The Mughal empire represents a unique and fascinating period in art history: the Empire was simultaneously Muslim (Sunni) and Indian, interweaving not only Muslim and Indian faiths, but also their politics, cultural practices, and of course art and architecture. This…
In the sixteenth century and seventeenth centuries, the Catholic Church was engaged in an ideological war with (among others) Martin Luther, the young professor and preacher from the North. As his teachings spread across Europe, the Church needed a way…
The Nativity of Jesus is drawn from accounts of Christ’s birth in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Following the Annunciation, Mary tells Joseph that she is with child and goes to visit her relative, Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John…
Hello readers! Merry Christmas! In the coming days before Christmas, we’re going to examine the Christmas story, starting with the Annunciation. This is an important event in Christianity and one of the most popular iconographies in Marian art. Before we start…
A reader asks for advice on how to write admissions essays in their major field.
I’m so excited about this post. Since it obviously can’t be book or even research paper length, I have to warn you that it will not do justice to the topics it addresses (Artemisia Gentileschi, Caravaggio, Caravaggisti, Judith, Judith Slaying…
The story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife can be found in Genesis 39. At this point in Joseph’s story, he had been nearly killed and then sold into slavery by his brothers and had wound up in Egypt in Pharaoh’s,…
Salome is one of many “bad girls” in art history. The step-daughter of King Herod, she was partially responsible for killing John the Baptist. You can read the full story in Mark 6:14-30. Herod was hesitant to kill John, for…
Dear readers, I have to first apologize for the large gap in which I didn’t post anything. In mid-October I resigned from my old job, started a new job, and now things are finally dying down. I missed writing for…
I’ve never been big on Halloween. I’m more of a Christmas person, but Halloween is an opportunity to explore some of the creepiest Baroque art I can think of. Trust me, I’m sure there are spookier examples in Baroque than…
