Edward Hopper, Automat, 1927, oil on canvas, 28” x 36”, Des Moines Art Center, IA, Artwork in the Public Domain via Wikipedia.
American artist Edward Hopper was born on this day in 1882. His easily recognizable style did not change for most of his long career that began in 1895 and continued until his death in 1963. Hopper mostly painted scenes that … Continue reading
Michelangelo, Moses from the Tomb of Pope Julius II, 1512, San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome, Artwork in the Public Domain
The Italian Renaissance Master Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was born on this day in 1475. He arguably is one of the greatest artists of all time. Before anything else, Michelangelo was a sculptor, his finest achievements in painting and architecture also having a … Continue reading
Caravaggio, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598-99, oil on canvas, 57
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio would have been 545 years old today. He actually only lived to be 38 years old, which is somewhat miraculous considering his tumultuous life. We know more about him from law books than anything else. He was brought to … Continue reading
André Derain, 1906, Charing Cross Bridge, London, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, artwork in the Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
André Derain, the co-founder of Fauvism with Henri Matisse, was born on June 10, 1880 near Paris. In 1905, Derain and Matisse exhibited their groundbreaking art in the Salon d’Automne when one critic declaired that their boldly-colored work looked like … Continue reading
Yayoi Kusama, Floor Show, 1965/2013, Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City, photo by Christian Ramiro González Verón via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama turns 87 today. Known for her irreverent and experimental work, Kusama probably is most famous for her Infinity Rooms in which she explores her obsessions with particular patterns and forms by setting them in a mirrored … Continue reading
Abraham Bloemaert, The Adoration of the Shepherds, 1612, 113
Abraham Bloemaert (Dec. 25, 1564 – Jan. 27, 1651), the Dutch painter and printmaker living in Utrecht, was born on Christmas Day. A devout Catholic living in the Netherlands, Bloemaert had a thriving business creating religious works of art for the few Catholic churches … Continue reading
© 2015 Sally Whitman Coleman, PhD. All rights reserved.
American photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe (November 19, 1895 – December 11, 1989) is best known for her work in fashion. She photographed many covers for Harpers Bazaar working for Diana Vreeland. She preferred to work outdoors, which was novel at the … Continue reading
Beatrix Potter, Illustration from The Tale of Peter Rabbit, c. 1901, watercolor on paper, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Helen Beatrix Potter, the English author, illustrator, and natural scientist, was born on July 28, 1866 in London into a wealthy Unitarian family. As a child, she kept many small pets and had a collection of insects and butterflies that she frequently … Continue reading
Alphonse Mucha, Advertising Poster for Job Cigarettes, 1896, color lithograph, 26.25
Alphonse Mucha, the Art Nouveau painter from the Czech Republic, was born on July 24th, 1860. While he was attending school in Paris in the late 19th century, he became a highly successful commercial artist, designing posters, advertisements, and book illustrations. His … Continue reading
Salvador Dalí, The Anthropomorphic Chest of Drawers, 1936, oil on wooden panel, 25.4 x 43.1 cm., Kunstsammlung Nordheim-Westfalen, Dusseldorf, Photo by Jordan5k via Flickr,
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, 1st Marqués de Dalí de Pubol, better known as Salvador Dalí, was born on May 11, 1904. The Spanish artist worked in variety of media, but is best known for his Surrealist paintings. Because … Continue reading
Paul Strand, The White Fence, Port Kent, 1916, gelatin-silver print, 9 3/4
Paul Strand American Photographer Along with Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand (October 16, 1890 – March 31, 1976) made tremendous strides in establishing photography as a fine art. His modern-style photographs are noted for their sophisticated sense of composition, an absence of … Continue reading
Judith Leyster, Boy Playing a Flute, c. 1635, oil on canvas, 28.7
Judith Leyster Painter, Dutch Golden Age Judith Leyster, born July 28th, 1609 in Haarlem, was one of the few successful women artists working prior to the 20th century. She was the first female member of the Haarlem Guild of St. … Continue reading