Art
Holbein the Younger Looked Death in the Eye
Death, in the artist’s imagination, is the oblivion that spares no one, regardless of what you have or haven’t done, regardless of who you are.
Hans Holbein
Art
The Calligraphic Character of Holbein’s Portraits
An exhibition at the Getty unleashes the dynamic character of Holbein’s portraits in ways I’ve never seen before.
Art
The Makings of Madonnas
The peculiarities of pregnancy in art, from corsets to belly pads and hidden bumps.
Art
Hans Holbein's Anamorphic Skull as a Temporary Tattoo
A huge, distorted skull appears like a slash across Hans Holbein the Younger's 1533 "The Ambassadors," and it's only when viewed from an angle that the death's head emerges from the painting in three dimensions. It's one of the most famous uses of anamorphosis, but how to communicate this unique ome
Art
The Awkward Joys of Anamorphosis
A towering nude man greets every visitor to Sperone Westwater gallery on the Lower East Side. This ten foot tall figure, also known as “Jim Revisited”, made in 2011, looks so realistic that it stops nearly everyone dead in their tracks upon entering the gallery. The people-watching is great as viewe