Category: European Art
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A Skating and Art Fun Fact
This painting depicts a fashionable way to ice skate in the 18th and 19th centuries. Find out why I don’t recommend skating that way today.
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Art That Inspires Me: Still Life Painting
Back in the days of the artistic academies, still life was considered the least prestigious of the painting genres, but it’s one of my personal favorites.
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A Matter of Perspective
When Leonardo da Vinci painted his famous The Last Supper fresco, he used some cool tricks to make the painting seem to be part of the room itself.
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The Mystery of the Disappearing Velasquez (maybe)
The Vanishing Velasquez tells the wild but true story of a man who believed that he owned a lost Velasquez masterpiece. It’s still an unsolved mystery.
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The Beautiful Things of Hillwood Estate
Hillwood Estate in Washington D.C. was the treasure-filled home of hostess, philanthropist, and art collector Marjorie Merriweather Post.
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An Array of Art at Biltmore
George Vanderbilt wasn’t a huge art collector, but he still managed to acquire quite a few notable works of art that are now on display at Biltmore.
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An Oasis in New York City: The Frick Collection
The Frick Collection is one of my favorite museums. In addition to a world-class art collection, it’s also a calm oasis in the middle of New York City.
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What is History Painting?
History painting was once an important genre in European art. Learn about its characteristics and why all the most ambitious artists wanted to pursue it.
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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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A Guide to Romanticism
Learn about the different themes and stylistic attributes of Romanticism in painting, sculpture, and architecture.
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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.
