They said…”Painting was Dead!

It is interesting to note that soon after the invention of the daguerreotype French history painter Paul Delaroche supposedly declared that PAINTING WAS DEAD! In some ways I suppose it was the beginning of the end for the art of painting – at least as a mode for representing external reality. Photography does this so [...]

Art is a Time Machine

Art is a glimpse into the hearts, minds and souls of the people, cultures and civilizations that came before us. Whether it be Prehistoric, Egyptian, Greek or the Renaissance – art enables the educated viewer an opportunity to step back and experience another moment in time. Great art is like a time machine. It transports [...]

Every Picture Tells a Story

I was discussing ancient Near East art in my online Art Survey course yesterday and we got to talking about how art throughout history tells some kind of story.  That got me thinking about photography as well. From Paleolithic people to the Neolithic and beyond we can see that art tells a story. Throughout human [...]

Observations from my recent Museum Visits in NYC

MET Museum November 25th Looking at the great paintings by Van Gogh and Gauguin for example truly gives the serious viewer of art a glimpse into the heart, mind and soul of the artist in addition to the time he/she lived. Great art reveals the emotional / spiritual state of the artist. Great paintings are [...]

Thoughts on Teaching Art Appreciation and History

I’ve been teaching art appreciation and art history for over twenty years and I must admit I never get tired of the material. Art has so much incredible emotional and intellectual depth to it – the desire to communicate is an integral part of the human condition since those first prehistoric people began expressing themselves [...]