí was born on June 25, 1852, in Reus, a town in Catalonia, Spain. He was the youngest of five children in a family of coppersmiths. From an early age, Gaudí…
Inspiration: “Truth Coming Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind,” by Jean Léon Gérome
Art has a way of capturing the human spirit, embodying the essence of society’s struggles, triumphs, and, sometimes, its darkest truths. One such powerful piece that resonates through time is Jean Léon…
10 Remarkable Asian Impressionist Painters
When people think of Impressionism, names like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas come to mind. However, while the movement was born in France in the 1860s and 1870s, its influence…
