Neanderthals started painting cave walls long before Homo sapiens—at least 64,000 years ago, and possibly earlier. Just a century ago, scientists found it hard to believe that Homo sapiens during…

During an operation by the anti-smuggling and organized crime unit in the southeastern province of Mardin, authorities uncovered a 1,500-year-old mosaic featuring vibrant animal imagery. This late Roman floor mosaic,…

Researchers at the Cyprus Institute (CyI) uncovered a male portrait hidden for centuries beneath Titian’s 1570 painting Ecce Homo (“Behold the Man”). This artwork depicts Jesus Christ before his crucifixion…

Art therapy uses art and creativity as a psychological intervention. This form of psychotherapy includes two main approaches: creative self-expression and the guided appreciation of existing artworks. Who developed this…

British artist Jane Crowther began her career in 1986 after studying illustration at Kingston Polytechnic. The money she earned as an artist barely covered living costs in London. To supplement…

For centuries, believers and travelers visiting the Sistine Chapel have marveled at the frescoes of Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), a master of the High Renaissance. Among these works is the fresco…

Art critics, beware: pigeons might steal your job. That’s thanks to a respected scientist who taught a flock of these clever birds to “understand” art. That’s Shigeru Watanabe, an honorary…

These late-medieval frescoes were hidden beneath plaster for nearly 300 years in one of Cambridge University’s oldest buildings. The artwork, which honors the patrons of Christ’s College, was found in…

Famous artists often ran large workshops of students who helped create their masterpieces. So this story matters not just because an assistant may have worked on the painting, but because…

Leonardo da Vinci famously experimented with the materials he used to prepare grounds and paint layers. A new study has identified a mixture of toxic pigments in the iconic painting…

Artist and dollmaker Noel Cruz turned an unhappy childhood into a kind of fairy tale—and now he shares that transformation through his work. He grew up in a large family…

A pair of psychologists in Chicago found that most people tend to remember the same artworks when shown a collection. Trent Davis and Wilma Bainbridge ran three kinds of experiments…

At the start of her creative journey, American artist Carol Long chose a medium that is technical but rewarding: ceramics. She has never regretted the choice. Ceramics gave Carol a…

Every year, throngs of visitors flock to the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, to admire Jan Vermeer’s masterpiece. Now art enthusiasts have the chance to become co-creators of…

This painting by French artist Henri Matisse, one of the leading figures of Fauvism, first went on display in 1961 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It…

Dale Chihuly has been blowing glass since the late 1960s. His delicate masterpieces—vibrant, dynamic, and filled with light—can be seen at exhibitions across the United States and around the globe.Recently,…

Contemporaries described the creator of the famous “Kiss” as “primitive yet sophisticated, simple yet complex, but always inspired.” That description came from his acquaintance, journalist Bertha Zuckerhandl, and captures the…

The story of a former stockbroker who swapped the city’s hustle for the imagined tranquility of tropical islands foreshadows downshifting—a conscious rejection of imposed values and a simplification of life…

The twists of fate and the tragic end of the 37-year-old outcast with an easel have only added to the value of his legacy. After his death, the mentally troubled…

The High Renaissance reached its peak with Raphael Santi, the Italian painter and architect who helped close the era. He was one of the three titans of the time—alongside Leonardo…

The pull of art kept the future designer from finishing his studies at the Institute of Political Studies, but it helped him conquer high fashion after he turned 40. The…

Plautilla Nelli (1524–1588) has re-emerged in conversations about reviving the legacies of women artists who were unjustly forgotten—often sidelined in a male-dominated art world. Some critics argue the recent spotlight…

She paused for a moment in the doorway… This time, there would be no turning back! She left this world peacefully and with dignity, because in her culture death is…

Surrealism was an art style and way of life embraced by an eccentric genius who fascinated the public and psychiatrists alike. The theatrical performances of this dreamer, provocateur, and oddball…

He’s often called the genius of an era that bridged medieval Europe and the modern Western world. Painting, sculpture, architecture, invention, anatomy, music, and literature all intertwined in the work…

A biography of the remarkable sculptor, painter, architect, thinker, and poet was published during his lifetime—an unprecedented move in Western European art. Alongside his masterpieces, documentary evidence of his 89-year…

If a young caricaturist who despised landscape painters had been told he’d spend a third of his life painting water lilies in a backyard pond, he would have laughed. But…

Childhood works by William Blake (1757–1827) had long been hidden from researchers in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. The artist bequeathed the engravings to the library in…

Dozens of carved human faces dot the rocky banks of the Amazon River near the city of Manaus. These carvings have emerged because a severe drought has pushed the river’s…

For the first time, researchers have identified more than 400 animal tracks in remarkable detail. The team enlisted a trio of experienced local trackers to help unravel the mystery of…

Born in London, Shaun Leane has, without exaggeration, become a treasure for the world. His avant-garde jewelry, sometimes referred to as sculptural, transcends geography and time. So, it’s no surprise…

The architectural firm MVRDV, in collaboration with the Van Gogh Foundation and the municipality of Tilburg, aims to draw attention to the beloved region of the renowned artist. On March…

A British artist of Indian descent was commissioned to make this sculpture in 2008, but a series of obstacles repeatedly delayed the project. The six-meter, 40-ton mirrored bean sits at…

Frank Jacobus, a designer and professor at the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas, has long been fascinated with turning ordinary objects into art. Recently he…

Israeli designer Albi Serfati seamlessly blends aesthetics and functionality with socially meaningful ideas. He not only adds practicality to his postmodern art pieces but also expresses concern about the planet’s…

Entrepreneur, art collector, and former investment banker Tullio Masoni has created the world’s tiniest vineyard, spanning just about 200 square feet. It’s located on the roof of a 16th-century palazzo…

In the hard-to-reach caves of the Valencia region in eastern Spain, researchers discovered prehistoric drawings using drones. Archaeologists from the University of Alicante date these rock paintings to roughly 5,000…

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris (Musée des arts décoratifs) has explored the history of hairstyles and hair care, showing how this natural feature of our appearance evolved with…

Entrepreneur, art collector, and former investment banker Tullio Masoni has created the world’s smallest vineyard, covering about 200 square feet. It’s perched atop a 16th-century palace in the heart of…

Art critics of the world, beware: pigeons might just take over your job. This surprising turn of events comes from a respected scientist who taught a flock of these intelligent…

Chinese and French researchers say that in the painting “Starry Night,” Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) demonstrated an excellent understanding of turbulence. “Starry Night,” by Vincent van Gogh, is…

Discovering a Hidden Museum of Miniatures What kind of museum is this? At first glance, it’s hard to describe. You have to see it — but not with the naked…

Who would have thought Italy could still be underexplored? Nestled in Europe, it has been visited by tourists from north to south. Yet even in a country like Italy, remarkable…