Ancient Laos in Full Voice
May 23, 2024
I’ve been looking forward to writing a series of articles on the Laotian Lan Xang kingdom. It was a fascinating cultural crossroads when its political
Funky Spirits in Ancient and Modern Laos
May 22, 2024
When the great Lao kingdom of Lan Xang was founded in the 14th century, its first king, Fa Ngum, brought the Buddhist faith up from
Line Meets Light; Venice in Western Culture
May 20, 2024
Italy boasted many wonders when its artists developed three-dimensional perspective in the 15th century, and no place has been more wondrous than Venice. Its unique
The World in a Line Part Three; Northern European and Earlier Medieval Influences on Three-Dimensional Perspective
May 18, 2024
The last two articles explored the development of three-dimensional perspective in Florence, but what about the cold North? Though Northern Europe lacked the Mediterranean’s clear
The World in a Line Part Two; Statesmen and Street Brawlers in Renaissance Florence
May 16, 2024
Many cultural currents converged to encourage Florentines to develop three-dimensional perspective in the 15th century. Yesterday’s article examined several and we’ll explore more here. Several
The World in a Line; The Development of Three-Dimensional Perspective in Florence
May 15, 2024
In Florence around 1410, the artist and architect Filippo Brunelleschi created a sensation. He had painted an image of Florence’s baptistery (shown in the two
Dreams and Nightmares about Ancient Sukhothai; The Dark Side of Thai Art
May 13, 2024
I just wrote several articles about Sukhothai art, and I hope you get addicted to it. But it also has a dark side. This man
Facts and Dreams about Ancient Sukhothai Part Three; Spreading the Love
May 12, 2024
Sukhothai’s graceful architecture spreads from its central ritual center and ripples through the surrounding area. All species and Thailand’s gentle art forms blend into
Facts and Dreams about Ancient Sukhothai Part Two; Thai Art Takes Flight
May 11, 2024
Angkor Wat commands but Sukhothai floats you through the heavens. Its central shrine, Wat Mahathat, isn’t big enough to dominate the perspective as you walk around