Alexandra Kiely

Author

Alexandra Kiely is an independent art historian based in the greater New York area. Her work focuses on making art, architecture, and art museums understandable to a general audience. She is the author of The Art Museum Insider, a book that guides those without art history training to have more informed and empowered experiences with art. Visit her website, A Scholarly Skater, and follow her on Instagram.

Articles by Alexandra

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Heart of the Andes by Frederic Edwin Church

Heart of the Andes is one truly impressive landscape painting. Frederic Edwin Church’s crowning achievement depicts the scenery he saw during his...

Alexandra Kiely 25 January 2026

Medieval Art

Masterpiece Story: Angel by Niccolò di Ser Sozzo

Angel is a painting by Niccolò di Ser Sozzo, c. 1350, owned by The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, NY. This is an unusual depiction of an angel with...

Alexandra Kiely 18 January 2026

Sport

Ice Skating Artwork—A Visual Journey on Ice

Ice skating is a beloved winter activity and I’ve been an avid participant (all year round) since I was a little girl. As such, I really enjoy...

Alexandra Kiely 15 January 2026

Artist Stories

Beyond Glass and Interiors—Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Paintings

Louis Comfort Tiffany was famous for his beautiful stained glass, decorative arts, and interiors. However, not many people know that Louis Comfort...

Alexandra Kiely 12 January 2026

Art State of Mind

New Year’s Resolutions Inspired by Artists

Happy New Year! What resolutions are you making as you ring in January? If you’re still unsure what (if anything) your resolution should be, why...

Alexandra Kiely 1 January 2026

Literature

American Artist Who Loved Everything British: Edwin Austin Abbey’s Shakespeare Paintings

A painter and illustrator Edwin Austin Abbey was born in the US, but he loved all things British, particularly the works of William Shakespeare. He...

Alexandra Kiely 17 December 2025

Women Artists

Art in the Mail: Wisława Szymborska’s Cut-and-Paste Postcards

Wisława Szymborska (1923-2012) was a Nobel Prize-winning Polish poet, but she was also an occasional artist. Her main medium was quirky...

Alexandra Kiely 17 December 2025

Medieval Art

The Complicated Meaning and Mysterious Origin of The Cloisters Cross

The Cloisters Cross is a beautiful English Romanesque walrus ivory cross, likely dating to the middle of the 12th century. From the moment it...

Alexandra Kiely 9 December 2025

Anna Claypoole Peale Women Artists

Female Artists of the Peale Family, America’s First Art Dynasty

The Peale family was America’s first artistic dynasty. Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) was a prominent American artist and early museum...

Alexandra Kiely 8 December 2025

Quiz

QUIZ: What Do You Know About Ancient Mosaics?

Alexandra Kiely 6 December 2025