The Forger Who Fooled the Nazis: Han van Meegeren
If you read last week’s blog post, you’ll know that this week, we promised to give you an updated, full-length version of the story of Han van Meegeren, the famous Dutch forger whose imbeccable forgeries fooled art experts and Nazi officials alike. (If you didn’t, you can still catch last week’s post by clicking here.) […]
Quiz: Which Piece of Art Isn’t a Fake?
Forgery in art is a big deal. Museums’, critics’, and scholars’ reputations have been made or broken on whether or not a certain piece of art is proven to be real or fake. While some fakes are easy to spot, others are much more difficult. Take Han van Meegeren’s fake Vermeers, for example. In 1945, […]
Hidden Art in Books: Fore-Edge Paintings
It’s no secret that illustrators often help turn books into more memorable treasures–there’s a reason why we know names like Dr. Seuss. Books and pictures have gone hand-in-hand for centuries. Which makes it no surprise that books with secret pictures have always been popular. Books with secret illustrations known as fore-edge paintings have a history […]
Delicate Beauty: Stained Glass Gypsum Windows at al-Aqsa Mosque
When you think of stained glass windows, soaring Gothic cathedrals in France and England may come to mind, complete with intricate biblical scenes communicating morals to the masses and stunning rose windows. While both beautiful and iconic, European stained glass is only part of the stained glass tradition. Stained glass adorns many monuments worldwide, including […]
Art for All: The Met Opens Online Access in New Initiative
In a world where almost everything is now easily-accessible (thanks to the Internet), access to the art world has, for the most part, remained somewhat difficult. Despite some major museums worldwide offering free admission, it still seems like art museums and gallery can be elitist microcosms where only those who can afford to can view […]
Creativity for the Open Spaces: Remembering Marta Becket
Vast, empty spaces are often fuel for an artist’s creative fire. A break from the typical hustle of any sort can often create new breakthroughs for many creatives (just ask any LA artist if a trip to the desert did them good). But it takes a special sort of person to settle in a type […]
Art in Motion: The Truck Art Project
To borrow a phrase from The Grinch (in Ron Howard’s 2000 film adaptation of the character, of course), the “glitter of commercialism” as we know it today is inundated into every part of life–but very rarely glitters. Sure, advertisements in all their forms are colorful, wild, and meant to grab our attention (looking at you, Super […]
Manetti Shrem Museum of Art Opens at UC Davis
With the grand opening of its Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art to the public this past Sunday, UC Davis has extended an artistic legacy nearly 60 years in the making. Though the art museum is brand-new, UC Davis prides itself on its dedication to developing its arts program. The museum’s website […]
Finallly–Art History Emojis for Grown-Ups
Ever wanted to express your feelings in text messages through images–only to have the only outlet to properly do such be an emoji? Your finger hovers over the heart-eyed one–then the grimacing one–then the nerdy one. You sigh, reluctant to use an image that you saw on an accent pillow marketed for a teenager’s bedroom […]
An Art History Halloween!
There’s a crisp breeze in the air, which means that Halloween is just around the corner! Which means, if you’re like most of us, you’re struggling to come up with a last-minute costume that won’t break the bank–which can be surprisingly hard if you’re not a makeup or costume whiz. Luckily for you, there’s a […]