Tag: history
The Strange and True History of the Paint Color "Mummy Brown"
In the annals of art history, few pigments have a backstory as macabre—and as oddly compelling—as Mummy Brown. This rich, earthy brown paint, favored by European artists in the 18th and 19th centuries, was not merely named for its resemblance to the color...
Leonardo da Vinci’s First Woman Portrait: The Enigmatic “Ginevra de’ Benci”
Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance master celebrated for his genius across art, science, and engineering, began his portraiture of women with a striking and enigmatic painting: Ginevra de’ Benci. Created around 1474–1478, this portrait stands as Leonardo’...
The Museum That Holds 80 Million Natural Wonders
Natural History Museum, dinosaur discovery, new dinosaur species, natural history documentary, behind the scenes museum, bat fly, insect collection, wildlife garden, urban foxes, Chinese mitten crab, invasive species UK, Darwin Tree of Life, London museum...
Exhibition Tour—The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
Join Dr. Denise M. Murrell, Merryl H. and James S. Tisch Curator at Large in The Met’s Director's Office, for a virtual tour of the groundbreaking exhibition The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.
The 10 Most Beautiful and Controversial Necklaces in History
Imagine a single diamond necklace so controversial it helped topple the French monarchy, while another contains a yellow diamond the size of a chicken egg—234 carats surrounded by 2,930 smaller diamonds. From royal scandals that altered the course of nati...
200-Year-Old Notes From Students Found in School Walls
While renovating a 200-year-old academy building, workers found a treasure trove of secret notes and doodles from students in the early 1800s.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" at 100
One hundred years ago, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," a tragic tale of striving featuring an enigmatic millionaire, was published – and it bombed. Since then, its reputation has only grown, to where many consider it the Great American Novel.
The Life of Teen Idol Bobby Darin
Singer, songwriter and actor Bobby Darin (1936-1973) was a Grammy Award-winner renowned for such pop hits as "Splish Splash," "Mack the Knife," "Dream Lover" and "Beyond the Sea."
100 years of Art Deco
When it burst onto the international scene 100 years ago this week, Art Deco epitomized all that was modern and sophisticated.
Something Good – Negro Kiss (1898): A Historic Moment in Film
"Something Good – Negro Kiss" is a groundbreaking silent film from 1898, directed by William Selig and featuring performers Saint Suttle and Gertie Brown. At less than a minute long, it is one of the earliest known films to portray African Americans showi...
AI Brings 100-Year-Old Mugshots to Life in Stunning Color!
What if you could see the faces of criminals from over 100 years ago—brought to life in full color and motion? Using advanced AI, these mugshots from the early 1900s have been colorized and animated to create an eerie yet fascinating glimpse into the past...
Who Invented the Sewing Machine?
The untold story of rivalry, riots, and reinvention.
The American Revolution began 250 years ago. Here's how it started.
WBZ TV's Chris Tanaka takes a look at what led to the start of the Revolutionary War in Massachusetts 250 years ago this week.
The birth of the American Revolution
On April 19, 1775, British troops faced off against colonial militias in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord, and exchanged fire, setting off America's War of Independence.
The Black patriots who helped build America
Historical interpreter Joe Palumbo shares the powerful legacy of Caesar Robbins, an enslaved man who fought in the American Revolution and later returned home a free man.
