Art

Here’s The Most Expensive Painting Ever Sold

A Gauguin painting broke the price record this week, selling for nearly $300 million

Wisconsin is Too Warm for a 66-Foot Ice Tower to Survive

Weather conditions likely played a big factor in the crashing demise of a giant ice sculpture intended to last through the winter

Zsanett Szirmay draws on traditional Hungarian embroidery and cross-stitch patterns in "Soundweaving."

This Music Is Made of Embroidery

Here’s what happens when you feed historical cross-stitch through a music box

Two Christie's employees look at paintings set to be auctioned off in the Art of the Surreal sale.

To Appreciate Surrealistic Art, Think About Death

Two new studies indicate that thoughts about death can influence how we perceive art

King Tut’s Beard Fell Off...And Was Glued Back on With Epoxy

Clumsy curators won’t admit who’s behind the irreparable repair

Snowstorm and Avalanche by Joseph Mallord William Turner

Where to See the Work of Mr. Turner Around America

The British painter is the subject of a new film, but where can you see him stateside?

One of many abstract images of the Moon collected by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

These Photos From a Lunar Orbiter Could Be Abstract Art

Our distant view of the Moon from Earth is nice, but these close-ups are amazing

Here is the artist's rendition of what a Tree of 40 Fruit will look like at 10 years.

A Tree Grows 40 Different Types of Fruit

What started as an art project has become a mission to reintroduce Americans to native fruits that have faded from popularity

Inside Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2010

A Museum in England Is Hiding a Forgery Among Its Masterpieces

A South London gallery is asking its patrons to identify the fake in order to spark discussion about how and why we appreciate the art

The dark black lacquered center of the Ming Dynasty tray, surrounded by an elegant basket weave design, made it seem almost modern.

How Curators Found a Ghostly Image Lurking Beneath Layers of Lacquer

Work in the conservation lab revealed there was more to this Ming Dynasty tray than meets the eye

This portrait features Dr. Edward Jenner inoculating James Phipps, the first person to receive the smallpox vaccine.

The Art of Vaccinations

The Art of Saving a Life is connected to a fundraising effort for an international group working to eradicate disease through vaccinations

This Art Studio Nurtures Talent in People on the Autism Spectrum

New York City's Pure Visions Arts provides an art and exhibition space for around 40 creative people with autism

Americans Love Cheesy Art

The most searched for artists, according to one website, run the gamut from classic masters to Duck Stamp contest winners

Small town travel, the Monuments Men, Chernobyl and Stonehenge were all among reader favorites in 2014

Our Top Stories of 2014

From weird red waterfalls to the pleasures of small-town America, these were the most read articles on Smithsonian.com this year

These Two Guys Recreate Famous Paintings Using Only Office Supplies and a Phone

FoolsDoArt cranks out slapstick renditions of works ranging from "American Gothic" to "Girl with the Pearl Earring"

Making Dead People's Pulses Beat Again

A new device can transform 150-year-old printed representations of heart beats into actual sound

The Library for Magicians Is Taking Appointments

The Conjuring Arts Research Center in New York City houses some of the world's rarest books on the art of deception

This 1897 calendar is brought to you by parading cats.

After 12/13/14, What Are the Next Fun Dates for Math Lovers?

Sequential integers are a bit boring, anyhow. Here are some more exciting sequences to celebrate over the next 89 years

Mid-century Santa and Mrs. Claus on candy canes skis.

The Evolving Face of Santa, As Seen in the Smithsonian's Vast Collections

A look into Smithsonian's vast archives reveals that Father Christmas tends to get a makeover with every generation that embraces him

You've Never Seen Nerve Endings Like These

Scientists produce the most detailed images of nerve endings ever made

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