History

History

Bondage and Freedom—The Protest Art of Two Abolitionists

Since the elites in power like the status quo, social reform is a grassroots movement.  How do reformers engage the masses? With art. Should protest...

Helen Jeffery 19 June 2026

History

Enslaved Black Models in European Art: Anonymous Objects?

Portraits of Black people are rare in European art history. Let’s be clear: they were there, in society, but they rarely made it into art, except...

Candy Bedworth 19 June 2026

Contemporary Art

13 Black Folk Artists from the American South

The thirteen self-taught artists below, from Bill Traylor to Nellie Mae Rowe, Thornton Dial to Mary T. Smith, among others, created some of the most...

Adam Oestreich 19 June 2026

Masterpiece Stories

How the Brooklyn Books of the Dead Were Brought Back to Life

What kind of measures do you take when the stakes are real? When you have to get it right the first time? You can’t improvise. You triple-check,...

MJ Rivera 18 June 2026

Gustav Klimt, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (detail), 1904-07, oil, silver, and gold on canvas, Neue Galerie New York Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I is Gustav Klimt’s most significant work of portraiture. The famous Lady in Gold has as many eye-catching...

Emily Snow 18 June 2026

Fashion

Dressed in Power: Portrait of Eleanor of Toledo by Agnolo Bronzino

The best-known image of Eleanor of Toledo also features one of the most beautiful dresses in art history. Don’t be too distracted by the beauty of...

Vithória Konzen Dill 18 June 2026

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: David by Michelangelo

The biblical figure of David, the young shepherd who defeated Goliath, was a popular subject for sculptors during the Renaissance. However, no...

Vithória Konzen Dill 14 June 2026

Review

Sophia, Bamba, and Catherine: The Last Princesses of Punjab

A new exhibition at Kensington Palace, London, The Last Princesses of Punjab, is shedding light on the fascinating lives of three remarkable...

Edoardo Cesarino 4 June 2026

Medieval Art

Top 10 Stunning Medieval Pilgrimage Churches to Visit This Summer

The Middle Ages were an exciting time in art history—a revival of imaginative, vivid art, both religious and secular, was spreading across Europe.

Justin Fenech 28 May 2026

Art History 101

Hags and Slags? A History of Witchcraft in Art

Hold on to your broomstick as we fly through time to check out the delicious and diabolical witch in art history.

Candy Bedworth 27 May 2026

African Art

Art as a Catalyst: How Art Played a Pivotal Role in the End of Apartheid

South Africa is infamous for its time of apartheid (1948-1994), a legal system for racial segregation. It was a period of violence and oppression...

Guest Author 25 May 2026

History

How Did the Dutch Become Dutch: Propaganda Prints in the Dutch Golden Age

The Golden Age of the Dutch Republic was a flourishing period for culture and economy, yet it wasn’t characterized by peace. The Dutch Republic...

Andreea Iancu 21 May 2026