Category: paintings

Man Renovating Kitchen Discovers Historic 400-Year-Old Paintings That Are of ‘National Significance’

A man from England who was getting his kitchen renovated was shocked to discover that there were historic 400-year-old paintings of “national significance”—on the wall of his flat. In December 2022, Luke Budworth, 29, had temporarily moved out of his one-bedroom apartment on Micklegate, one of the main streets in York, England, as his kitchen…


Drakensberg Park: The First Shamans of South Africa | Arkeo Ep27 I Documentary

For thousands of years, men have painted no less than 35,000 rock paintings on the walls of the caves in the Drakensberg. Nowhere else in the world can one find such a high number of rock artworks. What do these works tell us? …


Former Atheist Artist Paints Heavenly Realms, Inspires Kindness in Others: ‘Gods and Buddhas Really Do Exist’

Once an atheist, a young award-winning artist’s work now revolves around faith: painting the heavenly realms and validating the existence of the divine. His impressive themes contrasting virtue from vice naturally guide viewers toward kindness and forgiveness. Meet Loc Minh Duong, a digital illustrator born and raised in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Duong has…


‘The Imaginary Museum’: Rare Photos of Mural Paintings Found in Derelict, Forgotten Buildings

Photographer Romain Veillon’s collection of mural paintings found in derelict buildings is both beautiful and poignant. The 38-year-old Frenchman loves to travel the globe exploring his niche: abandoned heritage. If you ask him where the properties housing these fantastically painted scenes are though, he’ll tell you it’s a secret. “I can’t give the exact name…


Climate Activists Get a Month in Prison for Vermeer Protest

THE HAGUE, Netherlands—Two Belgian activists who targeted Johannes Vermeer’s iconic “Girl with a Pearl Earring” painting in a climate protest last week were sentenced Wednesday to two months in prison, with prosecutors saying their action “crossed a line” of acceptable protest. Half of the sentence was suspended by a judge in The Hague, meaning the…


The Perils of Pride: ‘The Death of Milo of Croton’

Have you ever watched someone try to show off and then suffer instant repercussions for their actions? In ancient Greece, pride was sometimes considered dangerous. Myths such as Icarus flying too high to the sun and Narcissus looking at his own reflection served as cautionary tales that revealed the dangers of pride, hubris, and vanity. …


Allegories of Timeless Beauty

Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies have influenced artists around the world for centuries, and one of the most inspired manifestations is found in 19th-century France. The art world in France during this century was incredibly diverse, with a number of techniques and subjects finding expression. Among the most enduring styles is academic art. This style…


Photos: Trick-of-the-Eye Street Art That Makes You Move in Close, Then Take a Step Back

Spanish painter Silvestre Santiago, better known as Pejac, creates incredible street art. Playing with perspective, he produces trick-of-the-eye pieces that surprise and thrill. Seemingly magical works include gravity-defying shoes on lamp poles in London, a shark fin on the sidewalk in Tokyo, and an artwork themed around the pandemic-related social distancing on a cemented wall…


New York Met Museum’s European Masterpieces Visit Down Under

New York’s finest treasures, including five centuries of European Masterpieces, are now on display in Queensland, Australia in the most significant exhibition of international art the country has received in recent decades. The traditional masterpieces exhibition features portraits, still-life, and landscapes by Cézanne, Rembrandt, Renoir, Vermeer, van Gogh and others from the Renaissance to twentieth-century…


How to Be Worthy of Being Human: A Look at Two Paintings

Many stories in Western culture warn of the woes that come from challenging the divine. Today, we will investigate two paintings that illustrate one of these stories: “Apollo as Victor Over Pan” by Jacob Jordaens, and “Apollo and Marsyas” by Bartolomeo Manfredi. The Musical Contest Between Apollo and Pan (Marsyas) As the ancient Greek story…