Some Books Can Kill
Poisonous green pigments laced with arsenic were once a common ingredient in book bindings, paints, wallpapers, and fabrics. Yikes.
Lesbianism (!) at the Convent
Mother Superior Benedetta Carlini, a visionary nun of Renaissance Italy, was accused of heresy and “female sodomy.”
How Did Michelangelo Get So Good?
Michelangelo, perhaps the greatest artist the world has produced, wasn't a child prodigy like Mozart. He learned on the job. So maybe there's still hope for the rest of us.
How Buon Fresco Brought Perspective to Drawing
Buon fresco, perhaps the best-known kind of wall painting, is the result of a chemical reaction turning paint and wet plaster into a single, solid surface.
Inside the Alchemist’s Workshop
What tools would an alchemist use in the quest to transmute other elements into gold?
What Beards Said About Renaissance Masculinity
The role beards played in defining masculinity during the Renaissance.