Posts by Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and a historian of early modern Britain & the Atlantic world. She holds a BA in History and Mathematics from Brown University and an MA in European & Russian Studies from Yale University. Madeleine has worked in archives and museums for years with a particular focus on photography and arts education. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, film photography, and studying law while cuddling with her cat Georgia.
Impressionism
November 24, 2023

Long-Unseen ‘Water Lilies’ Painting by Monet Sells for $74 Million

Claude Monet's dreamy paintings of water lilies are some of the most recognizable works of art ever created. The series Water Lilies depicts scenes from Monet's garden and pond at Giverny in France, rendered in expressive blends of blues, greens, and purples. However, while many can be viewed in Paris's Musée de l'Orangerie, others are less well known.

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Social Cause
November 20, 2023

Pink Gives Out 2,000 Banned Books at Concerts in Florida

In the 2022 to 2023 school year, 3,362 individual book bans went into effect across 1,557 unique titles. This is an increase over last year's totals, and Florida is leading the book-banning charge. The banned titles include a children's book about Anne Hutchinson, one of the first Rhode Islanders and a female preacher put on trial by puritans, Beloved by Toni Morrison, and The Family Book by Todd Parr.

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Archeology
November 16, 2023

Largest-Ever Roman Mosaic Discovered in Anatolia Turns Out to Be Even Bigger Than Expected

Anyone who has studied ancient Roman architecture knows they never missed an artistic moment. From elaborate columns to painted plaster to marble statues, Roman villas in particular were true showstoppers. Even the floors were beautifully decorated with rich, intricate mosaics. One villa in the village of İncesu, in the province of Keyseri, Turkey, is a standout even among the incredible floors of Roman yore.

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Archeology
November 12, 2023

Perfectly Preserved 2,100-Year-Old Child’s Shoe Discovered in an Austrian Salt Mine

Hallstatt, Austria is the location of one of the oldest salt mines in Europe. There, humans have been mining the precious material for almost 7,000 years. Archeologists have been finding evidence of these ancient miners and their activities at similar mines in Austria. One recent find includes a child's leather shoe, almost perfectly preserved for an estimated 2,100 years. The shoe was discovered in a salt mine south of Salzburg near the Austrian village of Dürrnberg.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.