Meet the Mysterious Renaissance Muse Immortalized in the Only Leonardo da Vinci Painting in the Americas
Ginevra de’ Benci was a poet famed for her beauty and intellect. But art historians know little about her beyond the writings and artworks left behind by the men who admired her
Ancient Chinese Poems Reveal the Decline of a Critically Endangered Porpoise Over 1,400 Years
Researchers looked at poetry dating as far back as the Tang dynasty to find that the Yangtze finless porpoise’s range has decreased by 65 percent
This Complete Set of Shakespeare’s Four Folios Could Sell for $6 Million
In the 17th century, the Bard’s plays were preserved for posterity in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Folios. Now, all four volumes are being sold as a set
Meet This Year’s Winners of the Portrait of a Nation Award, Including Steven Spielberg and Temple Grandin
Portraits of the honorees, who have made “transformative contributions to the United States,” will be added to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
Advanced Imaging Reveals Crossed-Out Words in the Poems of Alfred Tennyson
The 19th-century English poet was a “prolific reviser” who tested out many variations of his work before publication. A new study sheds light on his creative process
‘Politically Repurposed’ Copy of Famous Shakespearean Love Sonnet Discovered Inside a 17th-Century Poetry Collection
The rare handwritten copy of “Sonnet 116” features several additional lines, which may have been an attempt to insert British royalist ideas into the romantic ode, according to researchers
The Enduring Mystery of the Somerton Man, One of Australia’s Most Puzzling Cold Cases
The discovery of a body on Somerton Beach in 1948 sparked theories that the dead man, now believed to be Carl Webb, was a Soviet spy, a ballet dancer or a jilted lover
When This Brilliant Author Died, She Left Behind a Legacy of Grief, Haunting Poetry and Surprising Resilience
Modern accounts of Sylvia Plath’s renowned work and legacy seek to highlight the author’s resilience through a decade-long journey of depression
Discover Why ‘The Raven,’ Edgar Allan Poe’s Narrative Poem About a Distraught Lover and a Talking Bird, Remains an American Classic
Published on this day in 1845, the work used alliteration, internal rhyme and repetition to draw in readers, lending it a dark and melancholic tone
ChatGPT or Shakespeare? Readers Couldn’t Tell the Difference—and Even Preferred A.I.-Generated Verse
A new study suggests people might like chatbot-produced poems for their simple and straightforward images, emotions and themes
Surrealism Is Turning 100. See the Dreamlike Paintings That Made the Movement So Revolutionary
A blockbuster exhibition in Paris is showcasing 500 artifacts and artworks in honor of the Surrealist Manifesto, which sparked a new artistic style that spread around the world
These Tiny Doodles May Be William Blake’s Earliest Engravings, Overlooked for Nearly 250 Years
Using high-res scans, a researcher uncovered scribbled etchings likely made by the British poet and artist while working as a teenage apprentice engraver in the 1770s
Han Kang Becomes the First South Korean Author to Win the Nobel Prize in Literature
Best known for “The Vegetarian,” the novelist and poet was praised for her “intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life”
Archaeologists Say They’ve Solved the Mystery of a Lead Coffin Discovered Beneath Notre-Dame
New research suggests the sarcophagus’ occupant, previously known only as “the horseman,” is Joachim du Bellay, a French Renaissance poet who died in 1560
The Hotel Chelsea’s Iconic Neon Sign Will Be Divided Into Pieces and Sold One Letter at a Time
The vertical sign stretched across three stories of the Manhattan hotel, which once welcomed the likes of Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Andy Warhol and Janis Joplin
William Blake’s Cottage Will Be Saved—and Transformed Into a New Museum
The 18th-century poet wrote some of his most renowned works in the house in southern England, which has since fallen into disrepair
Poetry Was an Official Olympic Event for Nearly 40 Years. What Happened?
Pierre de Coubertin hoped the modern Games would encourage the ancient Greek notion of harmony between “muscle and mind”
The Real Story Behind Netflix’s ‘The Decameron’
Loosely based on Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century collection of short stories, the series follows a group of Italian nobles and servants who flee to the countryside to escape the Black Death
Aphra Behn, the First Englishwoman to Earn a Living With Her Writing, Is Finally Getting Her Due
A year-long event series aims to champion the pioneering 17th-century writer’s legacy
Call Oregon’s Poetry Hotline to Hear a New Poem Every Day This Month
The hotline, created by the state’s poet laureate, has already received thousands of callers
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