A Scholarly Skater
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The Romance of the Mountains at the Newark Museum
Thoughts on the Newark Museum’s exhibition The Rockies and The Alps: Bierstadt, Calame, and the Romance of the Mountains (March through August 2018).
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The Oxen of Laon Cathedral
A charming story about Laon Cathedral, an important early Gothic church, and why it has sixteen life-sized statues of oxen on its towers.
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Fool Me Once: A Fun Fact
Roman historian Pliny the Elder tells a humorous story about two artists trying to outdo each other with their illusionistic paintings.
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Fun Words I Learned Studying Art
I’ve learned so many cool words while studying art history. Here are six of my favorites along with definitions and artwork examples of each one.
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A Guide to Romanticism
Learn about the different themes and stylistic attributes of Romanticism in painting, sculpture, and architecture.
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The Appeal of John Singer Sargent
Many people find John Singer Sargent’s work to be very appealing, though he’s received his share of criticism as well. What makes his work so compelling?
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The Mysterious Daughters of Edward Darley Boit
John Singer Sargent’s The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit is both compelling and mysterious, and interpretations of the work have changed over time.
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The War of Art: A John Singer Sargent Fun Fact
In the unusual case of Sargent’s portrait of the Pailleron siblings, animosity between the artist and sitter made for surprisingly effective painting.
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Giorgio Vasari, the First Art Historian
Giorgio Vasari is considered the father of art history. A new biography of Vasari, published in 2017, takes a complete look at his life and work.
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Michelangelo Didn’t Show His Work: A Fun Fact
Here’s a fun fact about Michelangelo and his drawings. Why didn’t he want people to see them?
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St. Bernard and Gargoyles: A Fun Fact
St. Bernard of Clairvaux wasn’t a fan of gargoyles and grotesques. This tells us something interesting about how they were understood at the time.
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David’s Nose: A Fun Fact or Fable
A fun fact (or possibly a tall tale) about Michelangelo and his famous statue of David.
