THE MAGAZINE
Bites of Luxury: From the Renaissance to the Kardashians
What do Renaissance painters, your favorite influencers, the Flemish masters, and the Kardashians have in common? They represent the trend in positioning food as a luxury commodity.
Composing Abstract Expressionism: On Jazz and Jackson Pollock
Ever thought about the convergence of sight and sound in post-war America? As it turns out, the Abstract Expressionists, with Jackson Pollock above all, adopted the spontaneous logic of jazz musicians. How, why, and when? Read the full article to find out.
Sargent’s Madame X: The Portrait That Hurled Painter and Sitter into Scandal
John Singer Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X didn’t just scandalize the 1884 Paris Salon—it rewrote the rules of modern portraiture. In addition to depicting Paris’ “it girl,” Madame Gautreau, it rendered quiet power struggles: between artist and subject, authenticity and artifice, tradition and ambition. Read more to learn about the portrait’s reception and long-term cultural influence.
Helene Schjerfbeck: Painting the Soul
“As a Finnish person, when I think of Finnish art, I think of Helene Schjerfbeck. Exhibited at the Finnish National Gallery, the presence of her art punctuated my every visit there. I would always go to her and take a moment to stare at her striking self-portraits.”