The Discovery of Petroglyphs
Norwegian doctor Peder Alfsön died on 3 May 1663, having discovered – but misinterepreted – the prehistoric rock carvings at Backa Brastad.
Art
‘A Defence of Pretence’ by Indira Ghose review
If all the world’s a stage, argues Indira Ghose in A Defence of Pretence: Civility and the Theatre in Early Modern England, then on the stage is where we see change most vividly.
The First Venice Biennale
By the late 19th century the relationship between art and Italy felt consigned to history. On 30 April 1895 creativity and controversy returned with the first Venice Biennale.
‘Manga’s First Century’ by Andrea Horbinski review
Manga’s First Century: How Creators and Fans Made Japanese Comics, 1905-1989 by Andrea Horbinski reveals the colourful companion to Japan’s turbulent 20th century.
The Birth of Dada
Unreason reigned supreme in Zurich on 5 February 1916 as Dada made its debut at the Cabaret Voltaire.
Bringing Down the Curtain on the Touring Theatre
For most of the late 16th and early 17th century, theatre companies touring England were welcomed in provincial towns. But as tastes changed, players found themselves take second billing to moral concerns.
Renaissance Florence’s Missing Bronzes
The controversial outcome of a sculpture competition between Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti changed the urban fabric of Renaissance Florence – or so the story goes.
The Birth of Giovanni Morelli
Giovanni Morell—later Morelli—was born in Verona on 25 February 1816 beginning a lifetime of dedication to the art of the connoisseur.
Habsburg Prague, Capital of the Renaissance
Prague, under the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, became the centre of the Renaissance world, where cultures mixed and learning flourished.
Arthur Cravan: The Disappearing Dadaist
Unconventional and provocative, did the Dada artist sometimes known as Arthur Cravan save his boldest work for last?