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
#Miniature Painting
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 26 March 2025
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
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 3 March 2025
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
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 20 January 2025
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
Here Be Medieval Dragons
Dragons are everywhere in popular culture. People make movies about them, collect stuffed animals of them, and dress up as them for Halloween. They...
Alexandra Kiely 16 January 2025
Medieval Take on Comic Books—Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
The Middle Ages have a very sketchy reputation. On one hand, we know that a lot of amazing art was created during that time. On the other hand,...
Joanna Kaszubowska 9 January 2025
Saint Joseph As Baby Daddy: An Illustrated Medieval Guide
Let’s forget the traditional Nativity scene that we all know for a moment: Virgin Mary kneeling before baby Christ, Joseph standing right behind...
Ela Bobek 24 December 2024
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 2 September 2024
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 18 July 2024
