Art History

June 2, 2020

Norman Rockwell’s ‘The Problem We All Live With,’ a Groundbreaking Civil Rights Painting

In the middle of the 20th century, the Civil Rights Movement brought much-needed change to the United States of America. On the heels of the Harlem Renaissance, this movement emerged in order to end the discrimination against African Americans that had plagued the country since the end of the Civil War. Several now-famous figures spearheaded this cause, with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks among the most well-known.

Read Article

May 16, 2020

Set Sail on a Journey Through 9 of Art History’s Most Important Seascape Paintings

Art has existed for tens of thousands of years. Given its long and lasting history, it is only natural that it would see undulating trends. Time and time again, artists around the world have returned to age-old models, with the seascape making waves in many of art history's most important movements. Like other prevailing practices—including still-life painting and portraiture—maritime art dates back to ancient times.

Read Article

May 3, 2020

How Henri Rousseau Became the Untrained Master of Surreal Jungle-Inspired Paintings

Many famous artists from history were unappreciated in their time, but French post-impressionist painter Henri Rousseau was particularly mocked by critics for his “childlike” compositions. The self-taught naïve artist became best-known for his lush jungle scenes—despite having never left France or seen a jungle first-hand. Instead, his now-iconic paintings were inspired by children's books as well as the zoo and botanical gardens of Paris.   Who Was Henri Rousseau?

Read Article

April 17, 2020

Classical White Marble Sculptures Were Actually Painted But Lost Color Over Time

Marble sculpture is a cornerstone of art history. The ancient Greeks left a legacy of transformative sculptural works that reached for unprecedented naturalism in Hellenistic gems such as Venus de Milo and Nike of Samothrace. This was succeeded by the ancient Romans, who copied their major works and created portrait busts and equestrian statues of major historical figures. At the time of their completion, however, these ancient masterpieces looked remarkably different.

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.