5 American Painters Who Defined the Pirate Mythos
For many of us, the word “pirate” evokes images of an era full of gallant white-sailed ships, skull and crossbones flags, red bandanas, gold...
Theodore Carter 4 December 2025
Literature
Best Gossips on Renaissance Artists by Giorgio Vasari
Known as the first art historian, Giorgio Vasari wrote the legendary book Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. The book...
Anna Ingram 9 October 2025
Atala: The Tragedy That Transcended Pages
In the 19th century, Europeans went crazy for one story: Atala, or the Story of Two Lovers in the Desert. It is a novel by René de Chateaubriand...
Jimena Escoto, Guest Author 12 September 2025
How Europe Got Its Name—The Myth of Europa in Art
Have you ever wondered where the name of the continent Europe comes from? Meet Europa, a Phoenician woman who became the inspiration for the name of...
Magda Michalska 8 September 2025
Essential Books for Art Historians (and Art Lovers)
Not sure what you should read next? Here is a list of the most important art-related books you should read. Written in the previous century, they...
Roma Piotrowska 1 September 2025
Christian Dotremont: A Painter-Poet
Christian Dotremont was a Belgian artist and one of the founders of the CoBrA movement. What sets his art apart is his unique perspective on writing...
Tommy Thiange 21 August 2025
Christina Rossetti: Interweaving Poetry and Art
Christina Rossetti (1830–1894) is still beloved today for her timeless poetry—but her creative influence transcends the written word. By...
Emily Snow 21 August 2025
Luo Ping: 18th-Century Visionary Painter and Poet
Luo Ping, Freud’s godfather, proclaimed: “Kill or be killed…” But of course, Luo Ping was subtler than this; he only suggests what...
Barry Russell 21 August 2025
Writing Poetry and Inspiring Painters: Portraits of Anna Akhmatova
It is hard to say how many portraits of the poet Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966) exist – she was painted by many famous artists of the 20th century. She...
Elizaveta Ermakova 21 August 2025
Aubrey Beardsley: Sharp Blacks and Whites of the Victorian Era
Aubrey Beardsley was an extremely talented draughtsman of the Victorian era. As a young boy, he suffered from tuberculosis, yet decided to live his...
Magda Michalska 21 August 2025
Tove Jansson’s Life of Wonders
Best known for the Moomins from her series of novels, comic strips, and short stories, Tove Jansson was an illustrator, painter, and writer. Born in...
Natalia Tiberio 28 July 2025
Jeanne Hébuterne: Loving Modigliani—A Novel by Linda Lappin
With her dark hair, pale skin, and light blue eyes, affectionately called “noix-de-coco” (coconut) by friends, Jeanne Hèbuterne (1898-1920) is...
Nadine Waldmann 11 July 2025
