Realism

Artist Stories

Edgar Degas in 10 Paintings

Edgar Degas (1834-1917) is one of the most famous painters of his generation. His ballerinas are held in many of the world’s most prestigious...

Jimena Escoto 16 December 2024

Frederic Edwin Church aurora borealis: Frederic Edwin Church, Aurora Borealis, 1865, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, USA. Detail. Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Aurora Borealis by Frederic Edwin Church

Aurora Borealis is an American national treasure. It explores the relationship between the land, its viewer, and its destiny. It is a masterpiece of...

James W Singer 15 December 2024

manet monet quiz Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Luncheon on the Grass by Édouard Manet

Édouard Manet’s The Luncheon on the Grass (Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe) (1863) was one of the first works that broke away from established...

Catriona Miller 10 December 2024

Art State of Mind

The Allure of Ruins—Architectural Decay in Art

There is a haunting beauty in architectural ruins. War or the passage of time has ravaged the magnificent feats of earlier civilizations. But in...

Maya M. Tola 8 November 2024

Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: The Railway by Édouard Manet

In 1873 when this painting was created by the Realist master Édouard Manet, the Gare Saint–Lazare was the largest and busiest train station in...

Zuzanna Stańska 5 November 2024

European Art

Eerie Paintings of Franz Sedlacek

Franz Sedlacek is one of the most important Austrian painters of the interwar period. His paintings portray the darkness, oppressiveness, and...

Errika Gerakiti 31 October 2024

Andrew Wyeth: Masterpiece Stories

Masterpiece Story: Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth

Sometime between 1948 and today, Christina’s World evolved from a painting into an icon. There are only a handful of American paintings that have...

Guest Profile 27 October 2024

Artist Stories

Vasily Vereshchagin—Journey through India

Vasily Vereshchagin was a notable Russian soldier, artist, and writer from the 19th century. He was an outspoken critic of war who reformed the genre...

Maya M. Tola 21 October 2024

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France Artist Stories

Jean-François Millet: The Peasant Painter

French artist Jean Francois Millet painted some the world’s best known artworks of peasants toiling in rural landscapes. Explore his life and work!

Candy Bedworth 15 October 2024

History

The Unknown Illustrations by Edward Hopper

If you’ve seen the painting titled Nighthawks, chances are you are slightly familiar with the work of 20th-century American Realist artist,...

Rachel Witte 3 October 2024

Love Story

Unhappily Ever After: Unequal Marriage by Vasili Pukirev

Vasili Pukirev’s painting, Unequal Marriage, has a legend surrounding it. Allegedly, after looking at it all the elderly grooms refused to marry...

Elizaveta Ermakova 18 September 2024

Artist Stories

Ferdinand Hodler – The Painter Who Revolutionized Swiss Art

Ferdinand Hodler was one of the principal figures of 19th-century Swiss painting. Hodler worked in many styles during his life. Over the course of...

Louisa Mahoney 25 July 2024