#raphael

Painting

Habemus Papam! The Most Famous Portraits of Popes in Art History

For ages, the Catholic Church has been a hugely important patron of the arts. As the Papal States (which predated Vatican City) were enormously...

Zuzanna Stańska 8 May 2025

History

10 Most Important Masterpieces Lost During World War II

Art theft and looting occurred on a massive scale during World War II. It all started with Adolf Hitler’s unsuccessful career as an artist. He was...

Zuzanna Stańska 8 May 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Is This Unicorn a Dog? Uncovering the Mysteries of Raphael’s Masterpiece

Portrait of a Young Woman with Unicorn by Raphael is one of the gems from the Galleria Borghese in Rome, currently on loan to the Gallerie...

Ela Bobek 1 May 2025

Medieval Art

Holy Week in Art: Easter Explained in Paintings

To celebrate the Christian festival of Easter, here is the story of Holy Week and Easter explained in paintings. Palm Sunday Stained glass...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 14 April 2025

Long Read

Feminae Gravidae: Pregnancy in Art

While the imagery of women and children is greatly depicted throughout the history of art, pregnancy is much more of a rare sight. Some blame the...

Caroline Galambosova 10 March 2025

Painting

10 Marvellous Madonna Paintings

10 paintings from across art history, focusing on Madonna, the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.

Candy Bedworth 24 February 2025

Renaissance

Sistine Chapel: Michelangelo, the Warrior Pope and God’s Bottom

No, I am not indulging in casual profanity, in this painting, we are actually looking at God’s bare bottom and it graces the ceiling of the Sistine...

Guest Author 10 February 2025

Art History 101

12 Famous Self-Portraits You Should Know

Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Self-portraits are closely tied to the existence of mirrors. Although mirrors have...

Anastasia Manioudaki 15 January 2025

Dine & Wine

Fish Paintings for Christmas Eve Dinner

In many cultures, Christmas Eve dinner does not include any meat (excluding seafood) or alcohol because one should keep a vigil fasting and expect...

Magda Michalska 24 December 2024

Art History 101

Twelve Important Portraits to Know

Let us embark on a journey through the course of art history with twelve significant portraits everybody should definitely know! The human need to...

Anastasia Manioudaki 23 December 2024

Art History 101

Lapis Lazuli—A Pigment More Precious Than Gold

Lapis lazuli, once more precious than gold, has a history of over 9000 years. The earliest artifacts found at Bhirrana, which is the oldest site of...

Irina Diana Calu 30 September 2024

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 20 September 2024