The 17th-Century Dutch Version of Bookstagram
Jan Davidszoon de Heem, one of the greatest still-life painters of the 17th century Dutch Golden Age, brought particular brilliance to book still-lifes.
Sentenced to Death (and Other Tales from the Dark Side of Language)
One cold morning in 1953, Derek Bentley, a nineteen-year-old youth in the wrong place with the wrong words, was hanged for a murder he did not commit.
How We Escape It: An Essay
Escape is an ancient word, escapism, a modern one, and the designation of a genre—“escape literature”—dates to the 1930s.
Flying Spaghetti Monsters and the Quest for Religious Authenticity
Fake religions tend to embrace irony over piety and satire over sincerity, preferring to critique existing institutions than to displace them.
The History of Purple, From Pliny to Prince
In August Pantone honored late singer/songwriter Prince with a new shade of purple called Purple Rain. Why is the color purple considered to be so special?
Honoring History with Edgar Heap of Birds’s Building Minnesota
Prior to discussions about appropriation art, artist Hock E Aye Vi (Hachivi) Edgar Heap of Birds honored the 40 executed Dakota men in "Building Minnesota."
Beyoncé, the Virgin Mary, and the Power of Imagery
Why did Beyoncé pose as the Virgin Mary in her pregnancy and birth announcements? Learn about her art historical referents and iconic portraiture here.
Jerry Lewis: French Film Master
Jerry Lewis was lionized in France as a film auteur, a genius of movie-making. What did the French know that Americans didn't?
A Museum in the Palm of your Hand
SFMOMA recently made headlines with its digital campaign to make art go viral with their Send Me SFMOMA project — but what museum exhibits came before this?
Little People on TV: Educational or Exploitative?
Little people have been used for entertainment purposes in royal courts from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe. But can this be more than exploitative?