The urban organization of Durocortorum, the Gallo-Roman city now known as Reims in France, faithfully adhered to the principles of Roman urbanism. The city was divided into blocks bounded by streets arranged in an orthogonal grid converging at the forum, the nerve center of political and religious life. However, the areas farther from the city’s […]
Painting
Posted inClassical Archaeology
The Mystery of the Origin of Cinnabar in Ancient Ephesus: Analyses Reveal It Came from the Almadén Mines in Hispania and the Balkans
Ephesus, one of the most iconic cities of antiquity, renowned for its rich commercial and cultural history, has unveiled new secrets thanks to a study that connects Roman mural art with trade routes and pigment production techniques of the era. International researchers have analyzed samples of cinnabar (a bright red mineral used as a pigment) […]
Posted inModern Era
Biagio da Cesena, the Cardinal Caricatured by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel for Criticizing Nudity in His Paintings
There are historical figures who have gone down in history more for some inconsequential anecdote than for the significance they had in the context in which they lived. This is what happened with a priest who lived between the 15th and 16th centuries, was the master of ceremonies for Pope Leo X, organized three conclaves […]
Posted inArchaeology
The Throne Room of a Queen from the Moche Culture Associated with the Moon Goddess and Marine Creatures, Found in Peru
In the most recent excavation season of the Pañamarca Archaeological Landscapes project, a remarkable discovery was made: a previously unknown painted architecture at the site. This project, initiated in 2018, aims to uncover the activities that took place in Pañamarca and its surroundings in ancient times. It is a collaborative effort involving archaeologists, art historians, […]
Posted inArt
Julius Caesar’s Villa in Baiae: Exceptional Mosaics and Frescoes Painted with Pigments More Expensive Than Gold
During the Roman era, the southern promontory of the Gulf of Baia (in Latin Baiae) was the perfect location for constructing villae maritimae for the Roman elite, who chose to spend their summer residences by the sea, while also cultivating fish and oysters. One of these residences is located today in the military fortress of […]
Posted inAncient Egypt
The Enigmatic Cones Worn by the Ancient Egyptians on Their Heads
Some readers, when looking closely at the Egyptian paintings in the tomb of the scribe Nebamun, might be surprised by the strange shapes crowning the figures’ heads. It may seem like they are wearing sirens like those on ambulances, fire trucks, or police cars. Obviously, that’s not the case. It is something more domestic: what […]
Posted inAntiquity
Impressive Roman-era wall paintings, discovered at Ashkelon in the 1930s, revealed to the public for the first time
For the first time ever, two ancient vaulted tombs dating back at least 1,700 years, adorned with magnificent murals depicting Greek mythological figures, people, plants, and animals, will be unveiled to the public. This exciting initiative results from a collaboration between the Ashkelon Municipality and the Israel Antiquities Authority to develop and integrate the city’s […]
Posted inArt, Culture
Alphonse Allais, the Writer Who Painted White Paintings and Composed Silent Scores Long Before Conceptual Art
Alphonse Allais is a name that perhaps not everyone immediately recognizes, but his influence in art, literature, and humor is undeniable. This French journalist, writer, and humorist from the Belle Époque left an indelible mark thanks to his unmistakable style, full of irony and absurdity. Born on October 20, 1854, in Honfleur, Normandy, Allais is […]
Posted inArt
The Penrose Triangle, an Impossible Object that Defies Euclidean Geometry and Inspired Escher
In the vast world of geometry and art, there are figures that challenge our perception and understanding of space. One of these figures is the Penrose Triangle, also known as the Tribar. This object, considered an “impossible figure”, is formed by three bars that appear to connect at right angles, forming a triangle. However, this […]
Posted inArt, Classical Archaeology
“Sacrarium” with Paintings Depicting Allegories of the Seasons, Agriculture, and Pastoralism, Discovered in Pompeii
Recent excavation work in Pompeii by archaeologist Gabriel Zuchtriegel and his team has uncovered a room interpreted as a sacrarium, whose walls are decorated with allegorical figures representing the seasons of the year and agricultural and pastoral activities. The discovery of this sacrarium should be understood in the broader context of the social and cultural […]
