Art historian and curator specializing in early modern European art, with a focus on 17th‑ and 18th‑century visual culture. She brings a cross‑cultural perspective and a strong curatorial background to her writing, combining scholarly research with accessible storytelling for a wide audience.
Anna Coleman Ladd: The Sculptor Who Healed the Faces of War
When World War I left thousands of soldiers with faces they could no longer recognize, one sculptor decided to help them face the world again. Anna...
Wen Gu 10 November 2025
An Instant Becomes Eternity: Nuns’ Profession Portraits in the 18th Century New Spain
At the beginning of the 18th century in New Spain (colonial Mexico), portraits of local elites became an essential genre. In a society with a strong...
Wen Gu 23 October 2025
Ethel Reed—When a Meteor Crossed the Night Sky of Art Nouveau
If you’ve heard of Ethel Reed, you are probably either a devotee of late-19th-century American poster art or an art history student. After the...
Wen Gu 1 May 2025
Ende: The First Documented Spanish Female Manuscript Illuminator
She is an enigma, an ancient, foggy artist from northern Spain in the Middle Ages. We learn nothing about Ende’s identity, life, or whether she...
Wen Gu 3 March 2025
Plakatstil in the 20th Century: Modern Poster Design from Germany
By the beginning of the 20th century, young designers had moved on from the intricate forms of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts. The first golden age...
Wen Gu 15 April 2024