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.
Renaissance Art
November 15, 2023

Family Discovers Their Living Room Painting Is a Lost Masterpiece Worth Millions

Some things become so ordinary that we easily miss their extraordinary nature. For some people, the decor they spend their lives around is merely sentimental or aesthetically pleasing. However, it can turn out to be extraordinary and of great interest to the world. We’ve recently seen a TV room painting turn out to be by Pieter Brueghel the Younger and even garage sale purchases turn out to be Ming Dynasty relics.

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Animals
November 10, 2023

Britain’s “Loneliest Sheep” Stuck at Bottom of Cliff for Two Years Is Finally Rescued

While was kayaking along the windswept shores of Sutherland—a highland Scottish county—and eyeing the beautiful shores, Jillian Turner spotted something unusual at the bottom of the tall cliffs. Roving beneath the rock was a sheep, wool coat vastly overgrown. It was totally alone, far away from its flock and trapped at the bottom of the cliff.

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Renaissance Art
November 3, 2023

Restored Rembrandt Is on Sale for $30 Million

Works by Rembrandt van Rijn are rarely seen at auction. The precious Old Master's works are worth many millions, coveted by private collectors and museums alike. In 2009, Portrait of a Man with Arms Akimbo (1658) set the Rembrandt record with a €23.2 million sale (over $24.6 million). Other sales, such as Abraham and Angels (c. 1646), have been private for amounts ranging upwards of $20 million. Now, another masterpiece is up for sale.

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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.