If you've been around the art world for a while, chances are that you've heard the term "provenance". If so, you've probably gotten the sense that it is important, but you may not know what it is or why it matters. Provenance is an artwork's history of ownership, and it help you determine if a work is genuine and honest.
Tag: Art History
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?
An Art Quote for the Quote Challenge
The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. - Pablo Picasso Thanks to Belinda O. and her excellent taste in quotations, I was inspired to find and post a meaningful quote relating to the theme of my blog. This one is both relevant and true. No matter your preferred medium or form of expression, the… Continue reading An Art Quote for the Quote Challenge
Failure… or Not (WordPress Writing 101 Prompt #14)
Today’s assignment was to pick up the nearest book, turn to page twenty-nine, and write a post based on the first word that you notice on that page. In a fashion that should not surprise anyone who knows anything about me, my nearest book was Robert Edsel’s The Monuments Men. I’m nothing if not predictable.… Continue reading Failure… or Not (WordPress Writing 101 Prompt #14)
Leonardo’s Lost Princess
Some thoughts on Leonardo's Lost Princess, a book about a drawing controversially attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.
Portrait of the Artist’s Daughter
Australian photographer Bill Gekas has been getting a lot of attention recently. His work has been featured everywhere from Buzzfeed to The Magazine Antiques, and I think I'll give him some press here as well. Gekas's work consists of portraits of his young daughter dressed up and posed in the style of Old Master paintings. I… Continue reading Portrait of the Artist’s Daughter
Fashion For the Art Historian: the Designs of Gary Graham
I was reading an article in this month's The Magazine Antiques about a current exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum in New York. Entitled "Folk Couture: Folk Art and Fashion", the exhibition includes the work of thirteen fashion designers, each of whom was invited to create a piece of couture based on one or… Continue reading Fashion For the Art Historian: the Designs of Gary Graham
