Author: Lauren Strock

I decided to start a series of posts that introduce my favorite international contemporary artists, from Damien Hirst to Ai Wei Wei and Anselm Kiefer. This first post in the series introduces one of my all-time favorites, the unforgettable Yayoi Kusama who transformed the way I see patterns in cityscapes and landscapes forever. Bright, unapologetic, … Continue reading Yayoi Kusama The Queen of Dots and Pumpkins

Did you know that a Faberge egg worth $33 million was discovered in a flea market in the US a couple of years ago, where a scrap metal dealer purchased it for $500? Or that beyond their world-famous decorative eggs, the House of Faberge also makes trinkets, picture frames, doorbells, jewelry, and clocks? Ever wondered … Continue reading The Secrets of the House of Faberge

Christmas as we know and love it today didn't exist until the 19th century. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's beloved husband, imported a number of Christmas traditions to England from Germany when he decorated the first Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841. This tradition spread like wildfire among the Brits, who then brought it to … Continue reading The History of Christmas in 7 Artworks

Have you ever wondered how art experts know if a 17th-century painting from the Netherlands is by Rembrandt or not? Well, actually, they don’t! There are many million-dollar paintings in distinguished art collections around the world who once thought to be created by Old Masters and their authorship is now being disputed – for example, … Continue reading How Do Experts Authenticate Old Master Paintings?

In March 1990, robbers stole 19 invaluable works of art worth $500 million from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston - including a legendary Vermeer - and disappeared forever. Thirty years on, art lovers are still guessing as to what happened to those artworks, and the FBI is offering a whopping $10 million for … Continue reading The Largest Art Property Theft in History?

The second episode of my vlog series Revisiting Favorite Artists examines the main ingredients that made John Singer Sargent a successful artist. As a commercially savvy, market aware painter and socialite, his entrepreneurial skills and ability to adapt remind me of Rembrandt, and make him a natural choice that builds on my first episode in … Continue reading John Singer Sargent – an Artist, a Socialite, and … an Entrepreneur?

As everything is changing in the world around us, it is important for me that my content is as engaging as possible, and therefore I decided to launch a series of video blogs to make it easier for you to receive my posts on-the-go, irrespective of where you are. I hope that this first video … Continue reading Introducing Anders Zorn

Last month we visited Hong Kong, where we had a chance to enjoy a classical Chinese music concert, attended the annual Cantonese opera festival, and explored a painting exhibition that introduced us to the art of Lo Ching Yuan. Hong Kong can be translated as “the fragrant harbor”, and is a fascinating, very vibrant city … Continue reading Exploring Art in Hong Kong

Last month I spent a fantastic time in Florence, taking part in the professional artist workshop that is offered every summer by the legendary Florence Academy of Art. Established and guided by American born artist and educator Daniel Graves in 1991, the Academy is one of the leading providers of classical art education, and accordingly … Continue reading Summer Studies at Florence Academy of Art

The Frick Collection is breaking all rules with its new installation of Edmund de Waal’s works in the museum. In a bold move, the curators of the museum superimpose de Waal’s intricate sculptures in front of traditional paintings from its collection. Ingres, Vermeer, and Rembrandt can now be seen behind, through, and in a relationship … Continue reading Edmund de Waal at the Frick Collection