Art Movements

Johannes Vermeer, Art of Painting, ca 1666-68, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Art of Painting by Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer is an enigmatic figure in the history of art. He is considered one of the most famous artists of the Dutch Golden Age. Why are his...

James W Singer 23 July 2023

* Johannes Vermeer, Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid (c. 1670–71), National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland. Artist Stories

5 Things You Should Know About Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer was a Dutch painter who lived and worked during the Dutch Golden Age. Along with Rembrandt and Frans Hals, he is considered one of...

Anastasia Manioudaki 23 July 2023

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, 1432 Art History 101

10 Things You Need To Know About Jan van Eyck

Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (1390 – 1441) was one of the key artists of the Early Northern Renaissance. His technical brilliance and mastery...

Zuzanna Stańska 21 July 2023

Ancient Egypt

Akhenaten: Artistic Development in the Amarna Period

Amenhotep IV, widely recognized as the notorious Akhenaten, was the enigmatic “heretic” pharaoh who ruled during the Eighteenth Dynasty.

Maya M. Tola 20 July 2023

Abstract Expressionism

One Artist and One Motif: Julije Knifer and His Meander

When we think of a meander we usually think of a winding riverbed of the Meander River in Asia Minor or an ancient decoration of broken lines that is...

Petra Dragasevic 20 July 2023

Schøyen Collection: Ancient Art

The Schøyen Case: How the Western Hegemony Still Upholds

Like return claims in other Western countries, the Schøyen Collection case in Norway illustrates how viewpoints from the past still hold sway. With...

Guest Profile 18 July 2023

Ancient Art

From Ancient Near East to Dungeons and Dragons: Lamassu, The Mesopotamian Gatekeeper

Lamassu is an iconic winged deity and a lasting motif from the ancient Near East. The most prevalent form of the Lamassu is attributed to the...

Maya M. Tola 18 July 2023

Parthian female Statuettes Ancient Art

Mysterious Female Nude Statuettes of the Parthian Empire

Several female nude statuettes have been unearthed from the subterranean landscape of ancient Iraq. Rendered in the Greco-Babylonian style, these...

Marga Patterson 18 July 2023

Asian Art

A Luxurious Desire: Ancient Near Eastern Ivory Carvings

The allure of ivory, a lustrous material that gleams and glows when polished, exudes warmth and mysterious beauty. Near Eastern ivory carvings are...

Marga Patterson 18 July 2023

Contemporary Art

Art Activist Barbie – When Playful Protests Indicate Gender Inequality in Art

Art Activist Barbie has been showing up in museums and galleries for over four years, criticizing the male-dominated art world. Holding a lollipop...

Errika Gerakiti 17 July 2023

Art Nouveau

Alphonse Mucha’s Pan-Slavic Posters

Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) is the most iconic Art Nouveau artist. His works featuring beautiful women surrounded by nature are still popular today.

Jimena Escoto 16 July 2023

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt van Rijn

Rembrandt painted this group portrait of seven surgeons and the physician Nicolaes Tulp in 1632. He was only 26 years old at that point. Nicolaes...

Zuzanna Stańska 15 July 2023