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Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright

There are many iconic buildings, and it feels like more and more are being called that by the hour. But the list is a lot shorter if we only consider...

Joanna Kaszubowska 31 March 2023

Andrea Mantegna, Bridal Chamber, Ocluus. Mantua, Italy. Renaissance

Fooling the Eye: Illusionistic Games in Andrea Mantegna’s Bridal Chamber

A masterpiece of the early Italian Renaissance, Andrea Mantegna’s Bridal Chamber has been described as the most beautiful room in the world.

Natalia Iacobelli 30 March 2023

Artist Stories

Life and Art of José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior

José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior (1850–1899) was a popular Brazilian artist from the late 19th century. His commendable paintings paved the...

Maya M. Tola 30 March 2023

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 30 March 2023

Museum Stories

Van Gogh Museum Staff Picks

Have you ever wondered who knows the best of a museum’s collection? Probably the people who spend most of their lives between these artworks: the...

Kate Wojtczak 30 March 2023

Ancient Greece

Alexander the Great and His Mermaid Sister in Greek Folklore

There is no need for a long introduction to Alexander the Great’s place in history; he is one of the most famous military leaders and he has...

Errika Gerakiti 29 March 2023

Ende, Prologue, On the Church, Gerona Beatus, Miniature, ca. 975 CE Women Artists

Ende: The First Documented Spanish Female Manuscript Illuminator

She is an enigma, an ancient, foggy artist from northern Spain in the Middle Ages. We learn nothing about Ende’s identity, life, or whether she...

Wen Gu 28 March 2023

Lily Furedi, Subway, 1934, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Subway by Lily Furedi

Subway by Lily Furedi is a masterpiece of New Deal art that expresses the excitement of modern transportation. It is populated with commuting workers...

James W Singer 27 March 2023

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Theatre Box by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Entertainments such as cabarets, theatres, and the circus were popular themes among the Impressionist painters whose mission was portraying modern...

Zuzanna Stańska 27 March 2023

Ted Cate Jr., Swamp Picnic, 2014, Museum of Bad Art, Somerville, MA, USA. Bizarre

What I Found in the Museum of Bad Art

MOBA, or the Museum of Bad Art, is replete with almost anything that could be wished for in terms of the good, the bad, the very bad, the hilarious,...

Sarah Mills 27 March 2023

Women Artists

5 Self-Portraits by Women Artists That You Probably Haven’t Seen (And You Should)

When thinking of a self-portrait, the famous names and artworks of Dürer, Rembrandt, or Van Gogh probably come to mind. Here is your chance to...

Europeana 25 March 2023

Art History 101

Twelve Important Portraits to Know

Let us embark on a journey through the course of art history with twelve significant portraits everybody should definitely know! The human need to...

Anastasia Manioudaki 25 March 2023