December 2018 Art News

Nat and Corrie provide a brief introduction to the behemoth that is Modernism. From the ridiculous trial of James McNeil Whistler to the philosophical merits of Abstract Expressionism, the Art History Babes are here to help you feel a little less intimidated by modern art.
The first exhibition of Sri Lankan art held at an American museum opened this month at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The Jeweled Isle: Art from Sri Lanka showcases a wide range of Sri Lankan art pieces, from gold, silver, and ivory jewels to 19th-century photographs.
Painted in 1656 at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid, this large scale masterpiece contains an enigmatic configuration of illusions and codes that invite new interpretations centuries later.
A monumental bronze by one of the most accomplished and important sculptors of all time soared to nearly twice its low pre-auction estimate, lifting the total for Heritage Auctions’ Fine European Art Auction to $1,895,837.
They assumed the canvas was a common copy, and estimated its value at only $5,000 when a Washington, D.C. auction house listed it last year.
Artist Fred Wilson reflects on his relationship with “degradaria,” or “stereotypical objects” that reflect a disturbingly racist past, particularly in his piece Me And It (1995). He describes why he wanted to collect and use these “black collectible” objects that he associates with a painful, abusive history.
This spellbinding painting is a true masterpiece and among the very greatest Monet painted during his first and only encounter with Venice.
One of the most popular and most unlikely art historians the world has known died yesterday at the age of 88. Wendy Beckett, better known as Sister Wendy, brought great art to the masses through her BBC specials and 25 published books.

Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris discuss Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus (c. 1485) one of the most popular works at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents an exhibition focusing on early painting styles that emerged in the Pahari courts of North India during the 17th and 18th centuries. Featuring some 20 of the most refined paintings produced in South Asia during the period, "Seeing the Divine: Pahari Painting of North India" examines the innovative ways in which Pahari artists depicted the Hindu gods.