The Wadsworth Athenaeum, in Hartford, CT, is one of America's oldest art museums. It was founded by Daniel Wadsworth in 1842. However, it has been expanded several times since them. The museum has a little bit of everything, from paintings to porcelain, ancient Egyptian to contemporary European. It's a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon.
Tag: Renaissance Art
Tour Great Architecture from Anywhere
Want to enjoy great architecture from your couch? I recently discovered a host of virtual tours of famous works of architecture. How cool is that? While you can never truly experience a place from a computer screen, it's nice to have the option when travelling to the site in person isn't in your schedule (or budget). All of the tours listed are 360° experiences, not just pictures.
Art at Vassar: The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center
The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center is a small art museum on the campus of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The museum contains a little bit of everything, but its claim to fame is probably its many Hudson River School paintings. The rest of the collection ranges from ancient to contemporary works in small quantities.
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.
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.
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?
A Guide to Renaissance Architecture
A guide to recognizing and appreciating Renaissance architecture. Includes background, key ideas, important architects, and examples.