Article: Gone, But Not Forgotten: 12 Great Mystery Authors Readers Still Love

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Do you like mysteries? Are you looking for a good book? If your answer is yes, you may find this list helpful. Mysteries, detective fiction, and crime stories have long entertained armchair sleuths around the world. If this is a subject that interests you, this is a good place to start. link to Gone, But… Continue reading Article: Gone, But Not Forgotten: 12 Great Mystery Authors Readers Still Love

Article: After More Than 150 Years, Sculptor Edmonia Lewis Finally Gets Her Degree

Lewis, Edmonia-Hiawatha, 1868

Sculptress Edmonia Lewis created amazing works despite the racism and sexism prevalent in the art world of the 19th Century. This article from Smithsonian Magazine details the challenges she faced in getting her college degree, and her college is now trying to at least partially right a wrong that was made more than 150 years… Continue reading Article: After More Than 150 Years, Sculptor Edmonia Lewis Finally Gets Her Degree

Article: The Redemption of Rosa Bonheur

Bonheur, Rosa-The Horse Fair, 1852-1855

Rosa Bonheur was a remarkable 19th Century French artist. She specialized in realistic depictions of animals, and her art was celebrated around the world. Unfortunately, her art has been largely forgotten in her home of France. This article from Smithsonian Magazine discusses efforts to rediscover her art and career. link to The Redemption of Rosa… Continue reading Article: The Redemption of Rosa Bonheur

Article: Why Were Medieval Knights Always Fighting Snails?

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Have you ever doodled in the margins of something you're writing? If so, then Medieval snail fights might interest you--yes, I said snails. The knight vs. snail motif is a recurring one in the margins of Medieval manuscripts, and researchers have yet to figure out why. However, this article from Smithsonian Magazine gives an interesting… Continue reading Article: Why Were Medieval Knights Always Fighting Snails?

Article: Scientists Recreate Cleopatra’s Favorite Perfume

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What did the past smell like? This is a question that this article from Smithsonian Magazine tries to address. While it focusses on the attempts to recreate Cleopatra's perfume, it also talks about the importance of scent to culture and ways that we might recapture the scents of the past. link to Scientists Recreate Cleopatra's… Continue reading Article: Scientists Recreate Cleopatra’s Favorite Perfume

Article: Medieval women’s early involvement in manuscript production suggested by lapis lazuli identification in dental calculus

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Unfortunately, the degree to which women were involved in Medieval art and bookbinding has been lost to history. This article from ScienceAdvances details a discovery in the teeth of the remains of a Medieval nun that suggests women may have been more involved in the medieval arts than had previously been thought. Link to Medieval… Continue reading Article: Medieval women’s early involvement in manuscript production suggested by lapis lazuli identification in dental calculus

Article: Ancient Rock Art Depicting Divine Procession Discovered in Secret Chamber Beneath Turkish House

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This article from Smithsonian Magazine showcases the breadth of the influence of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. After saving an carved stone panel from looters, archeologists uncovered evidence that the Neo-Assyrian culture interacted with the Arameans in what is today Turkey. link to Ancient Rock Art Depicting Divine Procession...

Video: MOMA In the Studio

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When it comes to Modern Art, it sometimes makes more sense if you can see how an artist made his or her particular works. In this YouTube playlist from the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), you can watch artist and conservator Corey D'Augustine show you how painters such as Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and… Continue reading Video: MOMA In the Studio

Article: Gardner Museum Theft: an active and ongoing investigation

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Art can be lost to the world in many different ways. War, natural disasters, deliberate destruction, and theft are just a few of those ways. One of the most brazen examples of art theft in history is the Gardner Museum Theft. Early on a March day in 1990, thirteen works of art (mostly paintings) were… Continue reading Article: Gardner Museum Theft: an active and ongoing investigation