#Victorian Era

spirit victorian photography Photography

The Spectacle of Victorian Spirit Photography

Is seeing believing? In 19th-century London, this question captivated everyone who entered Frederick Hudson’s spirit photography studio—from...

Emily Snow 9 April 2025

History

The Fascinating World of Victorian Cards & Postcards

Who doesn’t enjoy receiving a postcard from a loved one? An alternative to sending formal letters, postcards were first introduced during the...

Ruxi Rusu 9 April 2025

History

10 Things You Should Know about the Victorians

What do we think of when we ponder the Victorian era? I, for one, always think of steam trains, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Sherlock Holmes,...

Sarah Mills 9 April 2025

Fashion

The Inked Ladies—Tattooed Women of the Victorian Era

Would it surprise you to learn that 59% of American women have at least one tattoo? That’s compared to 41% of American men. Perhaps unsurprising is...

Lauren Kraut 31 March 2025

Women Artists

The Divine Sarah: Sarah Bernhardt, The First Artist Superstar

While we are all familiar with celebrity culture and can recognize all of the Kardashians by their silhouettes, the idea of ‘celebrity’ is not a...

Wendy Gray 21 March 2025

may-morris-embroidered-hanging-pomegranate Artist Stories

May Morris: A Remarkable Arts & Crafts Woman

May Morris (1862–1938) once described herself as a “remarkable woman… though none of you seemed to think so.” These words proved painfully...

Emily Snow 13 March 2025

Jane Morris Love Story

Jane Morris: A Pre-Raphaelite Artist and Muse

Jane Morris (1839-1914) was an English embroiderer and artists’ model who embodied the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of beauty. She was a model and muse to...

Marija Canjuga 12 March 2025

Neoclassicism

Story of Circe According to John William Waterhouse

Circe is one of the fascinating characters in Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey. Due to her complex and unconventional nature, many painters throughout...

Erol Degirmenci 30 January 2025

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth by John Singer Sargent

On December 29th, 1888, John Singer Sargent went to the Lyceum Theatre in London to watch the premiere of Shakespeare’s Macbeth starring Henry...

Catriona Miller 12 January 2025

John Singer Sargent, Lady Agnew of Lochnaw, 1892, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh, UK. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Lady Agnew of Lochnaw by John Singer Sargent

Lady Agnew of Lochnaw is a masterpiece by John Singer Sargent. It portrays a Victorian woman in a bold, modern manner. Sargent combined masterful...

James W Singer 12 January 2025

John Everett Millais, Autumn Leaves, 1855, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, UK. Detail. Painting

An Ode to Autumn with John Everett Millais

Autumn weather can be unpredictable. Some days the earth looks as if cut out of crystal: the sky is a milky blue, and the sunlight is sparkling and...

Hannah Demaine 14 November 2024

WTF Art History

Secrets of Ghost Photography in the 19th Century

Spirit photography, photographs that allegedly show ghosts, have always captured the eye. They are peculiar, bizarre, but above all else horrifying.

Sofia Rodriguez Cuevas 29 October 2024