How did cabinets of curiosities become temples to the Enlightenment? Explore the fascinating history of museums.
arthistorybasics
Art museums and politics have a long and complex relationship; nowhere is this more apparent than the Louvre.
Museums and politics: the Louvre, Paris
Neither words nor images fully capture the Christian God. Despite this inherent difficulty, painters still tried.
The problem with Christ
A mound of dirt or the body of the Buddha? These sacred sites give practitioners insight into the Four Noble Truths.
The stupa
Empty, blank, or unfinished spaces leave paintings open to the viewer and create compelling ambiguities.
Unspeakable images: when words fail
Despite a princely upbringing, Siddhartha insisted he was just a man—albeit one who attained perfection.
The historical Buddha
In paintings as in sacred spaces, curtains play with revelation and draw attention to the limits of human vision.
So near and yet so far: visions ...
Temporal and spatial ambiguity imbue two images of the Virgin and Child—and this portrait of Christ’s suffering.
This world and the next: Christ on ...
Like place, time is an important theological category and, like the divine, it can be hard to comprehend.
Time and eternity: Yesterday, today, and always
Renaissance painters like Lippi devised spatial metaphors in order to convey the mystery of Christ’s conception.
Putting God in his place: here, everywhere, ...
Where does a painting end and our reality begin? Crivelli’s humble snail prompts more questions than answers.
Christ is not like a snail: Signs ...
After the Roman world embraced Christianity, Jews faced persecution, mob violence, and Crusaders.
Jewish history to the middle ages
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Judaism, an introduction
From simple assembly halls to expansive rock caves, buildings for Buddhist monks grew in complexity over time.
Buddhist Monasteries
Buddhism thrived in India for over a thousand years. Discover important sites in the life of the Buddha.
Beliefs made visible: Buddhist art in South ...
This video decodes the hand gestures, symbols, and styles of Buddhas from Thailand, Pakistan, Japan, and China.
Four Buddhas at the American Museum of ...
An empty throne, footsteps, and a wheel—rather than represent the Buddha directly, sculptors relied on symbols.
Images of Enlightenment: Aniconic vs. Iconic Depictions ...
Each year, millions of pilgrims come here to worship Shiva and to bathe in the holy waters of the River Ganges.
Varanasi: sacred city
Often covered with figural sculpture, these dwelling places of the gods draw worshipers to their inner sanctuaries.
Hindu temples
Described as a “museum of religions,” Hinduism encompasses many beliefs and accepts a pantheon of deities.