WTF Art History

Art State of Mind

School in Art: A Sentimental Journey Throughout the Years

2020 marked a transformative year in education, propelling millions of students and educators into the realm of online learning and ushering schools...

Magda Michalska 24 January 2025

Art State of Mind

Five Takes on Carnival in Art

Carnival is the festive season that comes before the Lent in Western Christian tradition. It is celebrated in many various ways across the world. To...

Joanna Kaszubowska 23 January 2025

Art History 101

How the Concept of Reclining Nude Changed After Manet’s Olympia

When French artist Édouard Manet completed his renowned painting Olympia in 1863, it marked a significant turning point in the history of art.

Emre Kagitci 23 January 2025

Cats

Paw Prints: The Diversity of Cats in Japanese Art

From cute and exotic pets to monstrous, otherworldly creatures, cats in Japanese art appear in various forms and contexts. Let’s delve into the...

Iolanda Munck 21 January 2025

Print with large white hare with red eyes presented frontally on pink background. The body of a hare is rounded. Asian Art

10 Cutest Rabbits in Asian Art You Need to See (For the Lunar New Year)

In the Chinese lunisolar calendar, 2023 was the Year of the Water Rabbit. Celebrated in late January or February, the Lunar New Year (or Spring...

Ela Bobek 21 January 2025

Animals

Killer or Kitty? The Tiger in Art

Tigers are frequently depicted in art - they have fascinated so many artists from across the world. Let's leap into the eye of the tiger!

Candy Bedworth 21 January 2025

Cats

Maneki Neko – Those Lucky Cats

We’ve all seen those jovial, happy cat figurines in Asian restaurants and shops. Sitting upright with their raised paw, smiling face, and trademark...

Nadine Waldmann 21 January 2025

Animals

Practical, Erotic and Magical: The Miniature World of Netsuke

Originating in 17th-century Japan during the Edo Period, Netsuke (pronounced nets-keh) are toggles that attach pouches to the traditional robes,...

Nadine Waldmann 21 January 2025

Art State of Mind

True Tips for a Happier Life from the Miniatures of Reza Abbasi

Everyone wants to be happy and each of us has a different idea of happiness. For some, it is finishing college and getting a new job. For others, it...

Rute Ferreira 20 January 2025

Art Travels

Hunting for Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis in Art

With mesmerizing colors dancing in the night sky, witnessing an aurora must feel like being inside of a painting. What are the northern lights and...

Marta Wiktoria Bryll 20 January 2025

Baroque

Pure Happiness, Fun, and Joy in Jan Steen’s Paintings

I am a true happiness digger and I’m looking for happiness also in art. If you are a frequent reader here, you may have seen our other articles...

Rute Ferreira 20 January 2025

Bizarre

The Weirdest Thing You Will See Today: A Toilet as a Work of Art

A joke, a provocation, or an attempt to attract your attention? Maybe none of these or maybe all of them. Here are three of the most renowned toilets...

Caroline Galambosova 20 January 2025