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Artists

Sofonisba Anguissola, "Self-Portrait at the Easel Painting a Devotional Panel," 1556

Madrid’s Prado Museum Will Spotlight Pioneering Duo of Female Renaissance Artists

Lavinia Fontana is widely considered the first professional female artist, while Sofonisba Anguissola served as Philip II of Spain’s court painter

Now You Can View the Travel Sketchbooks of Françoise Gilot, Artist and Inspiration to Picasso

The sketches were made in the ‘70s and ‘80s, during Gilot’s journeys abroad

A few pages from the recently digitized codex.

Cool Finds

See Leonardo da Vinci’s Genius Yourself in These Newly Digitized Sketches

The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has made ultra high-resolution scans of two codices available online

Salvador Dalí with his pet ocelot, Babou, and cane. 1965.

Catalonia

Travel Through the Landscapes That Inspired Salvador Dalí

Three destinations in northeastern Spain offer a unique glimpse into the life of the famous surrealist

Mean Dog (Verso: Man Leading Mule), c. 1939-1942, by Bill Traylor, poster paint and pencil on cardboard

Born Into Slavery, Bill Traylor Would Become a Leading Light of Self-Taught Art

A new show at the Smithsonian American Art museum highlights his work

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Smithsonian Voices

For the Dog Days of Summer, Here Are 31 Artists and Their Dogs

The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art selects works from its collections in honor of those hot August days

Michaelina Wautier, "The Triumph of Bacchus," ca. 1643-59

‘Baroque’s Leading Lady’ Artist Michaelina Wautier Finally Gets Retrospective

The 17th-century painter mastered an array of genres at a time when most female artists were consigned to painting flowers

How an Artist Is Rebuilding a Baghdad Library Destroyed During the Iraq War

“168:01,” an installation now on view at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, encourages visitors to donate books to the University of Baghdad

Cool Finds

Fog Sculptures Are Enshrouding Boston’s Historic Parks

Artist Fujiko Nakaya brings five fog installations to life to mark the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s 20th anniversary

The Muppet Show Puppeteer Frank Oz Actor poses with Muppets Fozzie Bear Miss Piggy

A Theory About Muppet Master Frank Oz

The prodigious puppeteer looks back at his most beloved creations, from Grover to Fozzie Bear

Early 20th century poster of magician Howard Thurston's spirit box illusion

Howard Thurston, the Magician Who Disappeared

Overshadowed by more famous contemporaries, the visionary behind “The Wonder Show of the Universe” left a far-reaching legacy

“Today, they started to demolish my studio ‘zuo you’ in Beijing with no precaution,” the long-time dissident wrote on Instagram

Authorities Raze Ai Weiwei’s Beijing Studio

The contemporary art giant is known for his caustic criticism of the Chinese government

Adieu (Remix) by Georg Baselitz, 2006

The Topsy-Turvy Worldview of Georg Baselitz

Upside-down paintings are part of a 60-year survey of the German painter and sculptor, who makes a return to the Hirshhorn

A new mural by the artist Five8 created for June's MURAL Festival in Montreal.

Where to See the Best Mural Festivals Around the World

Every year, cities across the globe bring in artists to transform buildings

Envelope decoration was always a staple of the mail art experience. This colorful letter was sent from performance artist Anna Banana (Anna Lee Long) to collagist John Evans in 2010.

Collaborative “Mail Art” Puts the Post in Postmodernism

Letters, envelopes and enclosures take center stage in an intimate new art show

Prototype for a Nonfunctional Satellite (Design 4; Build 4), 2013, a mixed media installation at a hangar in Nevada by Trevor Paglen.

This Artist Dwells in the Clandestine World of Classified Secrets and Surveillance

MacArthur Award recipient Trevor Paglen is launching his own satellite into space this fall—as a work of art

Cool Finds

Claude Monet’s Glazed Biscuit Kitty Cat Returns to the Artist’s Home

The terracotta feline was believed to have gone missing after the death of Claude Monet’s son Michel

An object from Pepe López's installation "Crisálida" (2017), which will be showcased in the first exhibition organized by Ruya Maps.

Project to Create Opportunities for Artists Living in Conflict Zones

Ruya Maps will stage exhibitions, talks and commissions for artists working in countries often overlooked by the Western market

Yves Klein's "Jonathan Swift" stands alongside the Blenheim Palace's collection of Old Master portraits

See Yves Klein’s Experimental Art Take Over the Palatial Blenheim Estate

Paintings and sculptures rendered in Klein’s signature blue stand alongside Old Masters, 18th-century baroque stylings

Tony Tasset, "Judy's Hand Pavilion," 2018. Installation view at Toby's Plaza, Case Western Reserve University. Commissioned by FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art in collaboration with Toby Lewis and the John and Mildred Putnam Collection at Case Western Reserve University. July 14-September 30, 2018.

Works by Over 100 Contemporary Artists Take Over Cleveland

The citywide FRONT International festival is the largest event of its kind in North America

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