WTF Art History

Ice Skaters in Painting Sport

Ice Skaters in Painting

Some time ago I went to the ice rink and I realized again how fun it is to glide and feel light (or very heavy when you fall). So I thought it would...

Magda Michalska 21 January 2023

Sport

Skiing in Art History

Artists have long captured the magic of snow. During the 19th century, when winter sports like skiing, skating, and sledding became more popular in...

Louisa Mahoney 21 January 2023

Sport

Ice Skating Artwork – A Visual Journey on Ice

Ice skating is a beloved winter activity and I’ve been an avid participant (all year round) since I was a little girl. As such, I really enjoy...

Alexandra Kiely 21 January 2023

Animals

The World of Animals Created by Hans Hoffmann

Hans Hoffmann was a 16th-century German painter and draftsman. He was an artist in the court of Rudolph II (the one who loved arts and was probably...

Zuzanna Stańska 19 January 2023

Cornelis Saftleven, Who Sues for a Cow?, 1629, oil on wood panel, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Who Sues for a Cow by Cornelis Saftleven

Who Sues for a Cow is a masterpiece of social commentary by now-forgotten artist, Cornelis Saftleven. It is a strange painting from the Dutch Golden...

James W Singer 16 January 2023

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 2023

Animals

Holy Cow! Why Did the Dutch Painters Love Cows?

Every time I look at 17th-century Dutch paintings, I ask myself the same question: why do they always show cows? You will probably think this is a...

Magda Michalska 13 January 2023

Friendship, Nicole Tersigni, Friends To Keep In Art And Life, 2022 Review

Nicole Tersigni: Friends to Keep in Art and Life

Pairing classical paintings from art history with incisive humor, Nicole Tersigni explores female friendship in all its magical and hilarious guises.

Candy Bedworth 12 January 2023

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 7 January 2023

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 7 January 2023

Animals

Owls, Peacocks and Sparrows: Birds in Art

The idea of birds in art probably brings to mind John James Audubon, the 19th-century ornithologist who wrote and illustrated the landmark series The...

Alexandra Kiely 5 January 2023

Animals

The Goldfinch: Singing Across Time

See the lonely little bird, trapped in a situation over which it has no control. Chained, isolated. Sounds familiar? In these strange times we need...

Candy Bedworth 5 January 2023