History

Photograph of Vinnie Ream taken between 1866 and 1876. Source. Detail. Women Artists

Vinnie Ream: Should a Teenage Girl Sculpt Abraham Lincoln?

Vinnie Ream became the first woman to win a US government commission for a statue in 1866—at the age of 18! She created a life-sized figure of...

Kathie Manthorne 18 September 2023

Ancient Rome

How to Identify a Roman Emperor by His Beard

How many times have you walked into a museum full of statues or busts and not been able to tell one ancient sculpture from another? It can be...

Lauren Dorsey 18 September 2023

History

Guide to Colombian History and Culture by Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero once called himself “the most Colombian of Colombian artists,” as the majority of his works explore traditional themes...

Kacper Grass 15 September 2023

Prehistoric Art

All You Need to Know About the Lascaux Cave

Located in southern France, the Lascaux Cave houses some of the most famous prehistoric cave paintings, dating to approximately 15,000 BCE. The cave...

Vithória Konzen Dill 12 September 2023

Prehistoric Art

Portable Prehistoric Gods and Goddesses

Our prehistoric ancestors moved around a lot. It was a short and brutal life back then – you needed the protection and guidance of your gods and...

Candy Bedworth 12 September 2023

Prehistoric Art

Lower Pecos Rock Art: Prehistoric Painting in North America

On the Texas-Mexico border, there are treasures of prehistoric art: hundreds of painted caves and rock shelters dating as early as 2000 BCE. Filled...

Alexandra Kiely 12 September 2023

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: David by Michelangelo

The biblical figure of David, the young shepherd who defeated Goliath, was a popular subject for sculptors during the Renaissance. However, no...

Vithória Konzen Dill 8 September 2023

Asian Art

Holi: A Vibrant Celebration of Colors

Celebrated during the spring full moon, the Hindu festival of Holi is a joyous occasion that marks the arrival of Spring. This lively festival of...

Maya M. Tola 7 September 2023

Asian Art

The Decline of Mughal Arts under Aurangzeb

Muḥī al-Dīn Muḥammad was the sixth man to ascend to the Mughal throne and the last of the strong Mughal rulers. He was a notable expansionist...

Maya M. Tola 7 September 2023

Nicholas Roerich, Legend, from the series Messiah. ca. 1923, Christie's. Painting

The Art and Spirituality of Nicholas Roerich

Nicholas Roerich, a prominent member of the early 20th-century art world, was distinguished by his unique artistic style and profound spiritual...

Maya M. Tola 24 August 2023

Medieval Art

Ravenna’s Byzantine Treasures: Mosaics in San Vitale

The early medieval church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, is most famous for its spectacular mosaics. In a city full of rich, Byzantine-style...

Alexandra Kiely 21 August 2023

Painting

How Artists Portrayed Spanish Civil War: Guernica and Bombardment

On April 26th, 1937 the world was shaken by the news of the destructive force that targeted Guernica – a town in the Basque Region of Spain,...

Wendy Gray 21 August 2023