European Art

Women Artists

Zoya Lerman, Ukrainian Non-Conformist Artist

Artist Zoya Lerman is a unique representative of Ukrainian non-conformism in painting. Despite the dominance of Socialist Realism, she was able to...

Nataliia Pecherska 24 February 2025

Ukraine Special

Meet the Ukrainian Railroad Ladies

Every once in a while there appears a piece of news describing a quirky, unknown, or forgotten occupation. Sometimes it’s the lightkeepers in a...

Joanna Kaszubowska 24 February 2025

Henriëtte Ronner-Knip, Cat at Play, ca 1860-78, oil on wood panel, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Cat at Play by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip

Cat at Play is a masterpiece by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip who deserves to have her legacy revised and her fame revived. Art does not need to be radical...

James W Singer 23 February 2025

Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash by Giacomo Balla

Giacomo Balla’s Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash is a masterpiece of pet images, Futurism, and early 20th-century Italian...

James W Singer, 23 February 2025

Gerrit Dou, Dog at Rest, 1650, oil on oak panel, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Dog at Rest by Gerrit Dou

Gerrit Dou’s Dog at Rest is a masterpiece of Dutch genre painting, perfect for both dog enthusiasts and art...

James W Singer 23 February 2025

Lady with an Ermine Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci

One of the greatest masterpieces of Western art, Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci, presents Cecilia Gallerani (ca. 1473-1536). Young,...

Zuzanna Stańska 23 February 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat by John Weguelin

Here is a Masterpiece Story to honor our beloved cats. The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat by John Weguelin presents an imaginative interpretation of an...

Alexandra Kiely 23 February 2025

Artist Stories

Henri Rivière: Parisian Master Printmaker

Henri Rivière was a painter, printmaker, and designer. He had a unique aesthetic that combined an Impressionist sensibility, Japanese printmaking...

Louisa Mahoney 21 February 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Portrait of Zaga Christ by Giovanna Garzoni

The remarkable Portrait of Zaga Christ is considered the earliest known portrait of a Black sitter in Western art. It represents an unusual...

Guest Author 20 February 2025

Design

Soviet Space Art: Posters of Propaganda and Progress

Here is a small selection of our favorite Soviet space posters together with some tidbits about the beginnings of the Russian space...

Marta Wiktoria Bryll 20 February 2025

Art State of Mind

You Don’t Have to Look Up to See the Stars: Astronomical Planispheres

For hundreds of years the sky has been the center of attention for many ancient tribes and cultures. Our history has been a testament to the stars.

Sofia Rodriguez Cuevas 20 February 2025

Art State of Mind

Celestial Bodies in Art—Comets, Planets and Stars

When we think about flying objects we usually imagine birds, planes, kites, balloons, or even UFOs! It’s easy to forget that at one point the...

Sarah Mills 20 February 2025