Karl Cole

Karl Cole, Davis Art Images’s curator of images, is an art historian and teacher who has spent more than 25 years working directly with world-class art museums. He’s also a practicing studio artist who specializes in landscapes and still lifes in oil, featuring vivid colors and expressive shapes.

Karl was curator of Chicago’s Rosenthal Art Slides for fifteen years, and after Davis Publications purchased Rosenthal in 1996, Karl continued his work as curator for Davis. All of us at Davis appreciate Karl’s great gifts: we learn something new from him every time we ask about a particular artwork, artist, or style. This blog offers our valued Davis community that same opportunity.

Most Recent Articles By Karl Cole

Jul 9, 2026 Curator's Corner

National Fashion Day: Art by Fernand Siméon (1884-1928 France)

9 July is National Fashion Day: Art by Fernand Siméon (1884-1928 France) Fernand Siméon, Advertisement from the Gazette du Bon Ton: The fashions, the lingerie...

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Jul 8, 2026 Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945 Germany)

Artist Birthday for 8 July: Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945 Germany) Käthe Kollwitz, Woman Worker with Sleeping Boy, 1927, lithograph on paper, 39.3 x 33.4 cm  &nb...

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Jul 7, 2026 Curator's Corner

Artist Birthday: Gertrud Nätzler (1908-1971, US born Austria)

Artist Birthday for 7 July: Gertrud Nätzler (1908-1971, US born Austria) Gertrud Nätzler, Bowl, 1961, glazed earthenware, 10 x 18 cm    The Museum of Mo...

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Jul 6, 2026 Curator's Corner

Heat Equals Warm Colors: Art by Karel Appel (1921-2006 Netherlands)

Warm Colors Means HEAT: Art by Karel Appel (1921-2006 Netherlands) Karel Appel, Life in a Red Landscape, 1957, oil on canvas, 152.4 x 206.4 cm (60” x 81 1/4")&nb...

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Jun 29, 2026 Curator's Corner

Happy Summer: Art by Edward Potthast (1857-1927 US)

Happy Summer: Art by Edward Potthast (1857-1927 US) Edward Potthast, Afternoon Fun, oil on canvas, 60.9 x 76.2 cm (23 5/8” x 30”) © 2026 Butler Institute o...

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Jun 26, 2026 Curator's Corner

National Coconut Day: Art by Papua New Guinean artist

June 26 is National Coconut Day: Art by Papua New Guinean artist Papua New Guinea, Ladle, early 1900s, wood, coconut husk (“coir”), and coconut shell, 43.2 x 12...

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View all articles by Karl Cole

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