#Miniature Painting

Ende, Prologue, On the Church, Gerona Beatus, Miniature, ca. 975 CE Women Artists

Ende: The First Documented Spanish Female Manuscript Illuminator

She is an enigma, an ancient, foggy artist from northern Spain in the Middle Ages. We learn nothing about Ende’s identity, life, or whether she...

Wen Gu 15 December 2025

Rosalba Carriera, The Allegory of Music, 1712 Bavarian National Museum, Munich, Germany. Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Rococo

Rosalba Carriera: The Accomplished Pastellist

Do you know the great Rococo portraitist Rosalba Carriera? She was one of the most famous painters of the early 18th century. Carriera became known...

Maia Heguiaphal 11 December 2025

Medieval Art

An Illuminated Year with Limbourg Brothers

Just imagine you are an extremely rich duke living in the 15th century who likes pretty books and magnificent castles. What do you do to have them...

Magda Michalska 9 December 2025

Medieval Art

Nun, Scientist, Artist, Saint: Meet Hildegard von Bingen

Saint Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), also known as the Sybil of the Rhine, is one of the most renowned figures from the European Middle Ages. She...

Iolanda Munck 14 October 2025

WTF Art History

The Unbelievable Story of Killer Rabbits in Medieval Manuscripts

If you’ve ever watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you probably remember the scene when the vicious killer bunny (which, as we remember,...

Zuzanna Stańska 24 September 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: September by Limbourg Brothers

September created by Limbourg brothers is a masterpiece of medieval art and autumn art that captures the experience of seasonal life in 15th-century...

James W Singer 21 September 2025

mythical love stories Love Story

5 Mythical Love Stories Depicted in Art

Mythical love stories are some of the greatest ever told, capturing the hearts of many generations. They have been recreated in sculpture, retold in...

Charlotte Stace 12 September 2025

Art State of Mind

True Tips for a Happier Life from the Miniatures of Reza Abbasi

Everyone wants to be happy and each of us has a different idea of happiness. For some, it is finishing college and getting a new job. For others, it...

Rute Ferreira 28 July 2025

Asian Art

Artistic Patronage of Akbar the Great

Abu’l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, later known as Akbar the Great, was born into uncertain circumstances in 1542, during a period of exile for...

Maya M. Tola 5 May 2025

Painting

Susanna Horenbout: Forgotten Female Artist at the Tudor Court

The Horenbouts were a family of Flemish painters who came to England in the 1520s. The most famous, Gerard (father) and Lucas (son), were employed as...

Guest Author 10 March 2025

Gerrit Dou, Dog at Rest, 1650, oil on oak panel, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Dog at Rest by Gerrit Dou

Gerrit Dou’s Dog at Rest is a masterpiece of Dutch genre painting, perfect for both dog enthusiasts and art...

James W Singer 23 February 2025

Animals

The Medieval Bestiary—Cute, Quirky, and Weird Animals

Of all the medieval manuscripts, bestiaries are definitely the most fun. A medieval bestiary is a book about animals. It’s full of unusual...

Alexandra Kiely 16 January 2025