Art History

August 9, 2020

19th-Century Japanese Fireman Coats Feature Stunning Scenes on the Inside

During Japan's Edo Period (1603-1868) firefighters were responsible for stopping blazes before the flames ran rampant through a city's wooden buildings. Many stunning examples of firemen's coats (called hikeshi banten) have survived from the nineteenth century. On the outside, these long coats function similar to modern firefighter uniforms by identifying the wearer with their fire brigade. However, the insides of the coat were decorated in elaborate scenes of strength and heroism drawn from Japanese legends.

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August 2, 2020

How Sister Plautilla Nelli Became the First Woman Artist to Paint ‘The Last Supper’

It's no secret that the Italian Renaissance is one of the most influential movements in Western art history. We think of this time as being dominated by mostly male artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, but there were a few famous women painters who left their mark. Among them was Sister Plautilla Nelli (c. 1524-1588), the first woman to render The Last Supper.

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July 25, 2020

How the Florence Cathedral Spent Centuries Under Construction to Become a Beloved Landmark

From its scarlet red dome to its beckoning bell tower, the Santa Maria del Fiore is an architectural gem. Also known as the Florence Cathedral, it is one of the most significant—and most visited—landmarks in Italy and the fourth largest church in Europe. At first glance, the Florence Cathedral may appear to be one vast feat of architecture, but it is actually made up of a few different components.

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July 11, 2020

Meet Les Nabis, the “Prophets of Modern Art” Who Transformed Turn-Of-The-Century Painting

As France approached the turn of the 20th-century, several modernist movements had started to take shape. Inspired by the forward-thinking Impressionists, like-minded fin de siècle artists banded together to push the boundaries of art. While most of these groupings revolved around shared styles, tastes, or techniques, the Nabi movement was more metaphysical in nature, born out of a “prophecy” that promised a new age of painting.   Who were the Nabis?

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My Modern Met

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