Literature

Long Read

9 Shakespeare Paintings by John Everett Millais

Back in 1590, when Henry IV first appeared on stage, Shakespeare could not have foreseen the popularity of his creations. The appeal of characters...

Ledys Chemin, 23 April 2024

Quiz

How Well Do You Know Shakespeare? A Short Quiz with Henry Fuseli Paintings

Kate Wojtczak, Magda Michalska 23 April 2024

Literature

From Literature to Canvas: Shakespeare’s Characters in Millais’ Paintings

“To be or not to be, that is the question.” That famous quote probably reminded you of a certain writer, did it not? William Shakespeare,...

Rute Ferreira 23 April 2024

Left: Martin Droeshout, Portrait of William Shakespeare, 1623. Right: Titian, Tarquinius and Lucretia, ca. 1571, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK. Literature

The Art of Ekphrasis: Shakespeare’s Lucrece

It is most common to talk about paintings or sculptures inspired by a piece of literature. Yet, this relationship between arts is not unidirectional.

Jimena Escoto 23 April 2024

Literature

American Artist Who Loved Everything British: Edwin Austin Abbey’s Shakespeare Paintings

A painter and illustrator Edwin Austin Abbey was born in the US, but he loved all things British, particularly the works of William Shakespeare. He...

Alexandra Kiely 23 April 2024

Artist Stories

Charles Keeping: An Extraordinary English Illustrator

Today I would like to talk about Charles Keeping, an illustrator whom I discovered in my childhood. You may already be familiar with his work,...

Sarah Mills 18 April 2024

Artist Stories

Aubrey Beardsley: Sharp Blacks and Whites of the Victorian Era

Aubrey Beardsley was an extremely talented draughtsman of the Victorian era. As a young boy, he suffered from tuberculosis, yet decided to live his...

Magda Michalska 18 April 2024

Harry Clarke, Its Figures Passed By Me from Edgar Allan Poe, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, George G. Harrap and Co., London, 1919. Public Domain Review. Detail. Literature

Beautiful and Scary: Illustrations for Poe’s Horror Stories by Harry Clarke

Harry Clarke was an Irish stained glass artist and book illustrator. He made notable works in both fields but somehow his stained glass works are a...

Marija Canjuga 18 April 2024

Hans Eworth, Elizabeth I and the Three Goddesses, 1569 History

The Myth of the Judgement of Paris in Art

According to Greek mythology, the Judgement of Paris is a story which leads up to the start of the Trojan War. As the myth goes, three goddesses are...

Anna Ingram 17 April 2024

Europa Art: Valentin Serov, The Rape of Europa, 1910, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moskva, Russia. Literature

How Europe Got Its Name — The Myth of Europa in Art

Have you ever wondered where the name of the continent Europe comes from? Meet Europa, a Phoenician woman who became the inspiration for the name of...

Magda Michalska 17 April 2024

Art History 101

The Complicated History of Norse Mythology in Art

Literally speaking, mythology is an old-school kind of storytelling. “Mythos” is a Greek word for “story” while “logia” means...

Lana Pajdas 17 April 2024

Shakespeare in Art: Henry Fuseli, Titania and Bottom, c. 1790, Tate Britain, London, UK. Literature

Shakespeare’s Plays in Art

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” And indeed wicked it is! From Macbeth to Romeo and Juliet, William...

Ruxi Rusu 8 April 2024