I’m always intrigued when I discover a painter who isn’t that famous, but who left a definitive mark on the world of art. Dutch painter Pieter Aertsen (1508-1575) definitely falls into this category. Not only did he produce paintings that were well ahead of his time, but he also invented a completely new sub-genre. His …

Houston is the largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States. It sits at the heart of the Greater Houston metropolitan area, a vast region that is home to more than 7 million people and continues to grow at a remarkable pace. Founded in 1836 and …

In the mid-19th century, British art was dominated by academic rules, idealized classicism, and a rather rigid approach to beauty, which was inspired by the paintings from Raphael and the High Renaissance. For a group of young artists, this polished perfection felt lifeless and disconnected from nature, emotion, and truth. In 1848, a group calling …

Childe Hassam (1859–1935) can easily be described as one of the most notable Impressionist painters the United States has ever produced. Although he was trained as an illustrator initially, which explains his fine craftsmanship, he studied in Paris at a time when the Impressionists were already at the height of their abilities. Loose brushstrokes and …

Switzerland is an Alpine country in West-Central Europe, and when it comes to infrastructure, it’s well known for its incredible tunnels. A mountainous country should have a fair number of famous bridges as well, and that’s certainly the case, as you’ll soon discover. From pedestrian bridges that cross incredible canyons to historic bridges that cross …

Sometimes, an art movement aims to achieve a goal that elevates the art its members produce to a new plateau. This is pretty much what can be said about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), a group of English artists, poets, and art critics, who are also known as the Pre-Raphaelites. Perhaps the name rings a bell, …

Germany is blessed with a large number of fascinating art collections. One of the best lesser-known art museums can be found in Essen in the Western part of the country. Museum Folkwang houses an extensive collection of 19th and 20th-century art. It opened its doors in 1922 after a merger of the Essener Kunstmuseum and …

From Vincent van Gogh to Johannes Vermeer, and from Claude Monet to Pablo Picasso. This list of random fun and interesting art facts will both entertain and intrigue you! 1. Van Gogh’s Tragedy Vincent van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime. It’s titled The Red Vineyard and he earned 400 francs from it. …

When it comes to art museums in Spain, nothing beats the collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid. Perhaps a lesser-known museum is the “Museu de Belles Arts de València” or “Museum Of Fine Arts Of Valencia,” the most important museum in Spain’s third-largest city. Founded in 1913, its collection comprises over 2,000 artworks, most …

Very few painters in history have captured the essence of the mighty ocean’s force like Winslow Homer (1836-1910) did. He completed one of his most revered paintings in the final year of the 19th century and it depicts a topic he had been interested in for a very long time. This mesmerizing work features a …