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.
Photography
May 16, 2021

Surfing Photographer Captures the Timeless Beauty of Cresting Ocean Waves

For Dutch photographer Michal Pelka, the open water is a second home. By combining his love of surfing and photography, Pelka captures stunning images of cresting waves in the North Sea and across oceans worldwide. His work focuses on the beauty of the ocean and our connection with the water. In his images, the essence of the ocean is made salient through light and motion.

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Art History
May 8, 2021

Exquisite ‘Nature’s Palette’ Book is a Modern Revival of 19th Century Color Theory

Can you close your eyes and picture the color Berlin blue? Most people will not immediately know that among the many shades of blue, Berlin blue is the color of the Hepatica flower or the wings of a blue jay. Over centuries, artists and naturalists alike have shared an interest in the many varied hues to be found in the natural world—from Berlin blue to tile red.

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Travel
April 23, 2021

18 of the Best Independent Bookstores to Visit Across the United States

In the classic 1990s movie You've Got Mail, the small children's bookstore “Shop Around the Corner” fights to stay afloat when a large bargain bookstore chain opens nearby. The proprietor Kathleen Kelly, played by Meg Ryan, tells the owner of the chain, Joe Fox (aka Tom Hanks), exactly what is so special about her independent, long-standing bookstore. “Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal,” she explains.

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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.