WTF Art History

Bizarre

Chilling Beauty: Exploring Europe’s Bone Churches

From the ancient period through the 18th century, European Catholics and Orthodox Christians displayed and maintained bones of the deceased to honor...

Julia Bourbois 28 March 2024

Animals

Secrets of Pets in Art

There’s nothing better than going to a museum and spotting a cute pet hidden in a painting. I mean, after all, one of art’s functions is...

Marta Wiktoria Bryll 26 March 2024

Cats

Can You Spot the Cat? Cats Hidden in Famous Paintings

I like cats and I’m sure that many of you do, too. A fascinating animal, the cat has earned itself an important place in culture, literature, and...

Marina Kochetkova 26 March 2024

WTF Art History

The Pre-Raphaelites and the Wombat

Many people are obsessed with cute cats, penguins, pandas, koalas, and all sorts of animals. However one rarely hears about the wombat, especially in...

Joanna Kaszubowska 26 March 2024

Photo of Andy Warhol with Archie, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, USA. Animals

Great Artists’ Dachshund Muses

Did you know that some of the world’s most celebrated artists and performers have been dachshund owners? This extensive list of elite creatives...

Maya M. Tola 26 March 2024

Animals

Thomas Gainsborough and His Dog Portraits

Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788) was a portrait and landscape painter. During his career, he often painted dogs accompanying his sitters. He always...

Joanna Kaszubowska 26 March 2024

Correggio, Jupiter and Io, 1530, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Jupiter and Io by Correggio

Jupiter and Io by Correggio is a masterpiece of the Northern Italian Renaissance. It explores sensual nudity through the lens of a Roman...

James W Singer 24 March 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Birth of Venus by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

The Birth of Venus is probably the most famous painting by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and it is considered a masterpiece of French Academic...

James W Singer 24 March 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sleeping Venus by Giorgione and Titian

Giorgione and Titian’s Sleeping Venus is a masterpiece of the Venetian Renaissance school of painting. It explores sensual nudity through a...

James W Singer 24 March 2024

Art State of Mind

Art in the Golden Hour

The golden hour is a brief and awe inspiring moment filled with the most radiant light, intense colors, and deep shadows. For centuries artists have...

Marga Patterson 23 March 2024

Art State of Mind

10 Paintings That Will Bring Sunshine to Your House

Throughout history, artists have used light and shadow in their work to create the illusion of a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional...

Ruxi Rusu 23 March 2024

Art State of Mind

10 Sunny Beaches in Art

Do you remember the joy of being on the beach? How warm, how sunny, how glorious! If you miss the light and warmth, join us to explore the ten most...

Joanna Kaszubowska 23 March 2024