Articles

Angelica Kauffman’s Self-Portrait Hesitating Between Music and Painting, 1794 Credit: ©National Trust Images via National Trust Collections

Lena Whitmore

Artists Who Studied Under Masters and Made History

These artists began their journeys under mentors but carved out distinct paths, proving that true innovation often comes from learning and then letting go.

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.

Frederic Leighton, Clytie, c. 1890s, unfinished, via Wikimedia Commons

Elise Marlowe

Unfinished Masterpieces and the Art of Incomple...

Unfinished artworks reveal raw process, artistic intention, and emotional depth. Explore how incompletion shapes meaning across centuries of art.

Yayoi Kusama, Mushrooms, 2005 via Mucciaccia Gallery

Rowan Whit

Yayoi Kusama’s Mushroom Paintings and Their Mea...

Yayoi Kusama's mushroom paintings explore hallucination, trauma, sexuality, and repetition through surreal forms that connect nature with the subconscious.

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.

Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait (right) and Portrait of Theo van Gogh (left). Collection of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Image courtesy of the Van Gogh Museum.

Hugo Merz

Famous Siblings Who Shaped Art History in Surpr...

Behind many great artists are equally fascinating siblings. From letters to lifelong sacrifices, these relationships helped shape art history.

Kandinsky, Yellow, Red, Blue, 1925 via Singulart

Rowan Whit

Underrated, Must-Know Paintings by Wassily Kand...

A look beyond the color theory charts and concentric circles reveals lesser-known Kandinsky works that showcase his wild, spiritual, and deeply personal side.

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.

Rembrandt, The Blinding of Samson, 1636 via Wikipedia/Public Domain

Rebecca Levenson

Shadow, City, and Self: Why Rembrandt Still Fee...

Rembrandt painted what it means to be human: grief, grace, aging, and light. From self-portraits to biblical dramas, his works remain deeply moving.

Alexander Calder, The Ghost, 1964 © 2025 Calder Foundation, New York

Sable Monroe

How Alexander Calder Brought Joan Miró’s Art to...

Joan Miró painted dreams; Alexander Calder gave them form. Discover how Calder’s mobiles brought Miró’s whimsical world into kinetic 3D.