The Wild West of Papal Conclaves
In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the death of a pope led to all sorts of chaos, from the destruction of art to armed violence in the streets.
The Art of Impressionism: A Reading List
The first exhibition of paintings that would come to be described as Impressionism opened in Paris on April 15, 1874.
Xerox and Roll: The Corporate Machine and the Making of Punk
On the 85th anniversary of the first xerographic print, a collection of punk flyers from Cornell University provides an object lesson on (anti-)art in the age of mechanical reproduction.
Country Roads and City Scenes in Japanese Woodblock Prints
Explore two centuries of printmaking—from Hokusai and Hiroshige through Hiratsuka—in this online collection shared by Boston College.
When Paper Was Fashion’s Favorite Material
It’s hip, it’s happening, it’s wow, it’s now, it’s gone: RIP the paper dress, 1966–1968.
The Forgotten Radicalism of Black Light Posters
Fluorescents have fascinated artists for millennia, but the 1960s and '70s saw a generation of revolutionaries experiment with black light.
Dürer’s Rhinoceros and the Birth of Print Media
Dürer's image of a rhinoceros which drowned off Italy 500 years ago remains one of the world's most famous prints.
The Global Rise of Street Art
Pow! Wow! mural festivals are growing internationally and exponentially. Learn about the rise and acceptance of street art.