Design

Asian Art

Mughal Daggers: Art in Weaponry

During the 16th century, a captivating trend of ornate bejeweled blades emerged in the Near East and South Asia. They showcase the exquisite...

Maya M. Tola 28 August 2023

Quartz and chromium muscovite Wine Cup of Jahangir, ca. 1612 to 1613, RISD Museum, Providence, RI, USA. Design

Jahangir’s Wine Cups: Mughal Decorative Arts

The Mughal Empire stands as one of history’s most opulent periods known to nurture a rich tapestry of art and architecture that offers a...

Maya M. Tola 14 August 2023

Ancient Greece

Not So Dark After All: Greek Designs from the Dark Ages

Despite lasting only a century (c. 1100-1000 BCE), the dark ages in Greece were an era of material poverty, cultural isolation, and artistic decline.

Lauren Dorsey 25 July 2023

View of the Menagerie at Kew, Thomas Sandby European Art

William Chambers’ Designs for the Royal Gardens at Kew

During the middle of the 18th century, landscape gardening became valued higher than a work of art in England. Landscape gardener William Chambers...

Anna Ingram 24 July 2023

Contemporary Art

Art Activist Barbie – When Playful Protests Indicate Gender Inequality in Art

Art Activist Barbie has been showing up in museums and galleries for over four years, criticizing the male-dominated art world. Holding a lollipop...

Errika Gerakiti 17 July 2023

Art Nouveau

Alphonse Mucha’s Pan-Slavic Posters

Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) is the most iconic Art Nouveau artist. His works featuring beautiful women surrounded by nature are still popular today.

Jimena Escoto 16 July 2023

Art Travels

Where You Can See Marc Chagall’s Stained Glass Windows

When I went to see the Reims Cathedral, I didn’t expect to find Marc Chagall’s stained glass windows in a centuries-old church. Fascinated by...

Magda Michalska 7 July 2023

Design

Six Exquisite Mother-of-Pearl Artifacts from Gujarat

Mother-of-Pearl is an iridescent layer carved out of snail shells, usually the Turbo Marmoratus. It is a luminous material that naturally reflects...

Maya M. Tola 5 July 2023

Dance

Modernity in Motion: Bauhaus’ Triadic Ballet

Bauhaus is widely known for its iconic designs and contributions to the art world. What is less known is that their concepts could be applied to...

Nadine Waldmann 3 July 2023

Women Artists

Lygia Pape and Neo-Concretism: Art Is an Experience

Breaking with all the patterns of what had been art in Latin America up to then, Lygia Pape with Grupo Frente created a unique Brazilian artistic...

Dévra Taboada 19 June 2023

Women Artists

Valentine Schlegel: Sculptor of Organic Abstraction

Sculptor, ceramist, artist, and teacher. Valentine Schlegel (1925–2021) was a headstrong individual with fervent, creative independence who carved...

Marga Patterson 23 May 2023

The Chalk Emerald, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Fashion

Emeralds in Ten Exquisite Artifacts

Emeralds are arguably the most beautiful of all gemstones and have been revered by many cultures all over the world. This beautiful gemstone has been...

Maya M. Tola 13 March 2023