Fiercely Independent: Ellen Day Hale
Out of nine children, Ellen Day Hale was the only daughter of the noted orator and author Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909). She came from a family filled with notable figures. Her great ...
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Curator's Corner
National Brothers and Sisters Day: Sturtevant Hamblin
The majority of Hamblin's known works are portraits of children. This was no doubt more attractively priced than portraits of adults, and, there was a certain formula that itinerant painters such as H ...
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Curator's Corner
A Tribute to the American Limner
One of my favorite periods to study in art history is early American painting. It is fascinating to trace its development to the period right before the American Revolution (1775–1783). Early Am ...
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Curator's Corner
An Image of Royal Power Attributed to Muhammad Hasan
In the history of portrait painting, it is fascinating to interpret what the artist is trying to convey about the sitter. Sometimes when the portrait is of a member of a ruling family, it’s pret ...
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Curator's Corner
Art for National Peach Month 2024
August was first declared National Peach Month in the United States in 1982. Since August is the month when peaches are supposed to be at their peak ripeness, let’s look at some works of art tha ...
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Curator's Corner
Respect for the Aged Day: John Singleton Copley
The concept of filial piety (reverence for one’s elders) has been deeply ingrained in many cultures around the world for forever. At one time this may have been the case in the West, but the obs ...
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Curator's Corner
Not Your Typical Mummy: Roman Period
I’m a big fan/geek when it comes to portraiture. This may stem from the fact that I can’t paint a portrait of someone without it looking like a bad cartoon, but I digress. Additionally, I& ...
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Curator's Corner
Importance of Portraits IV: Rosa Bonheur
Yes, I’m including a doggie portrait in my ongoing ode to the portrait. Whether a dog, cat, bird, squirrel, ermine, or fish, animals have been part of portraiture in western art since the reviva ...
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Curator's Corner
African American Pioneer Artist: Joshua Johnson
I’m going to follow up my rant about American Primitive painting from last week’s blog with a tribute to another such painter. It is also my tribute to African American History month. Who ...
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Curator's Corner
American "Primitive": Ammi Phillips
Did you ever wonder about the stylistic term “American Primitive?” Well, I have. “Primitive” is usually a term used in Western art to describe an aesthetic that is not sophisti ...
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