Latest

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 8 December 2022

Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, ca 1766-1833, lacquered gilt wood, Vietnam, Musée Guimet, Paris, France. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara

Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara was donated to the Musée Guimet in Paris, France, in 1889 by French archeologist Gustave Dumoutier. It represents the...

James W Singer 8 December 2022

Asian Art

The Power of Compassion – Bodhisattvas in Art

Enlightening and radiant bodhisattvas are often depicted in art. With the opening of Buddhist practice to laypeople, active and compassionate...

Marina Kochetkova 8 December 2022

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Self-Portrait, c. 1635, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy. Artist Stories

All You Need to Know About Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was a multifaceted artist. He is mostly known as a sculptor and architect, but he was also a painter and a city planner. He...

Vithória Konzen Dill 7 December 2022

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, 1647-1652, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Roma, Italia. Masterpiece Stories

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini: Divine Bliss or Pure Erotic Pleasure?

Among the works of the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680), the sculptural group called Ecstasy of Saint Teresa remains...

Montaine Dumont 7 December 2022

Gian Lorenzo Bernini, The Rape of Proserpina Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Rape of Proserpina by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Sail into the world of antiquity through the eyes of the Baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. In the Borghese Gallery in Rome, you can find Rape of...

Ana Djoric 7 December 2022

Artist Stories

The Artist and the Eternal City: Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Career in Rome

Can an artist single-handedly impact an entire city? Considering that the city in question is Rome, probably not. But add to the mix an influential...

Joanna Kaszubowska 7 December 2022

Baroque

Bernini vs Borromini – The Greatest Chisel Off in Art History

“Bernini vs Borromini” could be the main headline on today’s newspaper – a lawsuit, fascinating dispute, or even political elections. It has...

Giordana Goretti 7 December 2022

North American Art

The Man, The Myth, The Legend: Thomas Nast’s Santa Claus

Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, Old St. Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Papa Noel, Weihnachtsmann. Whatever your culture is, he is a man of many...

Rachel Witte 6 December 2022

History

Vintage Claus Is Coming to Town

Today is Saint Nicholas Day, a holiday children across the world love because they get little treats if they are good (look up the Dutch version of...

Magda Michalska 6 December 2022

North American Art

Haddon Sundblom: The Artist Behind the Coca-Cola Santa Claus

Various illustrated depictions of the old St. Nicholas, or Bishop of Myra, have existed for centuries, bringing to life his story. Yet, in the end,...

Maria Frazzoni 6 December 2022

North American Art

Ed Wheeler’s Santa Classics: Santa Claus and Masterpieces

Photographer Ed Wheeler has been dressing up as Santa Claus for years and posing in hilarious compositions. He started over  20 years ago with...

Zuzanna Stańska 6 December 2022