Explore the past, understand the present, and inspire the future.

Image title: Cihuateotl Medium: Volcanic stone (porphyritic andesite), pigment Date: 15th–early 16th century Source: The Met Collection   “ The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. ” — Abraham Lincoln Mesoamerican Maps of the Soul: Reading Aztec Codices as Visual Philosophy   Introduction: Decoding the Painted Cosmos Long before the Western world conceived of philosophy as a written discipline, the civilizations of Mesoamerica were Read more…

Image title: The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment Medium: Oil on canvas, transferred from wood Date: ca. 1436–38 Source: The Met Collection   “ Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them. ” — Albert Einstein Beyond Blue and White: Rediscovering African Ceramic Traditions   1. The Earth Speaks: Origins of African Ceramics Long before porcelain and fine china were perfected in Asia or Europe, African artisans were transforming clay into both functional and spiritual Read more…

Image title: Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743–1794) and Marie Anne Lavoisier (Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze, 1758–1836) Medium: Oil on canvas Date: 1788 Source: The Met Collection   “ Ask yourself the secret of your success. Listen to your answer and practice it. ” — Richard Bach Alchemy and Oil: The Secret Science of Renaissance Pigments   Chapter I: The Alchemical Origins of Art Long before artists were considered masters of technique and vision, they were experimenters Read more…

Image title: Portrait of a Woman Medium: Oil on wood Date: ca. 1520 Source: The Met Collection   “ Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? ” — George Eliot Memory in Stone: Digital Archaeology and the Rebirth of Lost Sculpture   Introduction: The Past Reimagined in Pixels For thousands of years, stone has been Read more…

Image title: The Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John Medium: Oil on canvas Date: ca. 1624–25 Source: The Met Collection   “ Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine. ” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Shadows That Speak: The Hidden Language of Negative Space in Art   Introduction: The Voice Within the Void Every artist, knowingly or not, engages in a dialogue between presence and absence. Negative space—the Read more…

Image title: Battle between Christians and Muslims at El Sotillo Medium: Oil on canvas Date: ca. 1637–39 Source: The Met Collection   “ When deeds and words are in accord, the whole world is transformed. ” — Zhuang Zhou Between Canvas and Stage: Painters Who Transformed Theater   Introduction: When the Brush Meets the Footlights The relationship between visual art and the performing stage has often been one of parallel inspiration, but in certain luminous Read more…