Art History

July 14, 2025

The Bayeux Tapestry Will Be Displayed in the UK for the First Time in Nearly 1,000 Years

The iconic Bayeux Tapestry—an embroidered masterpiece illustrating the 1066 Norman invasion and the Battle of Hastings—is set to be displayed in the UK for the first time in nearly 1,000 years. The 70-meter-long, 50-centimeter-wide (230 feet by 20 inches) tapestry is being loaned by the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux in Normandy, France, to the British Museum in London as part of an exchange between the two nations.

Read Article

June 7, 2025

Watch Two Art Historians Demystify Hieronymus Bosch’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’

There are few other artworks as dense, imaginative, and, at times, preposterous as Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights. It’s perhaps for these reasons that the non-profit and educational resource Smarthistory dedicated its newest video to the renowned triptych. Across fifteen minutes, Smarthistory hosts Beth Harris and Steven Zucker mine the sprawling composition of its symbolism, tracing the narrative thread that binds each of the triptych’s three panels.

Read Article

May 31, 2025

Meet the Woman Who Made Vincent van Gogh Famous

Post-Impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh has long captivated the public's imagination, but did you know that his success isn't only due to his artistic prowess? In reality, it was thanks to the hard work of one woman that Van Gogh rose to fame and stayed a household name long after his death. Johanna “Jo” van Gogh-Bonger, the wife of the painter's brother Theo, is the unsung hero of Vincent's success.

Read Article

April 30, 2025

Art Historian Rediscovers Lost Portrait of King Henry VIII in Photo Shared on Social Media

Like many art historians, Adam Busiakiewicz has a keen eye, especially when it comes to gilt frames. It’s exactly this skill that allowed him to discover a long-lost portrait of King Henry VIII…in the background of a social media post While scrolling X (formerly Twitter) one day, Busiakiewicz stumbled upon a picture shared by the Warwickshire Lieutenancy, in which a group of people are attending a reception at Shire Hall in England.

Read Article

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.