From Line to Flower; The Italian Renaissance Spreads to France
May 28, 2024
France’s King Francois I played a leading role in importing the Italian Renaissance to his land while reigning from 1515 to 1547, and his physique
From Line to Peaks; The Italian Renaissance Travels to Germany
May 26, 2024
Dear Lord, let the people you love most live in this land! I often appreciated this old Bavarian prayer while savoring its beautiful mountains and
Ancient Laos Is Still Alive
May 25, 2024
The kings of the Lan Xang Empire unified their realm by importing Indian traditions, including Buddhist monasteries and court dances that dramatized the Ramayana. But
Shaping Thought in Traditional and Modern Laos
May 24, 2024
Many fans of Laotian art say that Luang Prabang’s Wat Xieng Thong is the most beautiful temple in the country. It was built by
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