WTF Art History

Rosa Bonheur, The Horse Fair, 1852-1855, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA. Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Animals

Masterpiece Story: The Horse Fair by Rosa Bonheur

Today’s Masterpiece Story is that of The Horse Fair by French Realist painter Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899). The Horse Fair was the undisputed star of...

Alexandra Kiely 26 June 2024

Rosa Bonheur, Plowing in the Nivernais Artist Stories

The Radical and Rebellious Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur's vivid animal portraits made her one of France's richest 19th century artist. Her unconventional personal life is fascinating!

Candy Bedworth 26 June 2024

Rosa Bonheur, Sheep by the Sea, 1865 Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sheep by the Sea by Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur was one of the most famous European artists of the 19th century, and she was definitely the most celebrated female artist of her time.

James W Singer 26 June 2024

Literature

12 Art Books for Your Summer Holidays

Summer is finally here, and if you are looking for some vacation reading to accompany you while you laze by the pool of your villa or soak up the sun...

Charlotte Stace 24 June 2024

Art State of Mind

Midsummer – An Old Pagan Tradition in Scandinavian Art

The summer solstice in June is celebrated throughout several cultures. The Scandinavian culture is no exception to that. Initially tied to pagan...

Merve Parla 24 June 2024

Animals

The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau

Henri Rousseau was a French artist who painted in a Naïve or Primitive manner. He was also known as Le Douanier (the customs officer), which was a...

Zuzanna Stańska 21 June 2024

Anguish August Friedrich Schenck Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Anguish by August Friedrich Schenck

Surrounded by menacing crows, a mother sheep wails in anguish as her lifeless young lamb rests on a snowy bed. This scene, painted by August...

Montaine Dumont 17 June 2024

Love Story

Unhappily Ever After: Unequal Marriage by Vasili Pukirev

Vasili Pukirev’s painting, Unequal Marriage, has a legend surrounding it. Allegedly, after looking at it all the elderly grooms refused to marry...

Elizaveta Ermakova 17 June 2024

Art State of Mind

10 Ways to Spend the Summer, Inspired by Art

Art suggests and indicates many things to a perceptive viewer. We believe it can also be the perfect influencer when it comes to current trends,...

Giordana Goretti 17 June 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Death of Barbara Radziwiłł by Józef Simmler

The National Museum in Warsaw is one of the largest museums in Poland and boasts an extensive art collection. Among its body of works is The Death of...

James W Singer 17 June 2024

Sculpture

Cupid and Psyche: Love Story Through Sculpture

Cupid and Psyche, mythological characters immortalized in Metamorphoses by Apuleius, have been inspiring artists through the centuries. Sculptors...

Valeria Kumekina 14 June 2024

WTF Art History

The Most Outrageous Stories Behind Damaged Artworks

A few years ago, two Chinese women drove their Mercedes SUV into the Forbidden City in Beijing. That event created quite a controversy. The least you...

Michel Rutten 11 June 2024