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In the Archaeological Museum of Samos, Greece, resides a captivating artifact: a Hellenic or Roman marble head of a goddess, dating back to the 2nd–1st century BC. This statue bears a poignant testament to the transformative tides of history, having…
He called himself Old Man Crazy To Paint and made his best work in his 70s. As his dragons, deities, poets and wrestlers go on show, we look at the obsessions of the poster-boy for Japanese art Had Katsushika Hokusai died when…
Michelangelo’s Tomb of Julius II has a long and complex history. Its story reminds us that even the greatest of artists faced endless challenges and failures. Text By Alice Marinelli, PhD History of Art for The Collector A picturesque staircase in the…
Blending four paintings in one? A 15th-century artist achieved this, concealing the essence of his work. But why, and from whom? The history of the Urbino diptych by Piero della Francesca cannot be understood by standing in front of the painting in a museum…
A huge wave is about to engulf people sailing in fragile fishing boats. It seems that the confrontation between man and nature will lead to disaster. But only if we look at the painting from a European perspective—from left to…
After a world war that is so vicious, so cruel, how can we simply continue with life, and art, in the same way as before? This is the question many artists were asking themselves after the Second World War. In…
A Bar at the Folies-Bergère French: Un bar aux Folies Bergère Artist Édouard Manet Year 1882 Medium Oil on canvas Dimensions 96 cm × 130 cm (37.8 in × 51.2 in) Location Courtauld Gallery, London In Édouard Manet‘s painting, “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère,” a complex narrative unfolds before…
Why did Northern artists of the past travel to Italy? 🧐 Ever wondered why Northern Renaissance artists risked life and limb crossing the Alps on their own to travel to Italy? The answer lies in the profound influence of Italian…
Some men carve their destinies with swords; others wield brushes that cut just as deep. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was both—a master of light and shadow, and a man whose life was as dark and turbulent as his paintings. He…
Few moments in contemporary art history have captured public imagination quite like the night a Banksy artwork shredded itself in front of a stunned auction audience. It was an audacious move, a perfect marriage of art and spectacle, and a…
The Parthenon (Athens)sculptor Ictinos (5th century BC)sculptor Phidias (c. 490 BC-c. 432 BC) Parthenon, temple that dominates the hill of the Acropolis at Athens. It was built in the mid-5th century bce and dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos (“Athena the Virgin”). The temple…
Throughout history, artists have produced art in a variety of media and styles following different philosophies and ideals. Although labelling may often result in being reductive, different artistic tendencies or styles can be grouped in collective titles known as art…