WTF Art History

velazquez bodegon Dine & Wine

Spanish Bodegones of the 17th Century

Looking at a painting and getting hungry? It might be a bodegón! Here we define the genre of Spanish bodegones in the context of 17th-century...

Soledad Castillo Jara 16 October 2023

Dine & Wine

The Best Autumn Foods in Still Life Paintings

I love everything about autumn – the cool, crisp air, the warm sweaters, the sense that the holiday season will soon arrive. But most of all, I...

Alexandra Kiely 16 October 2023

Art State of Mind

Not Only Queen’s Gambit – Chess in Art

The Queen’s Gambit series, produced by Netflix, has taken the world by storm and inspired many people to take up chess. A fantastic novel of the...

Joanna Kaszubowska 15 October 2023

Artist Stories

Art Saved My Life! An Alternative Look at Vincent van Gogh’s Mental Health

Post-Impressionist Vincent van Gogh is as famous for his mysterious death as for his iconic and expressive use of line and color. Did unbridled...

Candy Bedworth 10 October 2023

Edvard Munch, Self-Portrait with Cigarette, 1895, National Gallery of Norway, Oslo, Norway. Art State of Mind

4 Artists Who Suffered from Mental Illness (And How It Affected Their Art)

Vincent van Gogh is well-known for his iconic works, and for a particular event from his personal life: the artist spent some time in a psychiatric...

Rute Ferreira 10 October 2023

Titian, Bacchus and Ariadne, 1520-23, National Gallery, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Bacchus and Ariadne by Titian

Titian’s Bacchus and Ariadne captures the vibrancy of a Greco-Roman myth through the lens of an Italian Renaissance painter. Learn about the...

James W Singer 9 October 2023

Love Story

A Capri Romance: John Singer Sargent and Rosina Ferarra

We are all dreaming of summer holidays, long walks along beaches, toes in the sand, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Perhaps...

Charlotte Stace 7 October 2023

Norbertine von Bresslern-Roth, Zebera Finches Animals

The Magical Menagerie of Norbertine Bresslern-Roth

Always moving, impenetrable, and ephemeral, animals are among the most difficult subjects for an artist to depict. Using a new style of printmaking...

Louisa Mahoney 4 October 2023

WTF Art History

6 Creatures by Hieronymus Bosch That Could Be Pokémon

Did you ever think where the ideas for Pokémon could be coming from? Here are six examples proving that in the 16th century, Hieronymus Bosch caught...

Zuzanna Stańska 4 October 2023

Animals

The Medieval Bestiary – Cute, Quirky, and Weird Animals

Of all the medieval manuscripts, bestiaries are definitely the most fun. A medieval bestiary is a book about animals. It’s full of unusual...

Alexandra Kiely 4 October 2023

Love Story

Wonderful Paintings Inspired by Famous Literary Couples

Art and literature have been a thing for centuries and they’re still at it. We have plucked a few worthy fruits of their union to show you how...

Giordana Goretti 2 October 2023

Art State of Mind

7 Entertaining Art History Podcasts to Listen To

Podcasts are a stellar tool for diversion, learning, and companionship, as great podcasts tend to have friendly and knowledgeable hosts. Check out...

Anastasia Tsaleza 30 September 2023