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

  • Inspiration: “In Gradina,” by Nicolae Grigorescu

    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

    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…

  • Foxes in East Asian and European Folklore Art

    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

    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…

  • 10 Remarkable Asian Impressionist Painters

    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…

  • The History of Frame Making and Art Presentation

    The History of Frame Making and Art Presentation

    The history of frame making begins not with decoration, but with control of space and meaning. As early as 2600 BC, ancient Egyptian reliefs were bordered by carved stone edges that defined…

  • How Artists Developed Color Theory Through History

    How Artists Developed Color Theory Through History

    Art before the Renaissance was often symbolic with color used in stylized ways, but it was during the Renaissance that artists began observing and documenting color more systematically. In Italy in the…

  • List of Historic Poster Artists

    The Beggarstaffs, active 1893–1899 Róbert Berény (1887–1954) Gino Boccasile (1901–1952) Sándor Bortnyik (1893–1976) Firmin Bouisset (1859–1925) Leonetto Cappiello (1875–1942) Jean Carlu (1900–1997) Adolphe Mouron Cassandre (1901–1968) Angelo Cesselon (1922–1992) Jules Chéret (1836–1932)…

  • Biography: Johannes Vermeer

    Biography: Johannes Vermeer

    Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) was a Dutch painter of the Baroque era, best known for his masterful use of light, meticulous attention to detail, and intimate scenes of daily life. Vermeer’s works are…