Arts & Culture

KRAPPERUP, Sweden—Realism and figurative art runs like a common thread through the art of painting, going back to masters like Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Velázquez, Caravaggio, Goya, and Zorn—even all the way back to the cave paintings of our ancestors, tens of thousands of years ago. This summer, two of Scandinavia’s finest oil painters were featured in […]

NEW YORK—The Pond Theatre Company, an American home for emerging British and Irish playwrights, is presenting the world premiere of “The Naturalists,” by Jaki McCarrick, at Walkerspace on Walker Street in Manhattan’s Tribeca area. The play is an earthy depiction of a small group of individuals living on the edge of society. Set in 2010 […]

For centuries, master artisans all over Europe have made exquisite objects by hand. These objects are as individual as the countries they come from, the traditional techniques they use, and the very hands that make them. “In Europe, the accent, the wine, and the food changes every 30 to 40 miles. And so do the […]

Near the end of the Qing Dynasty, there was a village in Northeast China where a family surnamed Xing lived. The Xing family was famous for two reasons. The first was that they had a secret ancestral remedy for eye disease; whoever had eye disease went to the Xing household to receive the remedy and […]

The maxim that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover applies to much more than just books, and I agree with it in most cases. But, ironically, I can’t apply it to books—at least not to “Creativity Takes Courage: Dare to Think Differently” by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst. The design cover of a […]

Almost a hundred fans welcomed the arrival of Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra at the Taoyuan International Airport in Taiwan on Sept. 12.

Homer’s “Iliad” is usually thought of as the first work of European literature, and many would say, the greatest. It tells part of the saga of the city of Troy and the war that took place there. In fact, the “Iliad” takes its name from “Ilios,” an ancient Greek word for “Troy,” situated in what […]

Michelangelo Buonarroti’s “The Creation of Adam,” a small part of the fresco at the Sistine Chapel, is an iconic image and often referenced in television and literature. An episode of HBO’s “Westworld” referred to the painting in regard to the significance of consciousness. The “Westworld” character Dr. Robert Ford, played by Anthony Hopkins, used “The […]

How many of us long for an epiphany—some flash of insight to redeem the dull succession of identical hours. Time passes and nothing happens. No inspiration strikes, no light falls. And yet we still like to believe there could be, at any moment, some sign or wonder that could make all the difference between existing and truly living. In the meantime, we flicker between thought and action, hope and boredom, dream and reality.

From the opening notes of soprano Nadine Sierra’s stunning debut album, “There’s a Place for Us” (on Deutsche Grammophon), it is clear that she is a major singer. Having evoked an enthusiastic response from audiences and critics at The Metropolitan Opera, she went on to win the prestigious Richard Tucker award in 2017, and at […]

If the very thought of seeing a Shakespeare play, reading one, or—dear, oh dear—memorizing a few of his lines makes you feel light-headed and in need of blotting your forehead, you might be surprised to learn that if you were raised with English as your first language, you’re likely quoting him all the time. Shakespeare’s […]

In this series, edited for style and length, we interview people about their most precious possessions. While the objects around us may seem inanimate, our connection to them and our stories about them often bring them to life. Here, Callie Di Nello from Wimbledon in London shares her story: The one thing I cherish is […]

BERGEN, Norway—Norwegian artist Atle Skudal’s paintings capture significant moments in people’s lives. He often includes objects that are family-related or that used to belong to someone close to him, but beyond these close connections is a bigger story. In a sense, Skudal’s meticulously crafted still lifes are portraits–only without the actual people. He lovingly creates […]

In 1884, Domenico Tramontin established his boatyard, Domenico Tramontin e Figli, in Venice. It was in that boatyard, or “squero” as the Italians call it, that Tramontin built the gondola as we now know it. Before 1884, gondolas were symmetrical, and two gondoliers had to row the boat by standing on opposite sides of the […]

You ask me why I dwell in the emerald mountains. I smile and make no reply, my heart at ease. Peach blossoms flow downstream on the water, vanishing without a trace. It is another realm, beyond the human world. —Li Bai, one of China’s most celebrated poets For centuries, the Chinese have exalted and reveled […]

Imagine that you were lost in a wilderness and had to find your way out. Fortunately, you have with you a number of things, or tools, if you will. In the first instance you have a kit bag, which is itself useful. In it are various articles: a bottle of water, a knife, fork, and […]

NEW YORK—Following Lillian Hellman’s first major hit on Broadway, “The Children’s Hour,” came the overly heavy, melodramatic offering “Days to Come,” now being presented by the Mint Theater Company, which specializes in resurrecting old plays with merit. Does this play have merit? Critics and audiences have had strong positive and negative opinions. Certainly much of […]

This latest disc from The Marian Consort and director Rory McCleery (on Delphian), “In Sorrow’s Footsteps,” compares and contrasts old and modern settings of iconic sacred texts, by performing the “Stabat Mater” by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594) and also by Gabriel Jackson (born 1962); and the “Miserere” (Psalm 51) by Gregorio Allegri (circa 1582–1652) and also by James MacMillan (born 1959). Two motets […]

Textures, colors, and time-honored techniques from workshops and ateliers where fine fabrics, tailored costumes, and traditional lace are made, where shoes and papier-mâché masks are constructed, where wood is carved, material is cut, and metal forms are shaped at the forge—these, and more, are caught on film. The resulting photographs allow viewers a peek into […]

EAST AURORA, N.Y.—The beauty and magnificence of nature can reveal truths for us. When Thomas Kegler paints outdoors, he is feeling air currents, watching the leaves move, and hearing their rustling. He’s observing birds glide in the distance or listening to their singing in nearby trees. He’s noticing squirrels scurrying, and hearing a concert of […]