In this video, a deleted scene from an early version of Art Appreciation for Beginners, I demonstrate one facet of art historical analysis by discussing the imagery on a Tibetan Buddhist crown.
Tag: religious art
What is Attribution?
Understand attribution, the process by which art historians make educated suppositions about who made an artwork, and learn about the pseudonyms given to artists whose real names we don't know. Enjoy some pretty religious paintings at the same time.
Chatting About Notre-Dame de Paris on Jo’s Art History Podcast
Listen to me chat about Notre-Dame de Paris with Jo McLaughlin of Jo's Art History Podcast.
The Garima Gospels – Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts in Ethiopia
The Garima Gospels, two gospel books from northern Ethiopia, may be the oldest surviving illuminated Christian manuscripts in the entire world.
Orsola Maddalena Caccia at the Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's acquisition of three works by little-known 16th-century painter Orsola Maddalena Caccia (1596-1676) made headlines last year. Earlier this summer, I got to see the two of them, a pair of large still life paintings, in the recently-rehung Old Masters galleries.
Yearly Updates on the Notre-Dame de Paris Restoration
On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire tore through the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, the most beloved and iconic of all Gothic buildings. Largely through the heroic efforts of Paris firefighters, the building was spared the total destruction that at one point seemed inevitable. However, the damage was extensive. Despite early negative forecasts and complications due to the pandemic, the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris is well underway, and the restored building will look as much like the old one as possible. Almost every year since the fire, I have written something about the cathedral's current condition and the status of the restoration. You can find it all in this post.
Frick Madison Shines New Light on Old Friends
On the afternoon of March 4th, I was one of the very first people to experience Frick Madison, the Frick Collection's new installation in the Whitney Museum's former home at 945 Madison Avenue. The surprisingly-wonderful combination of historical art and Brutalist structure literally shines a new light on the Frick's beloved artworks.
The Sumptuous Saints of Carlo Crivelli
Meet Carlo Crivelli, painter of sumptuously-dressed Madonnas and saints. His rich and beautiful style is part Gothic and part Renaissance, with more than a hint of Byzantine icon painting.
Astrology and Zodiac Signs in Medieval Art
Medieval Europeans were pretty serious about astrology. The belief that that stars and planets influenced daily life was fundamental to the medieval calendar and cycle of seasons. For this reason, zodiac signs appear all over medieval art and architecture, often in unexpected places. Check out some examples in my article for DailyArt Magazine.
The Sleeve Should Be Illegal – A Unique New Book from the Frick
Next month, The Frick Collection and DelMonico Books/D.A.P. will publish The Sleeve Should Be Illegal & Other Reflections on Art at the Frick, a book of short essays responding to works in the Frick's collection. I was lucky enough to receive an early pdf copy, and I really liked it!