Biombo screen

Did the Aztecs Simply Disappear? Surviving Biombo Paintings Tell Another Story

Colonial narratives often boast triumphant victory and catastrophic defeat, but Mexican biombo paintings suggest a surprising alternative.
Hannah Höch. German, 1889-1978 Cut with the Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany

DADA at 100, or, I Zimbra!

The anti-art art movement Dada was born in 1916 in Zurich's Cabaret Voltaire. 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, National Mall

The Making of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Though now celebrated for its modern, minimal design and contemplative space, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was once the subject of heated debates.
Chinese gu wine vessels

Drinking Wine in Ancient China

History tells us that the fermentation of various fruits and grains to create alcoholic beverages was a worldwide phenomenon. Case in point: wine in China.
Seydou Keïta

The Rediscovery of Photographer Seydou Keïta

Seydou Keïta captured Bamako life at the turn of independence in Mali. Keïta’s story is mythic and rich, as is that of his art and photography.
Oracle bone pit

How to Read the Bones Like a Scapulimancer

In Shang Dynasty China, fortune-telling with oracle bones was the key to political power.
Cutlery: Spoon, Fork, Knife

Which Came First, the Spoon, Fork, or Knife?

The spoon predates the knife and the fork. It exists in every age and culture in a wide variety of shapes.
Migrant Mother, Dorthea Lange

Dorothea Lange and the Making of Migrant Mother

Follow the rich history of Dorothea Lange, as she captured the iconic and lasting portrait of Florence Thompson, more famously known as Migrant Mother.
National Theatre of Ghana, Accra

Architecture as Nationalism in Accra, Ghana

Recent interest in Ghana’s thriving cultural production make the city’s distinctive historical architecture even more relevant.
Bosch Strawberry, from "Garden of Earthly Delights"

500 Years of Hell With Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch died 500 years ago, but we can't take our eyes off of his paintings.