For much of the history of western art, what is considered a “good” painting was judged by how well a painting conveyed a visual narrative—that is, how well a painting told a story. From just before the Renaissance onwards, the … Continued
You’ve probably heard of Caravaggio, the Italian Baroque painter whose particular style of painting spread throughout Europe like wildfire. But have you ever considered the fact that many of his paintings make excellent reaction images? In the spirit of countless … Continued
You’ve probably heard of John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” at some point in your educational lifespan. It’s the Romantic poem about an urn. Upon viewing some of the recently plundered–er, repurposed, the British government might say–goods the British … Continued
This Friday, our #fancyfriday champ is none other than Peter Paul Rubens! His Self-Portrait with Isabella Brandt not only shows off the couple’s style, but their #flawless relationship as well. Rubens married Isabella Brandt in 1609 when he had just … Continued
Disney artists are some of the best in the business. As we’ve seen with my post discussing The Little Mermaid, somebody at Disney is a bigger art history geek than the rest and takes the time to carefully insert huge art history Easter … Continued
Today we have another portrait to celebrate #fancyfriday, and that’s Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson’s Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Belley! Painted in 1797, the portrait aims to showcase Citizen Belley’s grandeur, a rare benefit from the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. Jean-Baptiste Belley … Continued
Summer is just around the bend! With lazy days filled with sun and sea ahead, it’s only fitting to celebrate the fact that warmer days are coming in beautiful California. Bulgarian-born artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and his wife Jeanne-Claude Danet, … Continued
Confused by just how exactly today’s art world works? Hung up on what this “art world” actually is? Fear not! Sarah Thornton’s engaging and enlightening Seven Days in the Art World acts as your guide to the institutions that make … Continued
With all the hubbub in the art world left over from the Met Gala this past week, we’ve decided to step things up for #fancyfriday. Today’s special: Thomas Phillips’ portrait of the notorious George Gordon, better known as Lord Byron! … Continued
Tired of scrolling past endless selfies in your Instagram feed? Annoyed by the amount of your friends who are “addicted to the gym lol” and feel the need to share how much more fit they are than you? Sick of … Continued