Masterpiece Stories

Alma Thomas, Tiptoe Through the Tulips, 1969, acrylic on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Alma Thomas

The style of Alma Thomas has been compared to Byzantine mosaics and the Pointillism of Georges Seurat. However, it firmly belongs to the Washington...

James W Singer 30 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Salut Tom by Joan Mitchell

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Joan Mitchell’s birth, the perfect occasion to reflect on her extraordinary contributions to Abstract...

Carlotta Mazzoli 30 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton

Today’s Masterpiece Story is about Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1833-1905). Even though Boughton grew up in America, he was...

Alexandra Kiely 27 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Flower Still Life by Jan van Huysum

Flower Still Life by Jan van Huysum is a still-life masterpiece that explores beautiful flowers and delicate butterflies. The painting is part of the...

James W Singer 26 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch’s triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights remains a mystery to this day. The most respected experts in late-Gothic iconography...

Marta Loza 23 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard

Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732–1806) was the most prolific French painter of the 18th century. He created over 550 paintings embodying the spirit of...

James W Singer 23 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent

Known for his striking portraits of high-society figures, John Singer Sargent was one of the most successful painters of his day. But after causing a...

Natalia Iacobelli 23 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich

Autumn is nipping at the leaves, and summer’s light is waning. Grab your favorite sweater and get ready to introspect like a Romantic because...

Coleman Richards 18 November 2025

Kitty Kielland, Summer Night, 1886, oil on canvas, Nasjonalgalleriet, Oslo, Norway. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Summer Night by Kitty Kielland

Kitty Kielland is one of the many talented female artists that have been erased from modern social consciousness. She was a brilliant painter of...

James W Singer 16 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin

Auguste Rodin’s Burghers of Calais revolutionized public sculpture and changed the way heroes were represented in art. But what made it so...

Catriona Miller 12 November 2025

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 7 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Aristide Bruant in His Cabaret by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

In the 1890s, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was part of a group of young avant-garde artists whose color lithography served as a vehicle for innovative...

Zuzanna Stańska 6 November 2025