The nude figure as a subject has been a battleground issue for as long as it’s been a staple of fine art.
art history
Posted inOpinion
It’s Time to Rewrite the Canon of Women Artists
Katy Hessel’s new survey of women artists leaves out men, but also falls short of offering a new take on feminist art history.
Posted inBooks
Beneath the Surface of Art’s Visual Symbolism
Matthew Wilson’s new book, The Hidden Language of Symbols, chronicles the buried visual cues of power, faith, uncertainty, and hope.
Posted inNews
Newton Who? Leonardo Explored Gravity First
A new analysis of diagrams drawn in the artist’s personal notebook reveals a near-accurate model of Earth’s gravitational pull.
Posted inBooks
A New Sourcebook of Indian Art
20th Century Indian Art: Modern, Post-Independence, Contemporary surveys the many distinct aspects of art in South Asia.
Posted inArt
Shining a Light on a Dark Chapter of American Pottery
Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina brings awareness of both Edgefield’s awesome artistry and poet-potter David Drake’s odds-defying life to a sizable audience.
Posted inBooks
How to Crack the Catholic Code of the Old Masters
Suzanna Ivanič’s new book Catholica: The Visual Culture of Catholicism is an essential primer on how Catholicism intersects with art history.
Posted inArt
How Witches Cast Their Spell on Art History
From Remedios Varo to Francisco de Goya, artists have long turned to witchcraft as subject matter.
Posted inArt
Otters Are Art History’s Unsung Muses
From ancient times to the present day, join us as we pay tribute to these otter-ly charismatic creatures in various visual media.
Posted inArt
A Brief History of Women’s Eyebrows in Art
Since antiquity, women’s eyebrows have been sites of intense scrutiny, constantly shifting between trend cycles.
Posted inArt
TikToker Pokes Fun at Western Attitudes Towards Non-Western Art
“The Europeans are a simple people, but perhaps in this complex age we could learn something from their simplicity,” Rubin says mockingly as she reverses an attitude that remains embarrassingly prevalent in Western culture.
Posted inNews
The Flowers that Blossom in Artistic Masterpieces
Gardening company Michigan Bulb analyzed 30 famous artworks depicting plants and the value of the painted blossoms in the high-end market.
