videos + essays
San Vitale and the Justinian Mosaic
Gold, glass, and marble dazzle the eye in this 6th-century church. High above us, Emperor Justinian presides.
Jean-Antoine Houdon, George Washington
Lack of an American sculptural tradition compelled Jefferson to look to France for this portrait of Washington.
Baron Antoine-Jean Gros, Napoleon Bonaparte Visiting the Pest House in Jaffa
Napoleon masterfully manipulated his image, and this painting meant for Parisian audiences is pure propaganda.
Alexander Mosaic from the House of the Faun, Pompeii
Sources tell us that painting was the Greek’s finest art form: is this a hint at what we’re missing?
Column of Trajan
Trajan expanded the Roman Empire to its greatest extent, celebrating his victories with this monumental column.
Charlemagne (part 1 of 2): An introduction
Warrior, politician, reformer—Charlemagne was all three. Crowned emperor in 800, he made northern Europe a center of the Christian world.
Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable
Wood infuses a famous folktale about George Washington with theatricality, humor, and a Gilbert Stuart sample.
A-Level: Tipu’s Tiger
Made for a sultan, this unusual automaton emblematizes the fierce hostility between British and Indian rulers.
Independence from Spanish rule in South America
Enlightenment ideals of democracy planted the seeds for colonial movements in the Spanish colonies of the Americas.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg (Horned Wolf)
In this hunting scene from the Persian Book of Kings, the ruler Bahram lives up to his nickname “Gur,” or swift.
The Emperor Triumphant (Barberini Ivory)
This energetic image of military victory captures a moment of transition between classical and Byzantine art.
Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon Crossing the Alps
Was this the beginning of the end for David—or a new dawn? As far as portraits of Napoleon go, there’s none better.
