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Designers

Dalí's painting measures roughly 66 feet by 98 feet.

You Can Buy Salvador Dalí’s Largest Painting, a 100-Foot-Long Artwork Made for a Ballet in 1939

The Surrealist artist created the massive piece for a production called “Bacchanale.” It’s expected to fetch up to $348,000 at auction

Xin Ying, principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company, wears a costume from the 1948 ballet Diversion of Angels. Graham designed the dress, inspired by a splash of color in a Wassily Kandinsky painting.

Martha Graham Took Classic Ballet and Turned It Into Modern Dance. It’s Still Moving Us 100 Years Later

Her choreography told stories in new ways and her collaborations with costume and stage designers changed the aesthetic of the art. Now, her dance company marks its first century

Wooden cabinetry shown in The Testament of Ann Lee 

‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ Showcases the Minimalist Ingenuity of Shaker Furniture

Recreating the industrious world of the Shakers wasn’t just movie magic—it required conservators, curators and artisans

A Gibson girl illustration for Life magazine by Charles Dana Gibson, circa 1906

Who Was the Inspiration Behind the ‘Gibson Girl’ Illustrations? The Artist Said She Was Every Woman

Charles Dana Gibson’s archetype became the original American “it girl” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and helped transform fashion and beauty

The watch by F.P. Journe that sold for almost $11 million, including fees

Francis Ford Coppola Sells Luxury Watches for Millions Following Losses From ‘Megalopolis’

The filmmaker’s custom F.P. Journe watch, which he helped design in 2014, brought in nearly $11 million at auction

Adult male magnificent riflebirds have ultrablack feathers covering most of their bodies.

Inspired by Bird Feathers, This New ‘Ultrablack’ Fabric Absorbs Nearly All the Light That Hits It

Researchers took inspiration from the magnificent riflebird while developing a textile that reflects only about 0.13 percent of visible light, making it the darkest fabric ever reported

Cloud Dancer is the first shade of white ever selected as Pantone's color of the year.

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026 Is a ‘Blank Canvas’ Called Cloud Dancer—or, in Other Words, White

The hue is the first shade of white to receive the title. Officials at the Pantone Color Institute say it’s “a symbol of calming influence in a frenetic society rediscovering the value of measured consideration and quiet reflection”

The Winter Egg was designed by Alma Pihl, one of the few female designers at the House of Fabergé. Czar Nicholas II gifted it to his mother, Maria Feodorovna, in 1913.

Fabergé Egg Gifted by Russia’s Last Czar Breaks World Record, Selling for $30.2 Million at Auction

For the third time in its history, the Winter Egg is now the most valuable Fabergé item ever sold

This photo by Julius Shulman became a symbol of Los Angeles.

This Historic Mid-Century Modern Home Overlooking Los Angeles Is on the Market for the Very First Time

Buck and Carlotta Stahl built their home in the Hollywood Hills in 1960. Soon after the structure’s completion, it was captured in an era-defining photograph

Elsa Lanchester as The Bride in Bride of Frankenstein, 1935

This Designer Created Iconic Costumes for ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ and Other Classic Monster Movies. Her Mysterious Life Ended Tragically

Vera West made her mark on 20th-century horror cinema. Historians continue to ponder the sad circumstances of her story

Almost like an arrow, the somewhat triangular shape of the architectural framework points this pedestrian in the right direction.

Smithsonian Photo Contest Galleries

Appreciate Awesome Architecture With These 20 Photos

No passport is needed for this virtual tour of beautiful buildings around the world

Fallingwater is located in the Bear Run Nature Reserve in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.

Fallingwater’s Roof Is Leaking. Can This $7 Million Renovation Protect Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece?

Leaky roofs and windows have long plagued the famous home in Pennsylvania. Experts say the three-year project will address decades of water damage and prevent similar problems from worsening in the future

Adapted kitchen utensils on display at the V&A

From Fashion to Fidget Spinners, This London Exhibition Celebrates Disabled Design, Innovation and Joy

“Design and Disability” features 170 objects created by disabled artists, designers, photographers, inventors and more

Wright designed the house to resemble the shape of a ship.

Florida’s Only Private Home Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Is Officially on the Market

Built in 1954, the Spring House is located on the outskirts of Tallahassee. The 2,040-square-foot residence is a rare example of the renowned architect’s hemicycle design

The Hollywood Premiere Motel was designed by architect Joyce Miller.

This Mid-Century Motel Described in Reviews as ‘Eerie’ Just Became a Los Angeles Historic Monument

Built in 1960, the Hollywood Premiere is the first motel to be added to the list of more than 1,300 protected sites in the city

Elizabeth II on a royal tour of New Zealand in 1953-54

See Hundreds of Garments That Elizabeth II Wore Throughout Her Seven-Decade Reign

A new exhibition at Buckingham Palace will examine the British monarch’s life and legacy using evening gowns, suits and accessories

In 1893, a Spanish princess paid $2,500 (roughly $90,000 today) for a replica of this spun-glass gown.

How Do You Wear a Gown Made of Glass? Marvel at the Eye-Catching History of This Unlikely Fashion Trend

In the 20th century, actresses and royals alike donned delicate dresses woven with spun-glass threads. More recently, celebrities have sported impractically fragile handbags on the red carpet

Guimard's Place de la Bastille Métro entrance was demolished in the 1960s.

The Architect Who Designed the Iconic Entrances to the Paris Métro Is Finally Getting the Attention He Deserves

When Hector Guimard’s subway designs were unveiled in the early 1900s, the public rejected his Art Nouveau style. Soon, a new museum devoted to his work will open in the city

Clachtoll Broch, a Scottish dwelling with dry stone walls, was built at least 2,000 years ago. Its thatched roof was destroyed in a fire.

Why the Ancient Craft of Dry Stone Walling Still Holds So Much Appeal in the 21st Century

Artisans around the world are ditching the mortar and embracing an old method of building rock walls

Emerson's Patriot Radio, model FC-400, made in 1940

Explore Art and Design in 1940s America Through These 250 Paintings, Photos, Posters and Artifacts

A new exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art examines how artistic expression evolved throughout the war years and the postwar period

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