WTF Art History

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

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

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

Painting

New Year’s Fireworks in Painting!

Bonfires, parties, or reading in bed. Ideas for how one should spend New Year’s Eve are endless, and everyone should spend it the way they like.

Magda Michalska 30 December 2022

Art State of Mind

Christmas Cards from Hell

As the postman brings you cheery season’s greetings from your nearest and dearest, let me guess what the images are on the front of your Christmas...

Candy Bedworth 25 December 2022

Contemporary Art

Between Art and Engineering: Kinetic Beasts by Theo Jansen

Theo Jansen, a Dutch contemporary artist, a sculptor, an engineer, and most significantly, a visionary. The universe in his mind along with his...

Caroline Galambosova 1 December 2022

Bizarre

The Most Bizarre Building in Scotland: Pineapple House

You likely would not connect pineapples and architecture, right? Wrong! There exists a real artistic folly, and not in Las Vegas where such a...

Magda Michalska 30 November 2022

Painting

The Night — Ten Beautiful Nocturne Paintings

Nocturne paintings may be employed to convey an array of meanings. The simple depiction of the time of day can often convey an air of drama and...

Maya M. Tola 29 November 2022

Art State of Mind

The Night Sky: 10 Nocturnal Paintings You Will Love

Few things in life are more moving than the night sky on a cloudless evening. Artists have been fascinated by it for so long! The night has inspired...

Ruxi Rusu 29 November 2022

Medieval Art

Inkulinati – Medieval Manuscripts Come to Life in a New Video Game

If you’ve ever wanted to step inside a medieval manuscript, here’s your chance. Inkulinati, an incoming strategy-based video game, was inspired...

Alexandra Kiely 15 November 2022

Bizarre

Art Only Exists Because Death Exists. Skulls in Art

Dia De Los Muertos is celebrated every year across Mexico. A far cry from the Western commercial horror-fest of Halloween, it is a glorious...

Candy Bedworth 2 November 2022