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.
Category: European Art
Thomas Gainsborough and His Daughters (DailyArt Magazine)
Please read my article for DailyArt Magazine about Thomas Gainsborough's portraits of his two daughters.
The Romance of the Mountains at the Newark Museum
Thoughts on the Newark Museum's exhibition The Rockies & The Alps: Bierstadt, Calame, and the Romance of the Mountains (March through August 2018).
A Guide to Romanticism
What is Romanticism in art? Learn about the different themes and stylistic attributes of Romantic painting, sculpture, and architecture. Find out how it's different from Neo-Classicism, the style that preceded it.
The War of Art: A John Singer Sargent Fun Fact
A little backstory on John Singer Sargent's portrait of French siblings Edouard and Marie-Louise Pailleron. In this unusual case, animosity between the artist and one of the sitters made for surprisingly effective painting.
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.
Michelangelo Didn’t Show His Work: A Fun Fact
A fun fact about Michelangelo and his drawings. Why didn't he want people to see them?
David’s Nose: A Fun Fact or Fable
A fun fact (or possibly a tall tale) about Michelangelo and his famous statue of David.
Klimt’s Landscapes (DailyArt Magazine)
A link to my article about Gustave Klimt's landscape paintings on DailyArt Magazine. Klimt is well known as a modernist and painter of Viennese elites. His landscapes are similar in style but much less commonly known.
A Guide to Pre-Raphaelite Painting
Learn about Pre-Raphaelite painting. Who were the major artists, what were their ideas, and how can you identify the works? How did the Pre-Raphaelites relate to the industrial revolution and movements like Arts & Crafts?
