Literature

Ancient Greece

Three Unique Portrayals of Europa’s Abduction Myth

The mesmerizing realm of Greek mythology is one of the greatest sources for artists to exhibit their technical brilliance and unique interpretations.

Erol Degirmenci 9 May 2023

Literature

From Literature to Canvas: Shakespeare’s Characters in Millais’ Paintings

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” That famous quote probably reminded you of a certain writer, did it not? William Shakespeare,...

Rute Ferreira 23 April 2023

Left: Martin Droeshout, Portrait of William Shakespeare, 1623. Right: Titian, Tarquinius and Lucretia, ca. 1571, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK. Literature

The Art of Ekphrasis: Shakespeare’s Lucrece

It is most common to talk about paintings or sculptures inspired by a piece of literature. Yet, this relationship between arts is not unidirectional.

Jimena Escoto 23 April 2023

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 23 April 2023

Jacob Peter Gowy, The Fall of Icarus, 1635-1637, Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. Detail. Baroque

The Fall of Icarus: Drama in Baroque Painting

Imagine you’re standing in front of a painting that tells the tragic story of Icarus falling from the sky. The artist’s task was not only...

Lana Pajdas 11 March 2023

Literature

The Downfall of the Mighty Lydian King Candaules in Art

Suppose you are not satisfied with any of the historical or fantasy dramas out there lately where all kinds of slander, deception, and politicking...

Erol Degirmenci 2 March 2023

Sylvia Plath, “A War to End Wars” Self-Portrait (detail), 1946, Mortimer Rare Books Collection, Smith College, via National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA Women Artists

The Unknown Visual Art of Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath was one of the most important feminist literary icons of the 20th century. Before she became a writer, though, she wanted to be an...

Emily Snow 6 February 2023

Animals

The Goldfinch: Singing Across Time

See the lonely little bird, trapped in a situation over which it has no control. Chained, isolated. Sounds familiar? In these strange times we need...

Candy Bedworth 5 January 2023

Pop-up books: Carol Barton, Five Luminous Towers: A Book to be Read in the Dark, 2001, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC, USA. Photo by Lee Stalsworth. History

The Surprising History of Pop-Up Books

If I say pop-up book, you might think of a kid’s story time. But think again, dear friends. Originally, pop-up books were made for adults:...

Candy Bedworth 19 December 2022

Giorgio Vasari, St Luke Painting the Virgin WTF Art History

Best Gossips on Renaissance Artists by Giorgio Vasari

Known as the first art historian, Giorgio Vasari wrote the legendary book The Lives of the Artists. The book was published in 1550 and followed...

Anna Ingram 8 September 2022

Lady with an Ermine cover Review

What the Ermine Saw. The Dark History Behind Lady with an Ermine

What the Ermine Saw: The Extraordinary Journey of Leonardo da Vinci’s Most Mysterious Portrait by Eden Collinsworth (Doubleday, May 24, 2022)...

Alexandra Kiely 6 September 2022

Academic Art

Portrayal of an Abandoned Hero: Philoctetes

How would you feel if your friends abandoned you on an uninhabited island with a limited amount of food and no shelter just because you were injured?...

Erol Degirmenci 30 August 2022