https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/arts/RSS feed for ArtsenFri, 17 Jul 2026 18:40:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/was-there-ever-an-original-version-of-the-odyssey-and-do-we-need-to-worry-about-what-homer-would-think-180989143/The earliest surviving fragments of the epic poem—the subject of Christopher Nolan's latest Hollywood blockbuster—date back more than 2,000 years. But oral storytelling about a hero named Odysseus is much olderFri, 17 Jul 2026 18:40:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/was-there-ever-an-original-version-of-the-odyssey-and-do-we-need-to-worry-about-what-homer-would-think-180989143/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-spanish-officer-besieged-the-british-during-the-american-revolution-giving-george-washington-time-to-plan-a-pivotal-attack-180989079/Bernardo de Gálvez indirectly contributed to the Continental Army’s victory at the 1781 Siege of Yorktown. A rare painting of him is now on view at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait GalleryTue, 07 Jul 2026 17:05:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-spanish-officer-besieged-the-british-during-the-american-revolution-giving-george-washington-time-to-plan-a-pivotal-attack-180989079/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/puzzled-by-mark-rothkos-captivating-color-field-paintings-look-to-the-renaissance-masters-who-inspired-him-180989068/During trips to Europe, the American painter developed a fascination with how 15th- and 16th-century artists and architects had designed their work to evoke specific feelingsThu, 02 Jul 2026 19:01:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/puzzled-by-mark-rothkos-captivating-color-field-paintings-look-to-the-renaissance-masters-who-inspired-him-180989068/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/An art dealer stumbled across "Let the Little Children Come Unto Me" at a German auction house in 2014. Experts have now carefully removed layers of overpaint from the forgotten masterpieceTue, 30 Jun 2026 19:10:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rembrandt-began-a-biblical-painting-another-artist-finished-it-rather-crudely-now-restorations-have-revealed-the-long-lost-original-180989045/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-the-handwriting-in-this-248-year-old-notebook-look-familiar-it-turned-out-to-be-a-forgotten-mozart-manuscript-180989017/While working as a tutor in 1778, the composer created seven short pieces for flute and harp with his student's help. This month, audiences heard the works performed for the very first timeThu, 25 Jun 2026 17:17:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-the-handwriting-in-this-248-year-old-notebook-look-familiar-it-turned-out-to-be-a-forgotten-mozart-manuscript-180989017/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/The haunting story set against the Yorkshire moors would become one of the most renowned novels of the 19th century. Now, a rare first-edition copy is heading to auctionWed, 24 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-edition-of-emily-brontes-wuthering-heights-contained-incorrect-page-numbers-missing-punctuation-and-three-misspellings-of-the-word-heights-180989005/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/Celebrating the visionary insights & darling innovators that forged a nation.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:04:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-remarkable-statue-of-liberty-model-made-by-the-sculptor-of-the-original-has-a-new-summer-home-at-the-smithsonian-castle-180988885/Artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s small maquette represents the big ideals of the iconic national monument in New York HarborTue, 02 Jun 2026 17:50:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-remarkable-statue-of-liberty-model-made-by-the-sculptor-of-the-original-has-a-new-summer-home-at-the-smithsonian-castle-180988885/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/shakespeare-referenced-dozens-of-bird-species-in-his-work-this-artist-has-made-it-her-mission-to-paint-them-all-180988862/Missy Dunaway’s colorful illustrations combine natural history, folklore and literature to depict the Bard’s birdsFri, 29 May 2026 18:36:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/shakespeare-referenced-dozens-of-bird-species-in-his-work-this-artist-has-made-it-her-mission-to-paint-them-all-180988862/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/The Swedish painter created bold, vibrant works as early as 1906—several years before contemporaries like Wassily Kandinsky. A new exhibition in France celebrates her sweeping "Paintings for the Temple" seriesFri, 29 May 2026 16:08:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-hilma-af-klint-the-occultist-who-believed-otherworldly-spirits-told-her-what-to-paint-now-shes-considered-one-of-historys-first-abstract-artists-180988859/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/The Abstract Expressionist is best known for his action paintings, which emphasized the movements of the artist's body during the creative process. "Number 7A, 1948" is now his most expensive work ever auctionedFri, 22 May 2026 19:51:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/A new permanent display at the Musée d’Orsay showcases artworks that may have been stolen or sold under suspicious circumstances during World War II. Officials are still hoping to find the families of their rightful ownersThu, 21 May 2026 15:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/Visitors will be able to view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece without touring the rest of the Louvre, and visitor traffic at the museum will be able to grow by three million people annuallyTue, 19 May 2026 18:27:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/