The Surrealist interest in chance, subconscious creativity, and metamorphosis of forms can be seen in Masson's Battle of Fishes
Location City: New York City
With two figures representing the Church and the Synagogue, this work demonstrates how Carolingians were negotiating the relationship between Christianity and Judaism
Depicting Judaism in a medieval Christian ivory
Rothfuss, an important voice in Latin American modernism, rejects recognizable forms by breaking the frame
Rhod Rothfuss, Yellow Quadrangle
This illuminated manuscript of the Ardashirnama reveals how 17th-century Iranian Jews visually and poetically emphasized their identities as both Iranian and Jewish.
The Ardashirnama: a Judeo-Persian manuscript
This unfinished Hebrew manuscript meant for a Passover ritual helps us understand how medieval manuscripts were made
The Prato Haggadah
This ornamented silver cup tells a story about a prominent Jewish man close to rulers and European courts at a time when Jewish life was restricted
Joachim Michael Salecker, Cup with cover with ...
Contrary to the white marble of the ancient Mediterranean we see today, the ancient Greeks and Romans painted their statues in vibrant colors
In Full Color, Ancient Sculpture Reimagined
What is worth dying for? David draws comparisons between ancient Roman philosopher Socrates and the French Revolution
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates
These decorated aprons were gifts from the groom’s family to his wife, and signified her new role in society.
Married Woman’s Apron (itjogolo or ijogolo), Ndebele ...
Han’s Night-Shining White exemplifies the expressive power of the line, the backbone of Chinese painting.
Han Gan, Night-Shining White
This Muslim prayer carpet shares striking visual similarities to a Jewish carpet meant to cover the Torah ark
Ottoman prayer carpet with triple-arch design
It is thought that these tunics were made for soldiers and the checkered pattern camouflaged them into an indistinguishable mass
Inka checkerboard tunics
In Fishes, Peláez turned to the domestic sphere to explore her modern Cuban identity soon after her return to Havana from Paris in 1934.
Amelia Peláez del Casal, Fishes
How to identify the Christian figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John by their iconography, or symbols, in art
How to recognize the Four Evangelists
László Moholy-Nagy's Photogram forces the viewer to question what a photograph is.
László Moholy-Nagy, Photogram
Who was the Buddha and how have artists depicted him as a visually recognizable figure in sculpture?
How to recognize the Buddha
How real is too real?
Pedro de Mena, Ecce Homo and Mater ...
Pages dyed pink, script from the Maghreb, and gold medallions make this Qu'ran especially spectacular
Bifolium from the Pink Qur’an
This “lost or stolen friend” left Easter Island in 1869. Carved of dense volcanic rock, it towers over the viewer.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Moai
Connections between the southwestern U.S. and Mesoamerica are revealed in these vessels featuring parrots or macaws and a merchant
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