A Scholarly Skater
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An Old Dutch Skating Painting
A pair of paintings from the Rijksmuseum collection show the popularity of outdoor ice skating in the history of the Netherlands.
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A Selection of Watercolors by John Singer Sargent
In addition to his portraits, John Singer Sargent painted many, many watercolors. They often depicted landscapes and other scenes he had observed during his travels in Europe, America, and the Middle East.
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Dancers and Skaters by Renoir
A selection of beautiful paintings by Pierre Auguste Renoir – all depicting my two favorite things, ice skating and dancing.
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Fry versus Sargent
Many people are huge fans of John Singer Sargent, but British painter and art theorist Roger Fry wasn’t one of them.
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Epic Bookstores and Libraries
Presenting sixteen libraries and sixteen bookstores you have to see before you die. How amazing are these places? They are all so incredible that I tried to write more about them, but I couldn’t pick just a few to talk about. I could barely even figure out which ones I should include photos of. I…
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A grotesque for the National Guard
I saw this rather dignified-looking lion on the exterior of the National Guard armory where I attended a trade show a few days ago. He and his brother (not pictured) seem to keep watch and maintain order in the no parking zone below.
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Glamour, Modernism, and the City that Never Sleeps: Art Deco in 1920s New York
“New York is an Art Deco city – indeed, the Deco city […] The Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and Rockefeller Center were crowning achievements of the late 1920s and early 1930s, and remain the dominant celebrities of the midtown skyline. Deco lobbies, theatres, jazz bars, restaurants, and details also hide and surprise at eye…
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The Life and Work of Roger Fry
Meet Roger Fry. A little while back, Mr. Fry and I spent a delightful year in each other’s company, because he was the subject of my honors thesis in my senior year of college. Seeing as dear old Roger holds such an important place in my scholarly career, I figure it is high time I…
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Recommended Link: Historic Hotels of America
I get really excited about historic hotels, and I’ve even stayed in a few.
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More Academic Grotesques
Look at all these charming little faces! A chorus of grotesques holds up a window sill on this pretty stone academic building. These photos were taken by my little sister munchkin, Amira M., who says she passes them on her way to English class. In the photo below, you can see that the window is…
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Gargoyles Go to College
Discover the grotesques of the University of Chicago.
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Bernini’s Angels
I have been working on a new skating program for the past month or so to a song called “Bernini’s Angels”, so I have recently been thinking a lot about the titular sculptor. In the program, I play the character of a young art student who is stuck in a terrible creative rut, travels to…
