Art History

Long before it was imbued with symbolic meaning in the zodiac and beyond, the dragon was an ambiguous silhouette adorning art forms.

Why Is the Year of the Dragon Considered So Lucky?

The only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon has long been associated with prosperity and imperial power

The 1898 silent film Something Good‑Negro Kiss is often described as the earliest known on-screen depiction of Black intimacy. 

See Long-Lost Artifacts From Early Black Cinema

Now open in Detroit, "Regeneration: Black Cinema, 1898–1971" showcases nearly 200 rare props, posters, photographs and more

J.M.W. Turner created the sketch of Hampton Court Castle around 1796.

Forgotten J.M.W. Turner Watercolor Discovered in an Attic

The painter, renowned for his atmospheric landscapes, created the sketch of Hampton Court Castle in England when he was about 21

Measuring 40 by 50 inches, The Schoolmistress (circa 1784) had belonged to physician Earl Leroy Wood. Officials returned it to his son, Francis Wood, on January 11.

Stolen by Mobsters 54 Years Ago, This 18th-Century Painting Was Just Returned to Its Rightful Owners

Authorities presented "The Schoolmistress" to 96-year-old Francis Wood, the owner’s son, last month

During the Little Ice Age, which spanned roughly 1250 to 1860, average global temperatures dropped by as much as 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

These Paintings Reveal How the Dutch Adapted to Extreme Weather During the Little Ice Age

Artists like Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Hendrick Avercamp documented locals' resilience in the face of freezing winters and food shortages

Protesters throw soup at the Mona Lisa's protective glass covering at the Louvre on January 28.

Climate Activists Throw Soup at the 'Mona Lisa'

Protected by bulletproof glass, Leonardo da Vinci’s famous masterpiece was not harmed

Portrait of Fräulein Lieser, the 31-by-55-inch work by Gustav Klimt, at a press conference in Vienna

Lost Gustav Klimt Portrait Rediscovered Nearly 100 Years After It Vanished

"Portrait of Fräulein Lieser," one of the last works the Austrian artist painted before his death, could sell for over $50 million

A gilded unicorn atop a silver baton from the regalia of Scotland's Usher of the White Rod

How the Unicorn Became an Enduring Symbol—and Scotland's National Animal

The Perth Museum's inaugural exhibition examines the mythical creature's long history

Verdun, Félix Edouard Vallotton, 1917

As Empires Clashed During World War I, a Global Media Industry Brought the Conflict's Horrors to the Public

An exhibition at LACMA traces the roots of modern media to the Great War, when propaganda mobilized the masses, and questions whether the brutal truths of the battlefield can ever really be communicated

Duncan Grant’s studio

This Museum Is Searching for Lost Artworks by Members of the Bloomsbury Group

The Charleston museum is launching a new initiative to acquire 50 privately owned works by 2030

Fire investigators determined the blaze was an accident, likely set by a fire someone had started to keep warm in the alley behind the building.

Works by Picasso, Rembrandt Damaged in Seattle Gallery Fire

Davidson Galleries had been preparing to move to a new location, so some of its works were especially vulnerable to smoke damage

Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral under renovation on December 8, 2023

Plans to Install Contemporary Stained-Glass Windows in Notre-Dame Cathedral Spark Backlash

French officials have called on artists to submit designs for six new windows in the structure's south aisle

The Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where prosecutors allege suspects stole Andy Warhol’s La Grande Passion and Jackson Pollock’s Springs Winter in 2005

Final Suspect in 20-Year Art Heist Case Turns Himself In

Nicholas Dombek is one of nine individuals accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of artwork, sports memorabilia and cultural artifacts

The object was found by metal detectorists in Norfolk, England.

This 1,200-Year-Old Artifact Is Stunning—but Nobody Knows What It Is

The intricately decorated silver object was likely created by a highly skilled craftsperson in England

The brooch was designed by Victorian architect and artist William Burges.

Purchased for $25, This Bargain Brooch Could Sell for $19,000—Thanks to 'Antiques Roadshow'

The piece is part of a rare collection by the Victorian-era designer and architect William Burges

Sketch after The Tangled Garden, one of the ten works incorrectly attributed to MacDonald

Museum Realizes Ten J.E.H. MacDonald Sketches Are Fakes—and Puts Them on Display

A new exhibition showcases how the Vancouver Art Gallery investigated the artworks' authenticity

The painting is attributed to Dutch artist Cornelis van Haarlem.

Nazi-Looted Painting Returned to Collector's Heir

The 16th-century piece was one of more than 1,100 artworks taken from a Dutch-Jewish art dealer's collection during World War II

Volunteers repairing and refreshing the 180-foot-tall giant in 2019

This Mysterious Hillside Carving Is Actually Hercules, Researchers Say

England's 180-foot-tall Cerne Abbas Giant may have served as a landmark for gathering troops

Fascinating finds unveiled in 2023 ranged from a 12-sided object that may have been used for sorcery to a lost Rembrandt portrait.

117 Fascinating Finds Revealed in 2023

The year's most exciting discoveries included a stolen Vincent van Gogh painting, a hidden medieval crypt and a gold-covered mummy

This year's titles include 100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli, Superpowered Animals and Once Upon a Book.

The Ten Best Children's Books of 2023

This year’s top titles include an art history primer, a collection of silly poems and a mathematical word problem in disguise

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