#restoration

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 December 2023

Giorgione and Titian, Sleeping Venus, 1508-10, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Sleeping Venus by Giorgione and Titian

Giorgione and Titian’s Sleeping Venus is a masterpiece of the Venetian Renaissance school of painting. It explores sensual nudity through a...

James W Singer 20 November 2023

WTF Art History

Art Vandalism – 11 Famous Masterpieces Under Attack

The origin of the term “vandalisme” can be traced back to the French Revolution. Coined by Henri Grégoire, bishop of Blois to describe...

Zuzanna Stańska 23 October 2023

Ancient Art

Have You Ever Seen Ancient Sculptures’ Colors?

We admire the beauty and plasticity of ancient sculptures, how harmoniously they fit into the surrounding landscape. But we rarely ask ourselves the...

Elizaveta Ermakova 18 September 2023

Baroque

David and Goliath Painting Re-Attributed to Artemisia Gentileschi

Baroque master Artemisia Gentileschi’s long-hidden signature has been discovered in a 17th-century David and Goliath painting. The work was...

Alexandra Kiely 8 September 2023

WTF Art History

So Bad That It’s Good: 5 Worst Art Restorations

Artworks are a legacy of humanity and as such, they must be well preserved – and they usually are, thanks to museums and cultural institutions.

Rute Ferreira 7 September 2023

Museum Stories

Artemisia (Literally) Unveiled: A Unique Chance to Encounter Artemisia Gentileschi in Florence

Until April 2023, the Casa Buonarroti Museum in Florence will host the restoration of Artemisia Gentileschi’s Allegory of Inclination. This is a...

Carlotta Mazzoli 31 January 2023

Interview

Secrets of the Isenheim Altarpiece: Interview with Experts

Throughout art history, Jesus has been depicted in all his states, from life to death, not to mention the resurrection. The works that represent him...

Christopher Michaut 4 October 2022

Ancient Art

Shocking Chroma: Ancient Sculpture in Color at the Met

Have you ever wondered how the Greco-Roman statues looked during antiquity? Thanks to the Met and its amazing team, you can now get a glimpse of the...

Erol Degirmenci 29 September 2022

Masterpiece Stories

Meet Mona Lisa’s Twin!

Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world. But did you know that she has a twin? Covered with multiple layers of dark and cracked varnish,...

Zuzanna Stańska 14 September 2022

Women Artists

Healing Violante Ferroni’s Paintings at San Giovanni di Dio Hospital

In the mid-18th century, Florentine artist Violante Ferroni painted two large religious scenes for the atrium of San Giovanni di Dio hospital. Almost...

Alexandra Kiely 12 March 2022

Johannes Vermeer, Brieflesendes Mädchen am offenen Fenster, um 1657-59 Zustand nach der Restaurierung © Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Foto: Wolfgang Kreische Baroque

The Mysterious Cupid and Johannes Vermeer’s Paintings

Johannes Vermeer is both one of the most loved and most mysterious painters in European art. Moderately known during his lifetime, completely...

Zuzanna Stańska 29 November 2021