Ancient Art

Fashion

Medusa Jewelry That Had the Power to Petrify

Since ancient times jewelry hasn’t only been a fashion detail or simple ornament, but a status symbol with a variety of meanings. On it, among...

Ana Djoric 9 February 2023

Sculpture

The Lansdowne Heracles at the Getty Villa

Heracles (or Hercules) is perhaps the most frequently depicted hero in Greek and Roman art. This sculpture from approximately 125 CE, known as the...

Maya M. Tola 29 December 2022

Standing Bodhisattva, 3rd century, gray schist stone, Gandhara, Pakistan, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Standing Bodhisattva

Standing Bodhisattva is a great example of Gandharan art and its blended multicultural origins: East meets...

James W Singer 14 December 2022

Ancient Art

How to Show Up in a Gym – 3 Ancient Sculptures of Hercules

In Greek mythology, Herakles was a demigod and a much admired heroic figure. The Romans called him Hercules (Herakles was his Greek name) and he was...

Ameera Patel 14 December 2022

Asian Art

The Eighth Wonder of the World: Terracotta Army

When people mention the Terracotta Army, the first thing that comes to mind is the phrase “the eighth wonder of the world”. It is a symbol of...

Marina Kochetkova 14 December 2022

Ancient Egypt

Egypt and Berlin’s Icon: The Bust of Queen Nefertiti

The bust of Queen Nefertiti housed in Berlin’s Neues Museum is one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous works of art. A prime example of ancient...

Nadine Waldmann 14 December 2022

Yaxchilán Lintel 24, 723-726 CE, Limestone, Temple 23, Yaxchilán, Mexico, British Museum, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Yaxchilán Lintel 24

Yaxchilán Lintel 24 is an iconic image of Pre-Columbian art. It easily represents the vitality, mystery, and fascination surrounding the Mayan...

James W Singer 23 November 2022

Striding Lion, 604-562 BCE, glazed clay bricks, Processional Way, Babylon, Iraq, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Striding Lion from the Ishtar Gate

Striding Lion is a masterpiece of Mesopotamian art with monumental size and composition. It symbolizes the strength of King Nebuchadnezzar II and the...

James W Singer 14 October 2022

Ancient Egypt

The Bust of Nefertiti: Ancient Masterpiece or Genius Hoax?

On December 6, 1912, a team of excavators from the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft, led by Ludwig Borchardt, unearthed a wonderful work of art. They...

Montaine Dumont 14 October 2022

Queen Nefertari & Goddess Isis, New Kingdom, Dynasty 19, ca 1279-1213 BCE, pigment on plaster, QV66 Tomb of Nefertari, Valley of the Queens, Luxor, Egypt. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Queen Nefertari and Goddess Isis

Queen Nefertari and Goddess Isis is a fabulous masterpiece of ancient Egyptian art. The wall painting in the queen’s tomb captures the dream of...

James W Singer 10 October 2022

Ancient Art

Shocking Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color at the Met

Have you ever wondered how the Greco-Roman statues looked during antiquity? Thanks to the Met and its amazing team, you can now get a glimpse of the...

Erol Degirmenci 29 September 2022

Ancient Art

The Tang Shipwreck – Southeast Asia’s Maritime Heritage

Discovered near the Belitung Island in Indonesia, the Tang Shipwreck is a momentous archeological discovery of recent times that provides significant...

Maya M. Tola 26 August 2022