High Culture
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How AI learned to paint like Rembrandt
The Rijksmuseum employed an AI to repaint lost parts of Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch.” Here’s how they did it.
Tim Brinkhof
Tim Brinkhof is a Dutch-born, New York-based journalist reporting on art, history, and literature. He studied early Netherlandish painting and Slavic literature at New York University, worked as an editorial[…]
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Some of the world’s most famous paintings were made with paint from ground mummies
Rare and costly paints have shaped art history in unforeseen ways. Mummy brown caused one artist to bury his paint.
Scientists make cold brew coffee in 3 minutes using lasers
This is a great improvement over the typical brew time of 12 to 18 hours.
What does hell look like? Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch shows us
Is "The Garden of Earthly Delights" by Hieronymus Bosch a condemnation of sin or a celebration of hedonism? Art historians still aren’t sure.
Sexbots and flying cars: Real life is already like “Futurama”
The fictitious 31st-century world portrayed by the series is actually quite a bit like our own in the 21st century.
Devil’s advocate used to be an actual job within the Catholic Church
The role of the Devil’s advocate was to argue against the beatification of mystics. Contrary to popular belief, they did not wear Prada.
“Peaky Blinders” was really about learning how to live with PTSD
The Netflix show about a Birmingham crime family and their personal demons concluded earlier this month.
Alan Watts’ 7 best books on philosophy and life
The English writer left behind a mind-expanding collection of books.
What Greek epics taught me about the special relationship between fathers and sons
What Odysseus needed from his father was something more important: the comfort of being a son.
Kurt Vonnegut on the 8 “shapes” of stories
The American author said he attempted to bring scientific thinking to literary criticism, but received "very little gratitude for this."
Utopias: Does living in a perfect society mean you must give up your freedom?
The answer to this question depends on how you define "freedom."
Who were the greatest female classical composers in music history?
For centuries, men prevented women from writing music. These classical composers broke with social norms and made their mark on history.
From Poe to Mao: piecing together the evolution of detective stories
Detective fiction reveals how a particular society or time period looks at crime and criminal justice.
How to write like Edgar Allan Poe
Like some cold poison creeping up our veins, there's a frisson in the stories and poems of Edgar Allan Poe.
10 must-read classic books for beginners
Here's your gateway to enjoying the best of literature.
Avatar 2 and beyond: Is CGI actually getting worse?
Technologically, the answer is definitely no. But that doesn't mean CGI is always used to good effect.
How Bernini sculpted the Roman Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation
Bernini created art for 8 different popes. In the process, he helped reinforce and redefine Christianity’s visual culture.
The forgotten paintings of ancient Greece and Rome
Paintings played an important role in these ancient civilizations. Unfortunately, pigment is not nearly as durable as marble.
10 of the greatest classical composers alive today
Many contemporary composers live in the shadow of Bach and Beethoven, even though they’re just as interesting to listen to.
Artist Agnieszka Pilat’s strange journey from communist Poland to capitalist San Francisco
The so-called "court painter of Silicon Valley" was shaped by her youth in communist Poland but looks forward to a future ruled by celebrity robots.
Americans might love Cinco de Mayo, but few know what they’re celebrating
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not to mark Mexican independence.
Machine learning predicts who will win “The Bachelor”
The researchers consumed a lot of wine while watching 15 seasons of the show.
Why do some people love cringe comedy while others can’t stand it?
It may depend on whether you're an "easily empathetically embarrassed" person.
“Is It Cake?” feeds viewers visual catharsis for uncertain times
Moments of social anxiety around truth tend to be accompanied by similar “fool the eye” pop culture phenomena.
How to paint like Rembrandt, according to a professional portrait artist
Frank Slater’s book "Practical Portrait Painting" reveals the secrets of masters old and new, from Leonardo da Vinci to Augustus John.
Tolkien on the importance of fantasy and science fiction
According to Tolkien, fantasy requires a deep imagination known as "sub-creation." And the genre reflects a fundamental truth of being human.
10 of the greatest classical composers of all time
From Brahms to Tchaikovsky, here's a curated list of composers whose music has shaped the classical canon.
North Korea wanted better propaganda movies, so it abducted foreign directors
While there is more to North Korean cinema than meets the eye, the country’s film industry ultimately amounts to little more than a mouthpiece for the ruling Kim dynasty.
What classic literature knows about refugees fleeing persecution and war
“How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past?” Steinbeck writes.
Oscars: the most controversial acceptance speeches in the history of the Academy Awards
Far from being inappropriate, many of the most controversial acceptance speeches highlighted important issues in the film industry.