Art History

January 2, 2023

15 Famous Architects Who Have Shaped the Way We Live, Work, and Play

“The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own, we have no soul of our own civilization.”  These words by Frank Lloyd Wright encapsulate the importance of the built world. Without architecture, we would have nowhere to sleep, eat, work, and play. And thanks to the tireless work of history's most influential architects, we are able to effectively do all of those things.

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December 13, 2022

Unearth the Colorful History of Paint: From Natural Pigments to Synthetic Hues

Whether you’re planning a painting or simply giving your walls a new lick of paint, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping for pigments. However, sourcing colors wasn’t always so easy for artists. Before art shops and DIY stores, paint wasn’t readily available in tubes and cans like it is today. 40,000 years ago, primitive artists invented the first pigments, using a combination of soil, animal fat, minerals, charcoal, and chalk.

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November 10, 2022

Paper Peepshows: How People Experienced “Virtual Reality” in the 19th Century

Today, virtual reality technology involves putting on some sort of headset that can transform the world around you, from creating an immersive experience out of the Mona Lisa to seeing wilderness from the perspective of wildlife animals. But did you know there were similar experiences in the 19th century that could transport you across the world?

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October 31, 2022

Look at How Cats Were Portrayed in Medieval Art

Art has changed a great deal over the past centuries. By looking back at different art movements, we can see the evolution of different aesthetics and approaches to painting, sculpture, and other media. But while creative styles have shifted over time, the interest in certain subjects has remained the same for most artists. Case in point: cats have had a storied relationship in art that stretches all the way back to ancient Egypt.

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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.