Articles of Note

There’s a lot you don’t know when you see a painting online. Can that sense of mystery become part of the truth of the experience?... more »


New Books

In 1774, Catherine the Great ordered a piano from England. How did so many such instruments of affluence end up in Siberia?... more »


Essays & Opinions

In the 18th century, botany was a louche science. The foppish, braggadocio-prone Joseph Banks helped earn it that reputation... more »