the Blog: Canvases, carats & curiosities

Blogs, Resources & Scholarly Articles

The Bunny Brooch That Broke the Law: Raymond Yard's Spirited Statement

How did America’s elite reveal themselves to be scofflaws in Prohibition politics, yet remain the very picture of elegance? With the famed jeweler Raymond Yard’s Rabbit Waiter brooch, of course. Created at the height of Yard’s career, the whimsical jewel offered a subtle but unmistakable jab at the restrictive laws of the era.

Read More
Masters of the Deep: The Seascape and the Greatest Maritime Painters in Art History
Masters of the Deep: The Seascape and the Gre...

Quick Glance: Artists across cultures and centuries return to the sea ...

Read more
The World's Favorite Symbol of Love: Cupid Through Art History
The World's Favorite Symbol of Love: Cupid Th...

As Valentine's Day approaches and images of winged cherubs appear in sho...

Read more
What is Post-Impressionism? How Radical Color and Vision Reshaped Modern Art
What is Post-Impressionism? How Radical Color...

From Impressionism to Post-Impressionism  Falaises, temps gris by C...

Read more
M.S. Rau Wrapped: 2025
M.S. Rau Wrapped: 2025

A Year of Expansion, Masterworks and Museum Moments As we reflect on the...

Read more
How Mantel Clocks Conquered Drawing Rooms
How Mantel Clocks Conquered Drawing Rooms

The mantel clock has long claimed a place of honor. Set above the firepl...

Read more
Heavy Is the Crown: The Ever-Changing History of French Royal Jewels
Heavy Is the Crown: The Ever-Changing History...

Beyond a Gem: The Staying Power of the French Crown Jewels In the modern...

Read more
Famous Jewelry in Movies: When Hollywood's Greatest Gems Stole the Show
Famous Jewelry in Movies: When Hollywood's Gr...

From stolen treasures to love tokens, jewelry in film often shapes stori...

Read more
The Tiffany Girls: The Women Artists Behind Tiffany Studios' Masterpieces
The Tiffany Girls: The Women Artists Behind T...

The story of Tiffany Studios is often framed as the vision of one man—Lo...

Read more
Blue is the Rarest Color: How Blue Went from an Ancient Luxury to Essential
Blue is the Rarest Color: How Blue Went from ...

The color blue seems to be everywhere you look, but it might be surprisi...

Read more
The True Stories Behind Gilded Age Characters: Meet the Real Astors, Vanderbilts and Russells
The True Stories Behind Gilded Age Characters...

HBO’s The Gilded Age captivates viewers with its depiction of Manhattan’...

Read more