Painting | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/painting/RSS feed for PaintingenThu, 16 Jul 2026 18:13:06 +0000Buckingham Palace's Royal Picture Gallery Revives the Salon-Style Hang, Doubling the Number of Masterpieces on Viewhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/buckingham-palaces-royal-picture-gallery-revives-the-salon-style-hang-doubling-the-number-of-masterpieces-on-view-180989135/Charles III reportedly had a say in the stylistic switch, which rearranged and added artworks by the likes of Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer and Van DyckThu, 16 Jul 2026 18:13:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/buckingham-palaces-royal-picture-gallery-revives-the-salon-style-hang-doubling-the-number-of-masterpieces-on-view-180989135/This Spanish Officer Besieged the British During the American Revolution, Giving George Washington Time to Plan a Pivotal Attackhttps://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/Puzzled by Mark Rothko's Captivating Color Field Paintings? Look to the Renaissance Masters Who Inspired Himhttps://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/To Recreate One of the American Revolution's Most Famous Paintings, This Artist Painstakingly Crafted Miniature Wax Figures of the Nation's Foundershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-recreate-one-of-the-american-revolutions-most-famous-paintings-this-artist-painstakingly-crafted-miniature-wax-figures-of-the-nations-founders-180989026/Bartlett M. Frost’s diorama is modeled after John Trumbull's depiction of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence. Newly conserved, the work is now on view at the National Portrait GalleryThu, 02 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-recreate-one-of-the-american-revolutions-most-famous-paintings-this-artist-painstakingly-crafted-miniature-wax-figures-of-the-nations-founders-180989026/See These Ancient Etruscan Frescoes That Italy Bought for Millions and Put on Public Display in Romehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-these-ancient-etruscan-frescoes-that-italy-bought-for-millions-and-put-on-public-display-in-rome-180989046/Found in a burial chamber, the artworks depict battles between ancient heroes in the Mediterranean worldTue, 30 Jun 2026 20:52:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-these-ancient-etruscan-frescoes-that-italy-bought-for-millions-and-put-on-public-display-in-rome-180989046/Rembrandt Began a Biblical Painting. Another Artist Finished It 'Rather Crudely.' Now, Restorations Have Revealed the Long-Lost Originalhttps://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/The Hall of Raphael Frescoes in the Pope’s Residence at the Vatican Is Getting a Much-Needed Restoration With the Help of Lasershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/Conservators will spend the next five years cleaning and retouching the Renaissance frescoes, which date back to the early 16th centuryTue, 30 Jun 2026 13:31:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-vaticans-hall-of-raphael-frescoes-in-the-popes-residence-is-getting-a-much-needed-restoration-with-the-help-of-lasers-180989041/Here's How the Obama Presidential Center Is Different From Other Presidents' Museumshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/heres-how-the-obama-presidential-center-is-different-from-other-presidents-museums-180988974/More than a library and archives, the new Chicago institution is a place for the community to gather, talk and play togetherThu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/heres-how-the-obama-presidential-center-is-different-from-other-presidents-museums-180988974/Who Were the Couples That Posed for David Hockney's Famed Double Portraits?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/who-were-the-couples-that-posed-for-david-hockneys-famed-double-portraits-180988970/One of his subjects was a cousin I never knew. I wanted to learn more about the large-scale portraits that helped define the English artist's legacyWed, 17 Jun 2026 18:51:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/who-were-the-couples-that-posed-for-david-hockneys-famed-double-portraits-180988970/When Claude Monet Planted Water Lilies, Inspiration Struck. An Upcoming Auction Will Test How Much Collectors Prize the Floral Masterpieceshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/The marquee painting from Monet’s "Nymphéas" series is expected to fetch more than $40 million at auction later this monthFri, 12 Jun 2026 20:48:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-claude-monet-planted-water-lilies-inspiration-struck-an-upcoming-auction-will-test-how-much-collectors-prize-the-floral-masterpieces-180988947/With A.I.'s Help, a Family Realized Their Mysterious Thrift-Store Find Is a Portrait by a Great Scottish Painterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/The oil painting, the work of "Scottish Colorist" FCB Cadell, just sold at auction for more than $250,000Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:54:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/with-help-from-ai-a-family-realized-their-mysterious-thrift-store-find-is-a-portrait-by-a-great-scottish-painter-180988948/Catch a Surprising Glimpse at WWII Leader Winston Churchill’s Pastime—Painting—at the First Major British Retrospective Since His Deathhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/More than 50 canvases on view in London detail the prime minister’s quieter moments away from wars, speeches and politicsFri, 05 Jun 2026 17:49:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/catch-a-surprising-glimpse-at-wwii-leader-winston-churchills-pastime-painting-at-the-first-major-british-retrospective-since-his-death-180988905/See the Rescued and Restored 'Alice in Wonderland' Mural Painted for Sick Children at a New York Hospitalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/Abram Champanier’s "Alice of Wonderland Visiting New York" was a commission from the Federal Art Project, a New Deal program that championed American art in public spacesThu, 04 Jun 2026 20:24:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rescued-and-restored-alice-in-wonderland-mural-painted-for-sick-children-at-a-new-york-hospital-180988898/Georgia O’Keeffe Ignored Advice to Mimic Great European Masters. Her Goal Instead Was to Be a Great American Painterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/georgia-okeefe-ignored-advice-mimic-great-european-masters-goal-instead-be-great-american-painter-180988804/The genius of her work was in painting things as she saw them through her own eyes. So when she surrounded herself with beauty, her work reflected itThu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/georgia-okeefe-ignored-advice-mimic-great-european-masters-goal-instead-be-great-american-painter-180988804/Asphalt Is the Canvas for This Year's World Street Painting Festival in Joplin, Missouri, Which Honors 100 Years of Route 66https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/Immersive paintings, which function as massive optical illusions, pay tribute to the "Mother Road" and its influence on American cultureMon, 01 Jun 2026 17:30:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asphalt-is-the-canvas-for-this-years-world-street-painting-festival-in-joplin-missouri-which-honors-100-years-of-route-66-180988868/Korean and French Culture Are Set to Rendezvous at a New Museum in Seoul for Modern and Contemporary Arthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/The Centre Pompidou Hanwha, the newest member of a growing global network of art museums, will debut with an exhibition on European cubism and Korean artSun, 31 May 2026 19:01:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/korean-and-french-culture-are-set-to-rendezvous-at-a-new-museum-in-seoul-for-modern-and-contemporary-art-180988864/Shakespeare Referenced Dozens of Bird Species in His Work. This Artist Has Made It Her Mission to Paint Them Allhttps://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/Using Colorful Dog Kibble, Artists Turn 'Mona Lisa,' 'The Scream' and 'The Kiss' Into Museum Masterpieces That Man's Best Friend Can Appreciatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/Sisters from New Jersey spent two months recreating famous artworks while also making sure their dog didn’t get into the edible art suppliesFri, 29 May 2026 18:16:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/using-colorful-kibble-artists-turn-mona-lisa-the-scream-and-the-kiss-into-museum-masterpieces-that-mans-best-friend-can-appreciate-180988860/Meet Hilma af Klint, the Occultist Who Believed Otherworldly Spirits Told Her What to Paint. Now, She's Considered One of History's First Abstract Artistshttps://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/Whistler Didn't Mean to Make His Mourning Mother an Art World Star. Today, She's a Highlight at a Major Exhibition in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/Officially titled 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,' James McNeill Whistler’s stoic portrait of his mother has come to define the artist’s style and legacy. The artwork is currently on display in the same city where it was painted more than 150 years agoTue, 26 May 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/What Did Jackson Pollock Hope to Accomplish With This Dizzying Drip Painting, Which Just Sold for a Record-Breaking $181 Million?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/Who Are the Owners of These Nazi-Looted Masterpieces—and Could Displaying Them at One of France's Most Popular Museums Help Track Them Down?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/