Magda Michalska

Author

Magda, art historian and Italianist, she writes about art because she cannot make it herself. She loves committed and political artists like Ai Weiwei or the Futurists; like Joseph Beuys she believes that art can change us and we can change the world.

Articles by Magda

Artist Stories

Kandinsky’s Magic World of Fairy Tales

Wassily Kandinsky, a renowned abstract artist, is chiefly associated with Der Blaue Reiter, an international group of avant-garde artists based in...

Magda Michalska 19 February 2025

Dine & Wine

Time for a Cup of Warm Tea in Paintings

Tea, a timeless beverage enjoyed by cultures across the globe, has not only warmed countless hearts but also inspired artists throughout history.

Magda Michalska 18 February 2025

Jean-Etienne Liotard, Chocolate Girl, 1754, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany Dine & Wine

Chocolate in Painting for a Cozy Evening

Even when it is not that cold, I still crave a good old hot chocolate (in painting) and a cozy evening under the blanket. We present to you a short...

Magda Michalska 18 February 2025

King Louis XIV painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701 European Art

The Sun King’s Reflection: Portraits of Louis XIV

Louis XIV was definitely a great arts patron but sadly a slightly less great king. However, that didn’t stop him from being self-indulging,...

Magda Michalska 17 February 2025

Love Story

The Flying Lovers: Bella and Marc Chagall

A love story is always a good read, especially if it’s such a magical and touching history as that of Bella and Marc Chagall. Unfortunately there...

Magda Michalska 14 February 2025

Art State of Mind

Suffered a Break-up? See This Art

Who hasn’t suffered a break-up may be the first to cast the stone at all of those who don’t sleep at night and cannot stop crying at a single...

Magda Michalska 14 February 2025

Love Story

The Love of Ida Rubinstein and Romaine Brooks

Being a bisexual woman at the beginning of the 20th century was difficult. They were looked down on, they were scorned and discussed behind their...

Magda Michalska 13 February 2025

Women Artists

Paula Rego and Other Strong Women

Paula Rego (1935-2022) was a Portuguese-British visual artist considered one of the pre-eminent woman artists of the late 20th and early 21st...

Magda Michalska 13 February 2025

Animals

Holy Cow! Why Did the Dutch Painters Love Cows?

Every time I look at 17th-century Dutch paintings, I ask myself the same question: why do they always show cows? You will probably think this is a...

Magda Michalska 12 February 2025

WTF Art History

Best Bums in Art History

When nothing goes according to plan and you’re feeling down, there are many pick-me-ups like meeting friends, eating chocolate, or going on a walk.

Magda Michalska 10 February 2025