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
Location: The Met
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
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
One of Rembrandt’s most technically ambitious prints has been primarily known more for its price tag than for its subject: The Hundred Guilder Print.
Rembrandt, Christ Preaching (Hundred Guilder Print)
Emeralds and gold to crown the Queen of Heaven
Crown of the Virgin of the Immaculate ...
Hand-drawn patterns fill the surface of these textiles made from bark from the Pacific islands of Wallis and Futuna
Bark cloth from Wallis and Futuna
Ninety-six Wari feather panels are considered to be among the most significant examples of Andean featherwork yet discovered
Wari feather panels
Michelangelo transforms a male model into a female figure. Discover the artist’s working process.
Michelangelo, Studies for the Libyan Sibyl
A taxidermy deer covered with crystals changes the way we look at reality
Kohei Nawa, PixCell-Deer#24
In the Third Intermediate Period, lapis represented two of Ptah's roles: that of creator of the world from a watery darkness, and Lord of the Sky.
Cult Image of the God Ptah
The precision of the line and the attention to texture allow this drawing to stand on its own as a finished work.
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