Regions

Anonymous, Exvoto of the miracle done to Maria Gertrudis Castañeda, 1840, Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones, Mexico City, Mexico. North American Art

Ex-voto: The Mexican Art of Gratitude

When tragedy or misfortune happens, some people turn to a greater power. The possibility of divine intervention gives them hope. Usually, these...

Jimena Escoto 17 September 2024

Contemporary Art

13 Black Folk Artists from the American South

The thirteen self-taught artists below, from Bill Traylor to Nellie Mae Rowe, Thornton Dial to Mary T. Smith, among others, created some of the most...

Adam Oestreich 17 September 2024

Contemporary Art

Life, Death, and Beauty: Damien Hirst in 5 Artworks

Damien Hirst is one of the most influential and controversial figures in contemporary art. His work merges natural science and popular culture with...

Carlotta Mazzoli 16 September 2024

Rococo

Jean-Étienne Liotard Breakfast Scenes

The 18th-century painter, miniaturist, and pastelist Jean-Étienne Liotard is perhaps one of the most eccentric artists of his time. Known for his...

Anna Ingram 16 September 2024

Unicorns in art Animals

Unicorns in Art Across Time: From French Tapestries to Damien Hirst’s Sculptures

Unicorns, the enchanting and mythical beings, have been a captivating subject in art since ancient times, maintaining their inspirational allure for...

Ela Bobek 16 September 2024

Baroque

Fascinating (and Creepy) Coffin Portraits of the Polish Nobility

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Poland was a much bigger and more important country than it is today, as it encompassed some parts of the territories...

Magda Michalska 16 September 2024

Expressionism

The Frieze of Life by Edvard Munch

By 1902, Edvard Munch’s life had seen a pattern of chaos within his professional life, his health, and his love life. While his life had become...

Wendy Gray 16 September 2024

Sculpture

Franz Xaver Messerschmidt and His Bizarre Character Heads

The so-called character heads created by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt are not only a bizarre collection of sculptures but also a unique portrayal of...

Zuzanna Stańska 16 September 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Rhine II by Andreas Gursky

It seems to be one of those pictures you may accidentally take on holiday when the weather is bad. Rhine II by Andreas Gursky is not a photo we...

Joanna Kaszubowska 15 September 2024

Johan Thomas Lundbye, View from Kitnæs on Roskilde Fjord, 1843, National Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: View from Kitnæs on Roskilde Fjord by Johan Thomas Lundbye

View from Kitnæs on Roskilde Fjord by Johan Thomas Lundbye is a masterpiece of 19th century Danish landscape painting. It set a new standard for the...

James W Singer 15 September 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Pine Trees by Hasegawa Tōhaku

Japan is a country of distinctive traditional arts such as tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and bonsai. A rich history of artists fills their museums...

James W Singer 15 September 2024

Art History 101

Proto-Renaissance 101: From Guilds to Giotto

A lot of focus is put on the Renaissance when learning art history. It spans a few centuries and is known as a period of great change in European...

Rachel Witte 13 September 2024