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

Painting

Our Dad Is an Artist: Thomas Gainsborough’s Daughters

British portrait and landscape painter Thomas Gainsborough had a close and affectionate relationship with his daughters, Mary and Margaret. They were...

Alexandra Kiely 6 July 2026

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton

Today’s Masterpiece Story is about Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1833-1905). Even though Boughton grew up in America, he was...

Alexandra Kiely 5 July 2026

Rosa Bonheur, The Horse Fair, 1852-1855, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA. Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

Animals

Masterpiece Story: The Horse Fair by Rosa Bonheur

Today’s Masterpiece Story is that of The Horse Fair by French Realist painter Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899). The Horse Fair was the undisputed star of...

Alexandra Kiely 29 June 2026

Art Travels

Landscape Painters, National Parks, and the American West in Art

The US National Parks are natural and man-made monuments legally set aside for protection and public enjoyment. Yellowstone became the first National...

Alexandra Kiely 16 June 2026