Visual Arts Story Briefs

What does it mean when we say "art is in the eye of the beholder?" How have artists' subjects changed over the centuries? This collection features diverse art forms (from ancient mosaics to modern cubism).

This cutaway drawing depicts how scientists view the composition of Earth's interior.

Guido Reni created a painting—The Abduction of Helen—in 1631. There is more to this painting than meets the eye of today’s beholders.

Abe Lincoln lived at Knob Creek Farm, in Hodgenville, Kentucky, until he was nearly eight years old.

Abu Bakr al Baghdadi leads insurgents called ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) and/or IS (Islamic State). Does his name have a special meaning?

During the 14th-century plague epidemic in Europe, Jews are accused of having something to do with spreading the "Black Death." In Strasbourg, residen...

This illustration depicts the daughter ofCaptain Arthur Edward Kennedy, about seven years old at the time, distributing clothing to children and famil...

During America's Civil War, slaves would sometimes approach Union lines for help. This illustration, by Edward Forbes (1839-1895), depicts such an eve...

In 1780, the momentum of America's war for independence took dramatic turns.

In addition to capturing whales for oil, whalers hoped to find ambergris inside a whale's body. Not all whales have the substance depicted in this ima...

Eyewitnesses saw a plane land at Mili Atoll, in the Marshall Islands, during July of 1937. The country issued postage stamps, in 1987, depicting four ...

America is still a young country when the newly formed federal government passes an excise tax on the production of whiskey. Rebellion quickly follow...

In 1938, Talladega College commissioned Hale Aspacio Woodruff - a highly respected artist - to create a series of murals depicting the African-America...

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