Tag: Arts & Tradition

Profiles in History: Haddon Sundblom: The Artist Who Gave Us the Modern Santa Claus

From purple robes to fur coats to wreath hats to a very thin frame, there have been many features that Americans would hardly attribute to Santa Claus. Drawing on past inspirations, however, illustrator Haddon Sundblom created a version that has stuck for nearly a century. Sundblom was the youngest of 10 children born to Scandinavian…


Simone Peterzano: The First Great Baroque Painter

Except among some specialist art historians, Simone Peterzano is generally known only as the teacher of Caravaggio: the notable, great master of Baroque painting. Beyond that, he tends to be dismissed as a competent but unexceptional artist. On closer inspection, he becomes a fascinating example of how such artists can lay the foundations on which great…


Profiles in History: James Edgar: The First Department Store Santa Claus

James Edgar (1843–1909) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a young boy, he apprenticed for a Scottish cloth merchant and worked hard, long hours only to make $50 a year. When he was 22, he immigrated to St. John, New Brunswick, in Canada. His financial returns, however, were not to his liking, which led him…


Prison Dogs | Documentary

This film is only available in the United States because of territorial licensing. “The day that my crime occurred, it was a street beef, I felt threatened, and ultimately just pulled out a gun and​ ​shot a kid,” says inmate​ Luis Diaz. “I really hate the person who I was then. I’m looking for forgiveness….


PREMIERING NOW: Uncle Tom II | Documentary

“Uncle Tom II” is an odyssey depicting the gradual demoralization of America through Marxist infiltration of its institutions. The film explores how the deceptive Marxist ideology has torn apart the fabric of society while using black America as its number one tool for its destructive intentions. From executive producer Larry Elder and director Justin Malone comes…


Miso Hungry | Documentary

This film is only available in the United States because of territorial licensing. What if there were a way to lose weight and live a longer, healthier life without giving up delicious meals or spending hours at the gym? Wouldn’t you want to know this secret to effortless good health? * Click the “Save” button…


PREMIERING 12/16 at 9:30AM ET: Uncle Tom II | Documentary

“Uncle Tom II” is an odyssey depicting the gradual demoralization of America through Marxist infiltration of its institutions. The film explores how the deceptive Marxist ideology has torn apart the fabric of society while using black America as its number one tool for its destructive intentions. From executive producer Larry Elder and director Justin Malone comes…


O’ Christmas Tree: Reflecting on a Long Tradition

During this holiday season of giving, many of us put up a Christmas tree. We decorate it with ornaments and place gifts for our loved ones underneath. What is the origin and evolution of this long tradition? A Transcendent Symbol Evergreen trees—the type of tree often used for Christmas trees—has had symbolic use all throughout…


The Triptych: A Masterpiece in Three Parts

In the Early Renaissance, a rich, spiritually minded merchant would often want to honor God for his good fortune. As a devout believer, he prayed at home and would commission a triptych, which was a small, three-paneled painting to be placed in a niche as his personal shrine. The panels, compact and mobile, were often…


Operation Jaywick: Sinking Japan | Documentary

This film is only available in the United States and Canada because of territorial licensing. This documentary is the remarkable story of a daring attack by 14 British and Australian commandos on Japanese ships anchored in a Singapore harbor during World War II. * Click the “Save” button below the video to access it later…