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Florence’s Uffizi Gallery Is Sending Art Out To Small Towns

"'Uffizi Diffusi,' or 'Scattered Uffizi,' an initiative concocted by the gallery's director, Eike Schmidt, … aims to build stronger ties between the famous Florentine museum and towns scattered throughout the surrounding Tuscany region by lending them artworks usually kept in storage." - The New York Times

Last Suspect In Dresden Green Vault Robbery Arrested

Six men took part in the theft of priceless historic jewelry from the city's Residenzschloss in 2019; all are now in custody. While their names have not been released, the six are believed to be members of Berlin's Remmo crime family. - ARTnews

A Cultural History Of Color

The Optical Society of America lists 2,755 primary colours, while paint manufacturers now offer more than 40,000 dyes and pigments, so many, says Fox, that they have run out of sensible names for them. - Literary Review

The Case Of The Dresden Jewel Heist And The Fearsome Berlin Crime Family

Joshua Hammer (author of The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu) does a deep-dive into the royal gems stolen from the famous Green Vault, the Remmo clan accused of being the perps, and the likely (and worrisome) fate of the treasure. - GQ

In 2014 A Town Painted Over A Banksy. This Time It Placed Guards To Protect A New One

Criticism was fierce last time, so they don't want to take any chances. - BBC

London’s Public Art Mound Is A Disaster. But…

It might seem confusing why local councils would choose to fund tourist projects like the Mound when they are getting rid of permanent spaces that serve local communities in the long rather than short term. - The Conversation

What Happens To The Washington Monument When It Gets Struck By Lightning?

A timely question, because that happened last Sunday night — as it does a couple of times every year or so. The bolt damaged the obelisk's electrical system, including its elevators; repairs take a few days. (includes video) - Artnet

Great Tapestry Of Scotland Gets Its Own Gallery Space

Wait, Scotland has a historical chronicle done in needlework like the Bayeux Tapestry? Yes, but this one wasn't completed until eight years ago, and the history it depicts runs from Robert the Bruce's victory in 1314 to Andy Roddick's in 2013. - The Guardian

We Process Historic Events With Images. Afghanistan Is A Complicated Image

Phil Kennicott: "Countries, like travelers, want to make sense of things, which is why we reach for an image — a quick metaphor, a ready-made analogy — that will seal history in amber, give it a moral, cast it as a fable." - Washington Post

Robber Steals A Monet, Then Drops It As He Tries To Escape

The thief grabbed Monet's The Voorzaan and Westerhem Island (1871) from the Zaans Museum, just north of Amsterdam, on Sunday morning. When a passerby tried to stop the culprit and his accomplice from escaping, a shot was fired but both hero and painting were unharmed. - Artnet

How Napoleon Systematically Plundered Europe’s Art

These were not smash-and-grab operations. He sought out experts to advise him on which cultural treasures to ship back to Paris. Napoleon wanted to expand the art collection in the Louvre palace. - Christian Science Monitor

Artworks Mark The Anniversary Of Emancipation In Canada

But many artists and other Canadians wonder where the info is about what came before emancipation - slavery in Canada. - CBC

Teens Cash In On The NFT Art Boom

Inevitable in the TikTok-driven universe? "NFT markets like Atomic Hub, Nefty Blocks and OpenSea are filled with creators barely old enough to drive. They promote their work not through blue-chip galleries or auction houses but on social media." - The New York Times

If You See Goddesses On Bus Shelter Walls, This Is Why

Artist Martine Gutierrez plays all the parts of goddesses, queens, and other icons on bus shelters in NY, Boston, and Chicago. "I think confusion is delicious," the artist says. - The New York Times

Banksy’s Art Spree Included A Miniature Stable Left At A Model Village

The owner "said he was in a state of shock after the famed artist confirmed the model stable was one of 10 artworks left in Norfolk and Suffolk during his so-called Great British Spraycation." Now, how to keep it safe? - BBC

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