By Nina Heyn If you want to learn about fine art, sometimes it is best to start with the basics. Getting familiar with Raphael (Raffaello di Giovanni Santi, 1483-1520) constitutes just such a “basic” because, alongside a dozen other artists throughout history, his works are not only some of the most alluring but also seeded…
By Nina Heyn There are many reasons why the film industry is in trouble. The two-pronged pressure of streaming platforms and the ravages of AI are some of the main drivers, but there other factors, too. They range from the inflationary costs of production and exhibition, a lack of tax incentives (a constant struggle in…
By Nina Heyn During a trial in 1913, when Vincenzo Peruggia was asked why he stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, he said that he wanted to return the masterpiece to its rightful owners, that is, the Italian nation. He may have been fashioning an explanation to cover his theft, but his argument matched…
By Nina Heyn Victoria & Albert Museum, a sprawling red brick pile in the middle of Kensington, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in London, to the tune of almost four million visitors per year. The museum, which holds millions of objects and archival documents, is a mecca for anyone who is interested…
By Nina Heyn The start of the year is the time for some interesting shows to be launched or the successful ones to premiere new seasons. I took a look at some of them, on the condition that they be cinematically ambitious (script, filmmakers, production values, casting, costume and production design, etc.) and that they…
By Nina Heyn Horse paintings, sculptures, paper cuttings, and prints have always been extremely popular in Chinese decorative art, and especially ubiquitous in a Year of the Horse. In Chinese astrology, each Year of the Horse denotes persistence, hard work, leadership, openness, and vitality. This year, the intertwining of the horse sign with the elemental…
By Nina Heyn Similar to last year, I’d like to start my Food for the Soul postings in 2026 with a list of some interesting art exhibitions that will take place throughout the year. I describe a few highlights below and also provide a calendar list of selected exhibitions. Raphael: Sublime Poetry March 29-June 28 …
By Nina Heyn Traveling throughout Europe, you can make cultural discoveries almost everywhere you go. I recently visited the eastern Polish city of Lublin to check out an exhibition devoted to my favorite subject: women in art. The show, meticulously prepared for years by the Lublin branch of the National Museum, was provocatively titled, “A…
By Nina Heyn For Christmas, we’d like to share with you some of the most inspiring and beautiful examples of fine art that were featured in Food for the Soul stories in 2025. Unfortunately, we cannot offer you the actual works of art, which reside in museums worldwide, but visually—they belong to everybody. So, we…
“I’m the busiest man in the world, and the most under pressure!“~ Peter Paul Rubens in a letter to Palamède Fabri de Valavez, January 1625 By Nina Heyn The image of a struggling, unappreciated artist doesn’t apply to Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). As a child, he was accepted as a page at a noble house…