"The Renaissance painter Albrecht Dürer took revenge on his patron" — Jacob Heller, a wealthy Frankfurt merchant — "after a bitter row over pay by placing his own self-portrait in a 1500s altarpiece that he painted for him." - The Guardian
The contemporary Flemish architecture is an enjoyably polyphonic architecture, that enjoys all kinds of complexities and contradictions. It’s boom is even more surprising as it apparently came out of nowhere. - Metropolis
Quite a few museums have started communicating with the public on Meta's new Twitter alternative, but none (so far) with quite the enthusiasm or cheek of the Whitney. An example: "Twitter as deserted as an Edward Hopper painting rn." - Artnet
With trusses weighing 7 to 7.5 tons, the delicate operation drew crowds along a bridge over the Seine River and on its banks. - Seattle Times (Reuters)
The institution itself is strange, neither public nor private: still, after nearly 60 years, funded largely by contributions from abroad, yet located in a government complex. The museum is seeking its fifth director-general in seven years, though the old one is staying on as the new one's boss. - MSN (Haaretz)
Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 once again fueled the debate in different Eastern European countries, including in Latvia and Poland, where imposing Soviet monuments, such as the Victory Monument in Riga, were hastily dismantled. - DW
"The six architectural teams competing to design its expansion have put forward their visions, and all would dramatically transform the institution, both in its internal functioning and in its relationship to the city. As the adage goes, be careful what you wish for." - MSN (The Dallas Morning News)
"The costs for security, conservation and insurance are growing, according to cultural institutions that have experienced attacks. In some cases they are suing the activists for the damages." The protesters who vandalized the Degas at the National Gallery in DC are facing serious federal criminal charges. - The New York Times
"When the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia repatriated a Bakor monolith to Nigeria at the end of June, … it received an almost identical facsimile made of resin … offered for free by the non-profit Factum Foundation, which … hopes that the exchange may serve as a model for future repatriation agreements." - Artnet
"Objects (returned include) the 'Lombok treasure,' consisting of 335 objects from Lombok, Indonesia, the Pita Maha collection, a key collection of modern art from Bali and the 18th-century Cannon of Kandy, a ceremonial weapon from Sri Lanka made of bronze, silver and gold and inlaid with rubies." - CNN
The New Art School Modality is intended to create a sweet spot in academia. It will provide about 50 students each with a free course in Black art history taught by scholars working alongside some of the history-making artists themselves. - The New York Times
On paper, Maples seemed suited for the job. But criticism quickly arose, because NOMA had selected a White person to manage the collection of art and artifacts that is a touchstone of African culture. - New Orleans Times-Picayune
Come for the scoop about people getting conceived on a Garfield ride in Pittsburgh, stay for the philosophy: "Perhaps if we better understand amusement parks, he argues, we can better understand America itself." - Slate
David Sibley: "Drawing is a way of slowing down to take the time to look at something, and drawing also gives you a record of what you thought you saw. It’s not like a photograph; it’s your interpretation of what you saw." - The New York Times
"A pair of previously unknown and 'exceptionally rare' portraits by Rembrandt sold for over £11.2 million ($14.2 million) Thursday after they were discovered in a private collection in the UK. Depicting relatives of the Dutch master, the intimate paintings are the last Rembrandt portraits still in private hands" - CNN
