Iowa: The History of its Art
A thousand years before Iowa’s grid of roads and farmsteads appeared, its river valleys and wooded ridgelines bore witness to a different kind of design—one carved not by surveyors but by the…
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Our growing archive of info about art, design, and culture.
Dome of the Gods: The Architecture of Rome’s Pantheon
In the heart of ancient Rome stands a building that has defied the passage of time more than any other from the classical world—the Pantheon. Completed around 126 AD during the reign…
Cloudy Day at Malibu Beach Pier
Malibu is a beach city in western Los Angeles County, California, situated about 30 miles (48 km) west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its 21-mile (34 km) strip of…
Inspiration: “Sleigh Ride on a Sunny Winter Day,” by Peder Monsted
SLEIGH RIDE ON A SUNNY WINTER DAYPeder Mørk Mønsted 10 December 1859 – 20 June 1941Danish Peder Mørk Mønsted was born at Grenå, Denmark. He was the son of Otto Christian Mønsted and…
Inspiration: “By Summer Seas,” by Herbert James Draper
Born in London, the son of a jeweller named Henry Draper and his wife Emma, Herbert James Draper was educated at Bruce Castle School in Tottenham and then went on to study…
Biography: Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter (1866–1943) was an English author, illustrator, and naturalist best known for her beloved children’s books, particularly those featuring anthropomorphic animals. She was born on July 28, 1866, in London, England,…
Inspiration: “Village Girl With Red Carnation,” by Adolfo Guiard
Adolfo Guiard’s “Village Girl with Red Carnation” is a remarkable piece of art that captures the essence of Basque culture and the beauty of its people through the lens of the late…
Inspiration: “Maternité Devant La Mer,” by Maurice Denis
Maurice Denis was born 25 November 1870, in Granville, Manche, a coastal town in the Normandy region of France. His father was of modest peasant origins; after four years in the army, he went to…
Top 10 Tips for Traveling Abroad
1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport. 2. Read the Public Announcements or…
Inspiration: “The Penitent Magdalene,” by Georges de La Tour
Georges de La Tour was born in the town of Vic-sur-Seille in the Diocese of Metz, which was technically part of the Holy Roman Empire, but had been ruled by France since 1552. Baptism documentation revealed…
Biography: Guillaume Seignac
Guillaume Seignac (1870–1924) was a French academic painter known for his idealized and meticulously executed depictions of classical and mythological themes. He was part of the academic tradition and followed in the…
South Dakota: The History of its Art
The land that would become South Dakota was a studio long before it was a state. Carved into cliffs, painted on hides, and woven into utilitarian objects, its earliest art traditions emerged…
