Art History Articles
We often hear stories about forgers of paintings, drawings, and prints. But what about antiques? Meet Reinhold Vasters (1827-1909), a German goldsmith who forged an array of decorative arts and got away with it during his lifetime.
Often remembered as the “Ship of Light,” the legacy of La Normandie as a maritime treasure of the Art Deco style remains strong.
Despite the various interpretations of the story of “Little Red Riding Hood,” one characteristic remains relatively intact with each version: the importance of clothing.
The Villa Planchart (1954-1957) was not a typical Venezuelan home, and its patrons Anala and Armando Planchart were not a conventional couple.
Meet the flamingo lawn ornament. Flamboyantly pink with a pose to remember.
Better known as the pin-up artist, Alberto Vargas (Peruvian, 1896-1983) dabbled early in his career as a poster and set designer in Hollywood.
The maps of Cork City, Ireland demonstrate the contingency of spatial knowledge as a representation of place.
Within the tradition of Orientalist paintings, the imagined harem was often represented in two modes: the domestic and the erotic.
Similar to Orientalist writings, the limited access to the harem space caused its represented version in painting to be equally dissimilar to its real existence.
It is necessary to consider the social and literary background for the Western evocation of the harem.
Culturally speaking, can the Orient be truly described as a place found in the Near East?
With the cultural framework of sixteenth-century Italy, the dichotomy between female and male pervaded all aspects of society even in Renaissance paintings.
Lady Invention -patriotically dressed in red, white, and blue- gestures to the distraught Chinese laundryman to leave, as his services are no longer required in America.
With academic theory towards sculpture stiflling the creative process, Rodin found new ways to depict the pathos of the modern psyche.
Both glory and suffering caused French artists like Eugene Delacroix to question the established discipline of classicism in the Academy.
With the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, the government’s support for official art was replaced by a growing post-communist movement which visually critiqued the Soviet legacy.
With the death of Lenin in 1924, debate among the political elite arose as to who would be his successor.
Once the personage of Lenin and the theme of a global world order were established, Lenin evolved into the "hero" of Soviet poster art.
Variations on the depiction of Vladimir Lenin provide visual insight into the creation and later deconstruction of a political idol.
The popular nursery rhyme “I’m a little teapot” takes on new meaning when considering the transformation of teapot design during the 20th and 21st century.
With the dawn of the twentieth century, designers began to challenge the assumption of what could be the composition of a “seat.”
A crucial element to eighteenth-century fashion in Europe was attention to detail. From the buttons on one’s waistcoat to the folding fan, acessories were an crucial to the ensemble.
While 21st century viewers may collectively applaud Caravaggio’s innovative interpretation of religious scenes, Caravaggio’s own 17th century audience was clearly less unanimous.
As wife to the Duke of Gonzaga, Isabella used her rank and gender in order to participate in the male dominated activity of patronage.
Were American designers "pragmatists" of the Art and Crafts style?
In 1248, King Louis IX of France left for the Crusades knowing that his position as the ‘most Christian’ king was manifested in Sainte Chapelle.
No two scarabs are alike - even in jewelry from the nineteenth and twentieth century.
When looking at the Toilette à Tansformations, it is hard to imagine that its maker struggled to be acknowledged as one of the premiere ébénistes of eighteenth-century France.
What do a chair, a cow, and a movie star have in common when portrayed in Pop Art? In the case of Andy Warhol’s silk-screens, this seemingly incongruous group is unified by the principle of repetition.
This case study showcases a few 18th-century furniture forms in English and French styles using the correct terminology.