Image title: Chair (Sgabello) Medium: Walnut, maple, ebony; ebonized wood, and fruitwood; traces of gilding and red paint Date: ca. 1489–91 Source: The Met Collection “ History is written by the victors. ” — Winston Churchill The Politics of Restoration: When Conservation Changes History Introduction: The Fragile Line Read more…
Image title: Saber Medium: Steel, gold, fish skin, wood Date: 1522–66 Source: The Met Collection “ Pitching is the art of instilling fear. ” — Sandy Koufax The Geometry of Faith: Islamic Art Beyond Ornamentation 1. The Sacred Language of Geometry Islamic art, often recognized by its mesmerizing Read more…
Image title: The Birth of the Virgin Medium: Tempera and oil on wood Date: 1467 Source: The Met Collection “ Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night. ” — William Blake Queering the Canon: Hidden Narratives in 19th-Century Portraiture Read more…
Image title: Vessel with mythological scene Medium: Ceramic, slip Date: 600–800 CE Source: The Met Collection “ The truth you believe and cling to makes you unavailable to hear anything new. ” — Pema Chödrön Synesthetic Landscapes: When Painters Hear Color Introduction: The Infinite Orchestra of Color Imagine Read more…
Image title: Nessus Abducting Dejanira Medium: Marble Date: modeled 1814–15, carved 1821–23 or 1826 Source: The Met Collection “ Myths which are believed in tend to become true. ” — George Orwell Clay and Cosmos: Sculpting Myths of the Universe 1. Shaping the Skies: Cosmic Imagery in Ancient Read more…
Image title: The Triumph of Marius Medium: Oil on canvas Date: 1729 Source: The Met Collection “ A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. ” — Winston Churchill The Politics of Restoration: Who Decides What Gets Saved? Read more…
Image title: Hagar in the Wilderness Medium: Oil on canvas Date: 1835 Source: The Met Collection “ The secret of getting ahead is getting started. ” — Mark Twain The Mathematics of Beauty: Geometry’s Secret Role in Renaissance Composition Introduction: The Hidden Language of Harmony The Renaissance was Read more…
Image title: The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment Medium: Oil on canvas, transferred from wood Date: ca. 1436–38 Source: The Met Collection “ In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order. ” — Carl Jung From Cosmos to Canvas: Astronomical Themes in Islamic Geometric Design Read more…
Image title: Triton and Nereid Medium: Bronze Date: after 1532–before ca. 1550 Source: The Met Collection “ When you see a man of worth, think of how you may emulate him. When you see one who is unworthy, examine yourself. ” — Confucius When Sculptors Drew Breath: The Sensual Read more…
Image title: The Death of Socrates Medium: Oil on canvas Date: 1787 Source: The Met Collection “ When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt. ” — Honoré de Balzac Subversive Shadows: The Political Power of Caravaggio’s Lighting Chapter I: The Birth of Light and Read more…