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The technique of intarsia — the fitting together of pieces of intricately cut wood to make often complex images — has produced some of the most awe-inspiring pieces of Renaissance craftsmanship. Daniel Elkind explores the history of this masterful art, and how an added dash of colour arose from a most unlikely source: lumber ridden with fungus. …more
Characterised as manipulative, power-hungry, and even an alter rex, Henry VIII’s right-hand…more
Benjamin Breen on the remarkable story of George Psalmanazar, the mysterious Frenchman…more
When birds of paradise first arrived to Europe, as dried specimens with…more
Fashionable in the 16th and 17th century, the art of embroidering unique…more
California used to be thought of as an island. This stunning collection of 17th- and 18th-century…more
Illustrated alphabet, used to aid memory, in which each letter is paired…more
Highlights from the fantastic collection of Hiroshige prints held at the Rijksmuseum,…more
English translation of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s Nachtstücke published in 1816, a collection of supernatural horror…more
Eccentric Victorian book arguing a strong case for the universal wearing of…more
Twenty-two letters written by Andrew Lang (1844–1912) to bards, poets, and novelists…more
Chromolithographs from The Great Barrier Reef of Australia by William Saville-Kent (1893).Read more
A curated collection of fascinating public domain images from the animal kingdom.Read more
Short educational film on what can be seen in the night sky through a telescope, including…more
Curious and groundbreaking mix of documentary and silent horror cinema, written and…more
Miniaturised dancers give a history of dance from the stone-age to the…more
First known recording of the popular African American spiritual performed in 1909 for Victor Studios by…more
Early recording of the alma mater of Rutgers, The State University of…more
Rendition by the Trinity Choir of James Edmeston’s 1820 hymn “Savior, Breathe…more
