The Hunt: What Happened to the Great Sphinx’s Nose?
Much like the desert winds that perhaps helped shape it, conspiracy theories swirl around the Great Sphinx guarding the Giza plateau—especially regarding how the winged lion’s human head lost its nose. One enduring hypothesis blames Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops for blowing the snout off during target practice. While that conspiracy’s long-debunked, it persists in popular culture. […]
Ghanaian Curator Joseph Awuah-Darko Sued for Non-Payment of $266,527
The Accra-based artist Foster Sakyiamah is suing Joseph Awuah-Darko, a prominent figure in Ghana’s art scene. The lawsuit, filed in an Accra court on June 24, claims Awuah-Darko did not pay Sakyiamah for several artworks and seeks compensation of $266,527. In a WhatsApp call, Sakyiamah said Awuah-Darko—an entrepreneur, artist, curator, and collector—discovered his work on […]
The Spirit of Art Nouveau Awakens in Australia’s Biggest Alphonse Mucha Exhibition
Organic, sinuous lines, with vines snaking around stylized letters, ethereal women with flowing tresses, and botanical borders characterize the style of Art Nouveau, the enduringly popular movement that to this day adorns drawings, posters, notebook covers, and even tarot card decks. But where does the style come from and why is it still so enduringly […]
Beloved Art Oasis Elizabeth Street Garden Faces Destruction
The imperiled Elizabeth Street Garden, located on city-owned land in New York’s Nolita neighborhood, is slated for destruction in September. Community members are desperately clinging to the last hopes of preserving the beloved sculpture park, which is set to become an affordable senior housing development. A peaceful oasis hidden in a bustling downtown neighborhood just […]
The Permanent Collection: Johann Liss Painted an Unusually Aged Adam and Eve
Johann Liss, Adam and Eve Mourning Abel (1624-29) Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice Selected by curator Michele Nicolaci Johann Liss was in Germany for the first few years on his life, then he travelled a lot in Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, and Venice. He had a very international career until he died young, in 1631, because of the […]
Behind the Scenes of Art Logistics With Fine Art Shippers Co-Founder Ilya Kushnirskiy
With operations dating back to 1995, the aptly-named New York art logistics company Fine Art Shippers has been working within the industry for nearly three decades and has developed a comprehensive roster of services for every stage of an artwork or antique’s journey—from pickup and transpiration to installation and storage. A family-owned and operated endeavor, […]
A New Study Shakes Up Our Understanding of the World’s First Analog Computer
Ever since being salvaged by sponge divers in the Greek Mediterranean in 1901, the Antikythera mechanism has captured the imaginations of archaeologists and scientists with penchant for antiquity. A foot-high object of wood and bronze broken into more than 80 fragments, the Antikythera mechanism dates back 2,200 years and was a hand-powered model of the […]