WTF Art History

Art History 101

A Small Guide to Still Life Symbols

You may think that all those marvelous Dutch still lifes from the 16th and 17th centuries were just some random sets of fruits, vegetables, and...

Zuzanna Stańska, Nicole Ganbold 20 January 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Still Life with a Golden Goblet by Pieter de Ring

Why is food such a popular image for art and culture? For millennia it has been a source of inspiration from ancient Roman mosaics through Dutch...

James W Singer 20 January 2024

Dine & Wine

Fast and Yummy: All We Know About Cézanne’s Fruits

Paul Cézanne was widely misunderstood by his contemporaries. This shy man, who was a precursor of Cubism and Fauvism, loved to paint fruit (in art...

Zuzanna Stańska 19 January 2024

History

Queer Mythological Characters

This list of queer mythological characters and deities from around the world, encompassing homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender identities, and...

Martha Teverson 18 January 2024

Art State of Mind

Taking the Perfect Selfie: Tips from Best Self-Portraits in Art History

To pout or not to pout… that is the question.  From smolders to smiles, duck faces to dog ears, in the age of front-facing phone cameras there...

Tony Heathfield 17 January 2024

Medieval Art

Here Be Medieval Dragons

Dragons are everywhere in popular culture. People make movies about them, collect stuffed animals of them, and dress up as them for Halloween. They...

Alexandra Kiely 16 January 2024

Erotica

Art and the Body: How Artists Approach Body Positivity

If you ever find yourself feeling insecure about your body (as I often do), take a moment to explore these paintings. These works of art show how...

Magda Michalska 15 January 2024

Quiz

The Enneagram Types in Art – Of Amazing Painters, Paintings and Diagrams

If you are anything like us, your social media feed is probably full of quizzes! From “What is your ideal decorating style?” to “What is your...

Ledys Chemin, Giordana Goretti 15 January 2024

Art State of Mind

5 Positive Effects of Art on Mental Health

It is scientifically proven that art can have positive effects on our mood and can help improve our mental health. But what is it about art that...

Nina Relf 15 January 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Still Life with Mackerel by Anne Vallayer-Coster

Anne Vallayer-Coster was one of the foremost still-life painters in 18th-century France. She was enormously prolific and extremely popular. Her works...

James W Singer 14 January 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: A Gentleman’s Table by Claude Raguet Hirst

A Gentleman’s Table by Claude Raguet Hirst is a mysterious painting that echoes the realism of Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, and Henry Ossawa...

James W Singer 14 January 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms by Pieter Aertsen

Pieter Aertsen’s Meat Stall with the Holy Family Giving Alms is an interesting painting as it provides a wonderful glimpse into the varied...

James W Singer 14 January 2024