Ellen Thesleff: The Finnish Artist Who Painted Like a God
Ellen Thesleff was no ordinary artist. She swaggered through the Finnish countryside in men’s clothing, declared she could “paint like a...
Joanna Kaszubowska 24 July 2025
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From Ancient Near East to Dungeons and Dragons: Lamassu, The Mesopotamian Gatekeeper
Lamassu is an iconic winged deity and a lasting motif from the ancient Near East. The most prevalent form of the Lamassu is attributed to the...
Maya M. Tola 24 July 2025
Masterpiece Story: Striding Lion from the Ishtar Gate
Striding Lion is a masterpiece of Mesopotamian art with monumental size and composition. It symbolizes the strength of King Nebuchadnezzar II and the...
James W Singer 24 July 2025
Hilma af Klint: Pioneer of Abstract Art
Who invented abstract art? The advent of abstraction has historically been attributed to male artists. However, Hilma af Klint, a Swedish painter and...
Emily Snow 23 July 2025
Fanny Brate: An Everyday Painter You Need to Know
Fanny Brate was born in Stockholm in 1861. Showing great potential from a young age, she started taking drawing and painting classes when she was...
Gokce Dyson 23 July 2025
Landscapes and Erotica: A Look at Nicole Wittenberg Monograph
Phaidon’s new monograph explores the bold vision of Nicole Wittenberg, whose vivid brushwork and saturated colors define each landscape and nude.
Errika Gerakiti 21 July 2025
I Put a Spell on You—Vodou Art
Vodou is one of the most misunderstood belief systems in the world. Derided by the Church and popular culture, in fact it is a fascinating system of...
Candy Bedworth 21 July 2025
Black Feminist Photographers Fighting for Social Inclusion of Marginalized People
This is a story of three Black female photographers who through their documentary photographs, handle and explore gender identity and related topics...
Petra Dragasevic 21 July 2025
Seaside Fun and Lots of Nudes: Bathing in Art
Let’s take a look at depictions of bathing in art and admire some nudes. These paintings, which span just over 20 years, mark not only a...
Wendy Gray 21 July 2025
Pillow Talk Stories: The Comfiest Beds in Paintings
When you think about it, most of the events throughout our lives take place in beds. From birth to death, beds are imbued with the ultimate...
Maia Heguiaphal 21 July 2025
Max Ernst and Birds: A Relationship Explained Through Paintings
Max Ernst (1891–1976) was a prolific German avant-garde artist. He was a pioneer in the early 20th-century movements of Dada and Surrealism and...
Anastasia Tsaleza 21 July 2025
Masterpiece Story: Woman in a Large Hat by Caesar van Everdingen
Caesar van Everdingen’s Woman in a Large Hat is a captivating oil-on-linen painting that offers a fascinating glimpse into 17th-century Dutch...
Alessia Caldana 20 July 2025
