In his Natural History, The ancient Roman historian Pliny the Elder tells a memorable tale about the world's first painter.
Category: Art History
What is History Painting?
History painting was an important genre in 18th and 19th-century European art. The term is used all the time, but doesn't simply refer to paintings of history. Learn about the characteristics of a history paint and why all the most ambitious artists wanted to pursue it.
Fun Words I Learned Studying Art
I've learned so many cool words I've learned studying art history. They're lots of fun to say. Here are six words along with definitions and artwork examples of each one.
Giorgio Vasari, the First Art Historian
Giorgio Vasari is considered to be the father of art history. In the mid-16th century, he wrote a set of biographies of Italy's most important artists and architects. It's been influential ever since then. A new biography of Vasari, published in 2017, takes a complete look at Vasari's life and work as both an artist and writer.
This Stuff’s Expensive: A Fun Fact About Colors
Did you know that not all paint colors are made the same way? This means that, at least at one time, some colors were much more difficult to get than others. What was the rarest color?
Rogue’s Gallery – Art Dealers as Colorful as any Artist
My review of a fascinating book, Rogue's Gallery, about the history of art dealers. As it turns out, it's not just the artists who have big personalities, and art dealers have affected art history a lot. A fun and informative book.
The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
While stocking up on books for an impending snow storm, I found Jonathan Harr's The Lost Painting: The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece (Random House, 2006) on the library shelf and picked it up on a whim. During the actual storm the following day, I devoured the entire book in a few hours and only wished it were longer (the… Continue reading The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
Busting Myths About Art History
Today, I'll debunk some common misconceptions about being an art historian. I hear these a lot when I talk about my work. Plus, I've included a little about the skills you learn as an art historian that will help with any career.
What Is an Art Historian?
When I tell people that I'm an art historian, I'm often met with general confusion and awkwardness. So, what is an art historian?
Ask the Scholarly Skater #1 – Your Art Questions Answered
I recently polled my Facebook friends about their burning art-related questions. I got four great questions, for which I hope I gave four good answers. Do you have an art question you want answered? Let me know in the comments! Question: Why do Greek and Roman gods always appear naked? Answer: Different cultures and religions… Continue reading Ask the Scholarly Skater #1 – Your Art Questions Answered
