Against all odds, African-American cabinetmaker Thomas Day became an entrepreneur and a tastemaker in antebellum North Carolina. Continue reading
Carving Out a Life
John Dorfman
Features From Previous Issues
The Write Stuff
Fountain pens, classic and contemporary, are making their mark on the market. Continue reading
Think in Ink
A dedicated group of Chinese artists have revitalized the centuries-old tradition of ink-and-brush painting, giving it a distinctly contemporary aesthetic. Continue reading
Native American Art: Blanket Statements
The essentials of Navajo culture are woven into every textile they made, even though most were intended for the Anglo market. Continue reading
Freedom of the Press
The publishers that fostered a printmaking renaissance in the 1960s are every bit as active today, helping artists create original works and bring them to an ever-wider public. Continue reading
Screen Stars
Japanese folding screens, delicate but durable, enshrine centuries of painting tradition. Continue reading
Ethnographic Art: The Afterlife of Objects
Ethnographic specimens, windows on the soul, or harbingers of modern art—tribal artworks have appeared in many ways to Western eyes, as seen in two current museum shows. Continue reading
Coastal Impressions: A Look at the California Art Scene
California paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries represent an exciting opportunity for collectors in search of beauty and quality. Continue reading
Aboriginal Art: The Newest School of Contemporary Art is Also The Oldest
Drawing on a millennia-old tradition of myth and symbolism, Australian Aboriginal artists are creating powerful contemporary works. Continue reading
$34 Million Auction Sets Record for Any Work by a Living Artist
The previous record for a living artist—$28.6 million—had been set in 2010 at Christie’s New York by a Jasper Johns flag painting. Richter’s previous personal record was set just last May, when another Abstraktes Bild went for £13.5 million. Continue reading