Articles

Frank Godwin, Philadelphia Patriotic Scene via American Illustration

Rebecca Levenson

Fireworks, Flags, and Freedom in American Art H...

From Homer's shorelines to Childe Hassam’s flags, artists have long captured the spirit, color, and celebration of the Fourth of July in American life.

Raphael, The School of Athens, 1509–1511 via Wikipedia/Public Domain

Lena Whitmore

Why Painting and Sculpture Were Different Befor...

Before the camera, painting and sculpture preserved our memory of people, places, and power. Art did not just imitate life. It was proof that life happened.

Yun Shouping, Album of flowers, bamboo, fruits, and vegetables © Phoenix Art Museum. All rights reserved. Photo by Ken Howie.

Isabelle Fenwick

The Refined Power of Qing Dynasty Chinese Painting

Explore the poetic, spiritual, and rebellious worlds of six Qing Dynasty painters who reshaped tradition into personal expression.

Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1495-1498 via Wikipedia/Public Domain

Elise Marlowe

Celebrating World Art Day: Da Vinci’s Living Le...

On World Art Day, we spotlight 10 visionary artists who kept Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy alive through science, mysticism, and bold ideas.

Feature image: Arnold Böcklin, Isle of the Dead, 1880 via Wikipedia; Credit: Kunstmuseum Basel, Martin P. Bühler

Julian Ashford

Was Symbolism the Most Mysterious Movement in Art?

Symbolism emerged as one of the most mysterious art movements, fusing dreams, mysticism, mythology, and emotional depth into visionary masterpieces.

Christ’s Charge to Peter, from The Acts of the Apostles tapestry series. Attributed to the workshop of Hans (Jan) Mattens after Raphael (1483–1520). Glencairn Museum Collection. Image and information courtesy of Glencairn Museum

Miles Avery

Tapestry as Time Machine: When Walls Told Stories

An immersive look at how medieval and Renaissance tapestries like the Bayeux and Unicorn series wove myth, history, and power into art.

Gertrude Abercrombie, Split Personality, 1954 via Colossal

Adrian Mercer

Beyond Dreams: The Women Who Shaped Surrealism

Five visionary women—Abercrombie, Tanning, Fini, Carrington, and Varo—reshaped Surrealism, blending dreams, myth, and identity into art.

Jackson Pollock, No.5, 1948 via jackson-pollock.org

Julian Ashford

Why Abstract Art Doesn’t Suck: A Response to th...

A deep dive into the common criticisms of abstract art and why it is, undeniably, a vital and legitimate form of artistic expression.

Agnes Pelton, Sea Change, 1931 via Whitney Museum of American Art

Lena Whitmore

Transcendentalism in Art: A Journey Beyond the ...

Transcendentalist artists like Agnes Pelton and Hilma af Klint used abstraction to convey spirituality, intuition, and the unseen.

Dan Flavin installation via Wallpaper Magazine

Rebecca Levenson

Light and Fluorescence in Art History and Conte...

Discover the evolution of light and fluorescence in art history, from medieval stained glass to James Turrell's breathtaking installations.