#religious art

Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece, 1432, detail Masterpiece Stories

Ghent Altarpiece: The Charmed Life of the Mystic Lamb

Come with us to visit the Van Eyck brothers, their monumental Ghent Altarpiece, and explore 500 years of intrigue, theft and revolutionary painting techniques.

Candy Bedworth 9 July 2025

History

When in Mexico: Mysterious and Beautiful Flower Crowned Nun Portraits

Gambol into the lobby of most Mexican hotels, or visit any antique store in Mexico, and you’re bound to find a portrait of an 18th or 19th-century...

Guest Author 8 July 2025

Fashion

Crowning Traditions: The Symbolism of Turbans in South Asia

Turbans are one of the most enduring forms of headwear in human history. Though associated today with Sikh and Muslim communities, turban and...

Maya M. Tola 3 July 2025

Architecture

4 Mosques and Their Unique Histories

Islamic architecture is well-known for spacious courtyards, colorful wall paintings, and tiles with incredible patterns. The history of many mosques...

Magda Michalska, Aniela Rybak-Vaganay 30 June 2025

Art Travels

The Largest Religious Monument in the World: Angkor Wat in Cambodia

The Khmer kingdom thrived in the Cambodian region from the 9th to 15th centuries with an empire that stretched all the way from modern-day Myanmar...

Maya M. Tola 30 June 2025

Architecture

American Gothic Revival Highlights: Duke Chapel, North Carolina

The Duke University Chapel is a prime example of Collegiate Gothic architecture in the United States. It is also one of the most beautiful buildings...

Maya M. Tola 30 June 2025

Architecture

These Churches Will Make You Believe In God

Churches are fascinating buildings where time seems to stand still. Allow us to lead you by the smell of incense into the dark Gothic interiors.

Magda Michalska 30 June 2025

Kūka’ilimoku, ca 1795-1822, ʻŌhiʻa lehua Wood, Kawaihae, Hawai’i, British Museum, London, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Kūka’ilimoku

Kūka’ilimoku is a masterpiece of Hawaiian art. It is an artistic icon of Hawai’i, Polynesia, and Oceania. With so little Oceanic art displayed...

James W Singer 29 June 2025

Muisca Raft, ca 600-1600, gold, Museo del Oro, Bogotá, Colombia. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Muisca Raft

The Muisca Raft is a masterpiece of Pre-Columbian art. It was created by the Muisca people who lived in a region of today’s Colombia. Muisca...

James W Singer 29 June 2025

Chambri People, Ancestor Mask, early 20th century, wood and natural pigments, Ceremonial House, Chambri Lake Village, Papua New Guinea, Musée du quai Branly, Paris, France. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Chambri People’s Ancestor Mask

Ancestor Mask is a masterpiece of Papua New Guinean art. It symbolizes a vanishing tribal lifestyle rarely seen outside of...

James W Singer 29 June 2025

Asmat People, Bisj Pole, late 20th century, mangrove wood, plant fibers, and pigments, Jow Village, Asmat Regency, Western New Guinea, Indonesia, Musée du quai Branly, Paris, France. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Bisj Pole by the Asmat People

Bisj Pole is a masterpiece of indigenous art from the Asmat people of Western New Guinea, Indonesia. The work is housed at the Musée du Quai...

James W Singer 29 June 2025

Bizarre

Chilling Beauty: Exploring Europe’s Bone Churches

From the ancient period through the 18th century, European Catholics and Orthodox Christians displayed and maintained bones of the deceased to honor...

Julia Bourbois 26 June 2025