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Javier Abel Miguel

Author

Javier is a journalist and cultural manager with a passion for art and its history. In his free time he loves reading and researching the lives of artists and their works. He loves everything related to the Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance and the mysteries behind lost works of art.

Articles by Javier Abel

Vassily Kandinsky, Bleu de ciel, 1940, Musée National d'Art Modern, Paris, France (Detail) Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sky Blue by Wassily Kandinsky

As Europe burned during WWII, Wassily Kandinsky, who had fled Nazi Germany in 1933, lived as a recluse in his Neuilly-sur-Seine apartment. In that...

Javier Abel Miguel 19 August 2026

Herstory

Rose Valland: How One Woman Saved Thousands of Artworks From the Nazis

Bravery often reveals itself in the most unexpected ways. Even a museum volunteer working her way up can become a hero. This is the story of Rose...

Javier Abel Miguel 17 August 2026

Quiz

QUIZ: Art in Madrid! How Well Do You Know the City’s Artistic Scene?

Javier Abel Miguel 1 August 2026

A military truck provided to transport the artworks from the Prado Museum, moments before departing for Valencia. History

The Evacuation That Saved Spain’s Artistic Heritage

In November 1936, the Prado Museum became a temporary refuge while Madrid was under bombardment. Its galleries were emptied, its masterpieces were...

Javier Abel Miguel 13 July 2026

Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, 1914-1916, Private Collection Painting

The Most Expensive Klimt in the World: $236M Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer

The gavel falls, and the Sotheby’s auction room in New York explodes into applause. Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer has just shaken...

Javier Abel Miguel 11 June 2026

Quiz

QUIZ: How Much Do You Really Know About the Renaissance?

Javier Abel Miguel 16 May 2026

Quiz

QUIZ: How Much Do You Know About Degenerate Art?

Javier Abel Miguel 2 May 2026

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Le Quai Malaquais et l’Institut by Camille Pissarro

An Impressionist masterpiece—looted by the Nazis, hidden for decades in a vault in a Swiss bank, subject of a controversial restitution, and linked...

Javier Abel Miguel 19 April 2026

Francisco Goya, The Duke of Wellington, 1812-1814, National Gallery, London, UK. (Detail) History

Goya, James Bond, and a Retired Bus Driver—How They Stole The Duke of Wellington

When British agent James Bond, played at the time by a young Sean Connery, enters Dr. No’s secret base, he stops in front of a painting resting...

Javier Abel Miguel 16 April 2026

Renaissance

Masterpiece Story: Sistine Madonna by Raphael

We’ve seen them on postcards, gift wrap, T-shirts, coffee mugs, and even tattoos. With their serene expressions and relaxed posture, Raphael’s...

Javier Abel Miguel 6 April 2026

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