Art History

June 14, 2020

Get a Glimmering Glimpse Into the ‘Très Riches Heures,’ an Enchanting Medieval Manuscript

In the Middle Ages, religious worship reached heavenly new heights with the advent of the illuminated manuscript. A devotional text hand-decorated with intricate imagery and glistening gilding, this type of book became popular with Europe's literate elite. While many examples of this ethereal codex exist today, there is one that floats above the rest: the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. This 15th-century book of hours is among the world's most celebrated illuminated manuscripts.

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June 3, 2020

How Raoul Dufy’s Colorful Art Captured the “Joie de Vivre” of 20th-Century France

In the 1870s, forward-thinking artists in France set modern art into motion when they established Impressionism. By the turn of the 20th century, several modernist movements were in full-swing across the country, including Art Nouveau and Post-Impressionism. By 1905, Fauvism had also found its footing, putting color-minded artists like Raoul Dufy on the map. While Dufy got his start as a watercolorist, his polychromatic practice evolved over his 50-year-career.

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May 17, 2020

Learn About Masaccio, the Italian Renaissance Painter With a Short Life but Long Legacy

The Italian Renaissance—which produced artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Titian—was one of the most defining periods of art history. This cultural movement took place between the 14th and 17th centuries and is commonly divided into three periods: Early, High, and Late Renaissance. The Early Renaissance, also known as the quattrocento, took place in the 14th century. It was a largely transitional time, during which artists like Brunelleschi (1377-1446) and Giotto (c.1267-1337)

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May 9, 2020

Tracing the Glistening History of Glass Making From Ancient Beads to Contemporary Art

For thousands of years, artisans have explored the endless possibilities offered by glass. Spanning time and place, the ancient practice of glassmaking remains one of the world's most prevalent art forms. Together, with its versatility, it is this timelessness that has solidified the importance of glassmaking in the history of art. Have you ever wondered how this whimsical art form has evolved?

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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.