Realism

Ilya Repin, Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, 1880–1891, State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg WTF Art History

Want to Insult Your Enemy? Get Inspired by the Badass Zaporozhian Cossacks!

There are dozens if not hundreds of forged documents in the history of the world. They weren’t forged just for fun. Some of them were the basis...

Zuzanna Stańska 24 February 2025

Artist Stories

Winslow Homer—Painter of America

From soldiers to frolicking schoolchildren and New England fishing communities, Winslow Homer depicted American life. His works present unidealized,...

Alexandra Kiely 9 January 2025

Laura Knight, Girl at Edge of Cliff, 1917. Women Artists

Laura Knight in 5 Paintings: Capturing the Quotidian

An official war artist and the first woman to be made a dame of the British Empire, Laura Knight reached the top of her profession with her...

Natalia Iacobelli 2 January 2025

Art State of Mind

The Allure of Ruins—Architectural Decay in Art

There is a haunting beauty in architectural ruins. War or the passage of time has ravaged the magnificent feats of earlier civilizations. But in...

Maya M. Tola 8 November 2024

European Art

Eerie Paintings of Franz Sedlacek

Franz Sedlacek is one of the most important Austrian painters of the interwar period. His paintings portray the darkness, oppressiveness, and...

Errika Gerakiti 31 October 2024

Artist Stories

Vasily Vereshchagin—Journey through India

Vasily Vereshchagin was a notable Russian soldier, artist, and writer from the 19th century. He was an outspoken critic of war who reformed the genre...

Maya M. Tola 21 October 2024

Artist Stories

Ferdinand Hodler – The Painter Who Revolutionized Swiss Art

Ferdinand Hodler was one of the principal figures of 19th-century Swiss painting. Hodler worked in many styles during his life. Over the course of...

Louisa Mahoney 25 July 2024

Realism

Artists and Industrial Revolution: Images of the Changing World

The Industrial Revolution brought fundamental and irreversible social changes. But what was its influence on art and artists? Discover works by...

Europeana 1 May 2024

Realism

Eid Al-Fitr – Islamic Prayer in Art

The distinctive ritual of Islamic prayer, known as namaz (in Urdu) or salah (in Arabic) has captivated the imagination of many Orientalist painters.

Maya M. Tola 10 April 2024

Valentin Serov, Russian Master of Portraits

Valentin Serov (1865–1911), was a student of Ilya Repin, and heir to the best traditions of the Russian realistic school. From the very beginning...

Elizaveta Ermakova 17 February 2021

Russian History through the Eyes of Vasily Surikov

In the 19th century Russia historical painting was freed from formality and canons. We find a good example of this in the work of Vasily Surikov...

Elizaveta Ermakova 18 January 2021

Masterpiece Stories

Painting of the Week: Firs Zhuravlev, A Fashionista Wife

Firs Zhuravlev’s realistic paintings show all aspects of Russian life. And we can imagine the scene from the picture A Fashionista Wife in the...

Elizaveta Ermakova 20 September 2020