For students of the humanities…
Black Plague papers seem to be popular in my classes this semester, so here's another interesting article on the plague--this time from the History Channel. In this article, they lay out how the plague worked and what its effects were on the population of Medieval Europe. It was a time that resulted in much death… Continue reading Article: Black Death
The National Institutes of Health has an extensive library containing information about many medical topics. In one of these articles, they deal with the Black Plague as Daniel Defoe knew it. Since Defoe is generally considered to be one of the best contemporary sources on the plague (and since he is an accomplished author) this… Continue reading Article: Defoe and the Plague Year
One of my Humanities students shared this with me this week. It proves that even the oldest pieces of literature and culture are still relevant today, here is a concept album by EPIC based on the Illiad and the Odyssey. You can also find a number of animatics online that showcase the music and the… Continue reading Video: Epic-The Troy Saga
Metalpoint in general (and silverpoint in particular) is a very old technique that many people just don't bother with today. That doesn't mean that it is not capable of some amazing affects, however. In this video, DrawingAcademy.com details silverpoint techniques and materials. For my students, I use parts of this video in class; but because… Continue reading Video: Drawing in Silverpoint-Almost Lost Secrets of the Old Masters
For those interested in studying the medieval Black Death, an understanding of the nature of the disease which caused it is essential. Here are the websites for the CDC and the WHO (the link will take you specifically to their sections on the baterium Yersinia pestis, which caused the Black Death). link to Centers for… Continue reading Websites: Centers for Disease Control (CDC) & World Health Oranization (WHO)
Culture can be collected in the most surprising places. This article details the Smithsonian's efforts to document the history and culture of America's two biggest political conventions. link to What Smithsonian Curators Will Be Doing at the Democratic National Convention
Disease can have a drastic affect on societies and their art. In fact, art depicting plagues has been a constant throughout history. In this article from the BBC in 2020, the author discussses the art of plagues from the Black Death to the 21st Century. link to What plague art tells us about today
Some works of art are meant to remain unfinished. Such was the intent behind Keith Haring's Unfinished Painting (1989). The artists intended it's unfinished nature to be a statement on the AIDS epidemic, but now someone has used AI to finish it. Is this unethical and disrespectful of the artist? This article from Smithsonian Magazine… Continue reading Article: A.I. ‘Completes’ Keith Haring’s Intentionally Unfinished Painting
The place of technology within the art world can be controversial, and this article from Smithsonian addresses that. Specifically, this article deals with whether or not robots should be used to create sculpture, and whether or not great artists, such as Michelangelo, would have used this particular artistic tool. link to Can Robots Replace Michelangelo?
If you've ever been unhappy with your lot in life, did it occur to you that drawing killer bunnies might make you feel better? Well, it occurred to medieval manuscript artists. Drawing violent rabbits gave them a safe outlet for their frustrations in feudal Europe. link to Why Medieval Artists Doodled Killer Bunnies in Their Manuscript Margins
French may have a reputation for being a romantic language, but it is not purely a Romance language. In other words, its Latin base was massively changed by the people who inhabited the area and resulted in modern France today. Read this article (with videos) if you are interested in the origins of the French Language. link… Continue reading Article: Why French Sounds So Unlike Spanish, Italian & Other Romance Languages, Even Though They All Evolved from Latin
Some historical artifacts are literally torturous. The Iron Maiden is one such artifact. This article from Ancient Origins explains the device, gives an opinion on whether it was actually ever used, and details similar implements of torture. link to The Iron Maiden: This Medieval Torture Device Was Used as Recently as 2003!
No matter how much we love studying the past, there are times when it is a good thing that we cannot directly experience it. One such time involves London's "The Great Stink." Just like its name implies, "The Great Stink" resulted from the smell coming from the highly poluted and diseased Thames River during a particular summer. It… Continue reading Article: “The Great Stink” Engulfed London In A Cloud Of Fetid Air Back In 1858
One of the unfotunate realities of contemporary art history is the terrible toll that Nazi Germany and World War II took on Jewish artists and art owners. So, many people were killed, and so many lives were irreperably changed. As part of their reign of terror, the Nazis stole art from many families (often killing them in… Continue reading Article: Court Rules Against Returning Nazi-Looted Pissarro Painting to Jewish Family
The Venus of Willendorf is both one of thee oldest human form sculptures still in existence and one of the most discussed ancient sculptures. Small enough to be held in a person's hands, it continues to tell us much about the people and place that created it. This article from My Modern Met details some new information… Continue reading Article: Longstanding Mystery Surrounding the Origins of a 30,000-Year-Old Figurine Is Solved
Humanities Scholars 