In Defense of Keeping the Indiana University Mural That Depicts (But Doesn't Glorify) the KKK
American artist Thomas Hart Benton thought it crucial to highlight the dark spots in the state's history
A Serious Look at Funny Faces
A history of caricatures exposes the inside jokes
Sharing Pork Chops With Jackson Pollock
Richard Field was an undergrad with gumption when he visited the painter at his Long Island home. Nearly 60 years later, Field recalls the memorable affair
Where Did Jackson Pollock Get His Ideas?
A talented painter who died poor and forgotten may have inspired the influential American artist's work in ceramics
What a Physics Student Can Teach Us About How Visitors Walk Through a Museum
By sketching the movements of people at the Cleveland Art Museum, Andrew Oriani laid the groundwork for some deep insights into how art is appreciated
Questions About Apollo
A stunning statue at the Cleveland Museum raises concerns about the acquisition of antiquities
The Case for a New Grant Wood Painting
In which the author argues that an unidentified work at a Nebraska gallery was painted by the American regionalist master
Go Behind the Red Barn and Rediscover Dale Nichols
Though snubbed by scholars, the American realist painter produced surprisingly symbolic works, as a striking new exhibition makes clear
Is a “Garden” the World’s Greatest New Artwork?
Francois Abelanet's extraordinary turf "sculpture" on a Paris plaza epitomizes a grand tradition of artful illusion
An Art Deco Masterpiece for Eleanor Roosevelt
Birmingham, Alabama, the art museum's "Jazz Bowl" by famed U.S. industrial designer Viktor Schreckengost was an artistic, and civil rights, turning point
Auctioning a Beloved Thomas Hart Benton Collection
Perhaps the nation's best collection of Benton prints was assembled by an idiosyncratic Texan named Creekmore Fath
Bat Art Isn’t Bad Art
The genre of bat sculpture might not get much attention, but among the finest examples is a bronze by the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt
Latin America’s Wrap for All Seasons
Blanket-like "sarapes" from northern Mexico are among the world's most intriguing textiles, as shown by a recent gallery exhibition
Frans Hals and the Divided Self
The Metropolitan's recent Frans Hals exhibition and other works by the Old Master showcase his surprisingly modern psychological insight
Welcome to ARTiculations
A new Smithsonian.com blog sheds light on what's happening in the world of art, artists, art museums and art history
A Tribute to a Great Artist: Steve Jobs
Through mastering calligraphy in college, Jobs learned to think like an artist
Decoding Jackson Pollock
Did the Abstract Expressionist hide his name amid the swirls and torrents of a legendary 1943 mural?
Wyeth's World
In the wake of his death, controversy still surrounds painter Andrew Wyeth's stature as a major American artist
Interview on the Legacy of Andrew Wyeth
Henry Adams, author of "Wyeth's World," speaks with the artist about his early work, influences and technique
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