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Art History
Art history isn’t about memorising names and dates. It’s about asking why something was made, who paid for it, what it was supposed to do, and what it tells us about the world that produced it. These essays approach art history the way it should be taught — with proper context, genuine curiosity, and none of the mystification. Whether you’re standing in front of a painting in a museum or just trying to understand why everyone makes such a fuss about the Mona Lisa, you’ll find something useful here.
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry: Extravagance, Personal Piety, and Visual History, Part 2: February Page
The February page of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry presents a peasant scene contrasting with January’s depiction.…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry: Extravagance, Personal Piety, and Visual History, Part 1b: January Page
The January page of Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry illustrates the duke at an extravagant Epiphany feast,…
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The Very Rich Hours of the duke of Berry: Extravagance, Personal Piety, and Visual History, Part 1a: Key Background
Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is a 15th-century illuminated manuscript, significant for its artistic beauty and insights…
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Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, part 3: Let’s talk about it!
Santa Maria delle Grazie, funded by Milan’s dukes, was strategically located to attract pilgrims and merchants. The friars in the…
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Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, part 2: Who were the Mendicants?
The painting’s significance is tied to Leonardo da Vinci’s pursuit of illusionism and its historical placement in the Dominican convent…
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Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, part 1: Let’s Rethink This Piece. Pretty Please.
This essay examines Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, highlighting its significance in popular culture and art history. It criticises superficial…
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Mona Lisa is not Mysterious or Enigmatic, part 4: Let’s Talk about Mona Lisa Finally!
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early 1500s, showcases his mastery in creating depth and humanity…
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Mona Lisa is not Mysterious or Enigmatic, part 3: Portraiture in the Middle Ages and Early Renaissance
The text explores the emergence of Humanism during the medieval-Renaissance period, highlighting the influence of Antiquity on intellectual creativity. It…
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Mona Lisa is not Mysterious or Enigmatic, Part 2: Medieval Stylistic Shifts
In the previous post [Part 1], I discussed how the late Middle Ages witnessed a stylistic shift in Christian art…
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Mona Lisa Is Not Mysterious or Enigmatic, Part 1: She’s Just Uncanny Valley
The content explores the significance of portraiture, particularly through the example of the Mona Lisa. It outlines the historical context…
For people who want to understand history, not just know it.
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