#italy

Mannerism

The Mannerist Splendor: Meet Four Powerful Women of Bronzino

Agnolo di Cosimo (1503–1572), known as Bronzino, was an Italian Mannerist painter. He lived and worked in Florence and became the court painter of...

Joanna Kaszubowska 17 November 2025

Claude and Alice Monet in Piazza San Marco, feeding the pigeons. Art Travels

Venice in the Eyes of Claude Monet

Claude Monet fell in love with Venice the first time he saw it. He was 68 years old, and he went on a trip with his wife, Alice Hoschedé. The light...

Zuzanna Stańska 14 November 2025

Renaissance

10 Facts You Didn’t Know About Michelangelo

Michelangelo Buonarroti, a painter, sculptor, and architect was born in Caprese, Italy on March 6, 1475. He is one of those geniuses whose biography...

Zuzanna Stańska 11 November 2025

Ancient Rome

The Evolution of Art During the Fall of Rome

The Fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century CE was a pivotal moment in history, signifying the end of a dominant civilization that had reigned...

Maya M. Tola 10 November 2025

Baroque

Caravaggio in 10 Paintings

Caravaggio is one of the best-known Italian Baroque painters of his time. Seen through his characteristically naturalistic style, his paintings...

Anna Ingram 7 November 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1656) was the most accomplished female painter of the Italian Baroque. She specialized in Biblical scenes of strong...

James W Singer 7 November 2025

Renaissance

Carlo Crivelli—Enigmatic Renaissance Trickster

We know very little about the life of Carlo Crivelli. The basics of life and death, and little else. We do have a collection of awe-inspiring works,...

Candy Bedworth 9 October 2025

Giorgio Vasari, St Luke Painting the Virgin WTF Art History

Best Gossips on Renaissance Artists by Giorgio Vasari

Known as the first art historian, Giorgio Vasari wrote the legendary book Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. The book...

Anna Ingram 9 October 2025

Renaissance

The Surprising Career of Lavinia Fontana: Painter of Popes, Nudes, and Noblewomen

There weren’t many women who became successful artists in Renaissance Europe. However, there were probably more than most people think, and we try...

Alexandra Kiely 9 October 2025

Art History 101

The Italian Renaissance: A Brief Guide

To the general public, the Italian Renaissance is the pinnacle of art history. More than 500 years on, it’s still the subject of blockbuster...

Alexandra Kiely 9 October 2025

Artist Stories

Too Much Love Will Kill You—The Death of Raphael

Raphael Sanzio, one of the greatest Renaissance painters, died on Good Friday in 1520. He was only 37 years old and at the peak of his artistic...

Zuzanna Stańska 7 October 2025

Caravaggio David with the Head of Goliath, c. 1610, Galleria Borghese, Rome, Italy. Artist Stories

How Did Caravaggio Die? The Answer Is Not Easy

Caravaggio was a great artist, no doubt about it, but he was also rowdy. An early published notice on him, dating from 1604 and describing his...

Zuzanna Stańska 7 October 2025