For students of the humanities…
French Gothic architecture (as well as the variations which followed) is proof that the people of the Middle Ages were capable of amazing things. The Gothic style allowed architects to build to untold heights and to accomodate thousands of people within a single structure. This article from the Victoria and Albert museum provides an interesting… Continue reading Article: The Gothic style – an introduction
If you've taken one of my classes, you've probably heard me talk about the carbonized scrolls from the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum (the only fully intact library from the ancient world). They were buried when Mount Vesuvius covered Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash around 2000 years ago. Since they were rediscovered in 1700s,… Continue reading Article: First glimpse inside burnt scroll after 2,000 years
France's Chartes Cathedral is thought by many to be the most beautiful of the French Gothic Cathedrals. Known for its amazingly detailed sculptures and impressive stained glass, it is certainly an excellent example of the form. This article from UNESCO provides more information and images. link to Chartes Cathedral
Are you interested in the Harlem Renaissance? If so, this article from the National Museum of African American History & Culture is a solid place to start. link to A New African American Identity: The Harlem Renaissance
This is more of a book recommendation than a review. Daniel Defoe is one of the preeminant primary sources on the Black Death, or Black Plague. Because he lived through the plague in London, and chose to record his experiences, he has helped centuries of scholars better understand the Black Death. link to A Journal… Continue reading Book Review: A Journal of the Plague Year, by Daniel Defoe
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
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
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
Humanities Scholars 