Obelisk

Olmec Civilization

The pouting ancestors of Mesoamerica

The rich culture of pre-columbian Mesoamerica can be traced back to a single civilization of immense creativity and sophistication. Meet the Olmec, the first civilization in Mesoamerica. The Olmec people were born from the early farming peoples of the Tabasco region in modern-day Mexico. read more

The Nude in Art

Getting out the skin

How do you capture the human ideal—the best of our courage, poise, grace and dignity? With the naked human body, of course. While nakedness is part and parcel with human experience, when bathing, changing, and having sex, the nude in art claims to present the naked body as allegory, showcasing physical perfection as a reflection of spiritual or intellectual perfection. read more

Contrapposto

Body, language

In 1967 the UCLA professor of psychology Albert Mehrabian claimed that 55 percent of human communication is through body language alone. It’s an often misquoted study, but the idea that posture means something is undeniably true. And unsurprisingly, the ancient Greeks got there first. read more

Death in Art

Life's only guarantee

Memento Mori, vanitas, mortality. Death is one of the most pervasive themes in art history. While many artworks celebrate afterlives in heaven or hell, death is most often referenced as a grim reminder of numbered days, and a powerful motivator to live well while you can. Every culture has rituals surrounding death, appearing in artwork as icons and colors. read more

Born on March 25

Alexej Von Jawlensky