WTF Art History

Erotica

Venus Vincit Omnia: Venus in Art

Venus (also known by her Greek name Aphrodite) is the goddess of love. We’ve explored some famous Venuses here. Furthermore, Velázquez’s...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 3 March 2025

Dine & Wine

10 Paintings That Capture Coffee’s Cultural Impact

Few beverages have shaped culture quite like coffee. Artists across centuries have captured coffee in paintings, from intimate domestic moments to...

Elizabeth Provost 27 February 2025

Contemporary Art

Agostino Arrivabene—A Modern Alchemist

Agostino Arrivabene (born in 1967) is a visionary Italian contemporary artist who continues to produce outstanding surrealist works from his...

Caroline Galambosova 27 February 2025

Fairytales in Art. Gustave Doré, Little Red Riding Hood, c. 1862. Public domain. Painting

Happily Ever After? 5 Fairytales in Art

Though often told for children, fairytales captivated adults as well. When artists began reinterpreting these stories, they transformed them,...

Errika Gerakiti 26 February 2025

Art State of Mind

Dive into the World of Fairy Tales with Čiurlionis

Wouldn’t it be nice to immerse yourself in a fairy tale? Hike among the heroes, fight monsters, visit enchanted lands… It would be a nice break...

Guest Author 26 February 2025

Love Story

Lise Tréhot—The Mysterious Beauty from Renoir’s Paintings

Born into a humble French family, Lise Tréhot (1848–1922) was an artist’s model who posed exclusively for Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919).

Anuradha Sroha 24 February 2025

Ilya Repin, Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, 1880–1891, State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg WTF Art History

Want to Insult Your Enemy? Get Inspired by the Badass Zaporozhian Cossacks!

There are dozens if not hundreds of forged documents in the history of the world. They weren’t forged just for fun. Some of them were the basis...

Zuzanna Stańska 24 February 2025

Henriëtte Ronner-Knip, Cat at Play, ca 1860-78, oil on wood panel, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Cat at Play by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip

Cat at Play is a masterpiece by Henriëtte Ronner-Knip who deserves to have her legacy revised and her fame revived. Art does not need to be radical...

James W Singer 23 February 2025

Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash, 1912, Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash by Giacomo Balla

Giacomo Balla’s Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash is a masterpiece of pet images, Futurism, and early 20th-century Italian...

James W Singer, 23 February 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat by John Weguelin

Here is a Masterpiece Story to honor our beloved cats. The Obsequies of an Egyptian Cat by John Weguelin presents an imaginative interpretation of an...

Alexandra Kiely 23 February 2025

Gerrit Dou, Dog at Rest, 1650, oil on oak panel, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Dog at Rest by Gerrit Dou

Gerrit Dou’s Dog at Rest is a masterpiece of Dutch genre painting, perfect for both dog enthusiasts and art...

James W Singer 23 February 2025

Art State of Mind

Celestial Bodies in Art—Comets, Planets and Stars

When we think about flying objects we usually imagine birds, planes, kites, balloons, or even UFOs! It’s easy to forget that at one point the...

Sarah Mills 20 February 2025