European Art

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Seascape Near Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer by Van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh is one of the most popular painters of all time. He dominates Post-Impressionism, he fills art books, and he inspires modern...

James W Singer 11 August 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Bridge in the Rain (after Hiroshige) by Vincent van Gogh

In the mid-19th century, Japanese ports were suddenly opened up to international trade, and Europeans went crazy for Japanese culture and art,...

Kelly Hill 11 August 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Almond Blossom by Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime. He was not a financially successful artist, and he was entirely dependent on his...

James W Singer 11 August 2024

Cats

Louis Wain and His Weird Cats

The British artist Louis Wain was a highly successful illustrator, mainly known for his humorous graphics of cats. His quirky feline pictures were...

Marta Wiktoria Bryll 8 August 2024

Women Artists

Anne Vallayer-Coster: A Life of Still Life

The still life genre often seems less interesting than other art forms, so perhaps it is unsurprising that 18th-century French painter Anne...

Catriona Miller 5 August 2024

Masterpiece Stories

The Story of Vincent van Gogh’s First Self-Portrait

Vincent van Gogh’s career lasted only about 10 years. Yet, during that time, he painted some 36 self-portraits. Only Rembrandt painted more, with...

Ledys Chemin 5 August 2024

Artist Stories

Whistler vs. Ruskin: How to Fling a Pot of Paint and Win a Trial

After paying a visit to the newly inaugurated Grosvenor Gallery in London, John Ruskin wrote a stinging review of the modernist exhibition. The...

Ruxi Rusu 5 August 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Two Sisters (On the Terrace) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

This beautiful painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir is known under two titles. The first one – Two Sisters (in French: Les Deux Sœurs) was given to...

Zuzanna Stańska 5 August 2024

Women Artists

Pre-Raphaelite Sisters: Five Female Painters to Know

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, an all-male artistic fraction active during the second half of the 19th century, has become synonymous today with...

Anastasia Tsaleza 5 August 2024

Leonardo da Vinci, Portrait of Mona Lisa del Giocondo Renaissance

Masterpiece Story: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa is an icon and masterpiece featured in numerous movies, television shows, and music videos. It is famous for being Leonardo da...

Anna Ingram 4 August 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1656) was the most accomplished female painter of the Italian Baroque. She specialized in Biblical scenes of strong...

James W Singer 4 August 2024

Johannes Vermeer, Girl With a Pearl Earring, c. 1665, Mauritshuis, Hague, The Netherlands. Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer

The Girl with a Pearl Earring is usually the first image that comes to mind when we think of Johannes Vermeer. It has inspired multiple references in...

Soledad Castillo Jara 4 August 2024