National Gallery of Art

These paintings by Haitian artists reveal many stories that have been historically erased. Why? Out of a fear of acknowledging Black empowerment and the ongoing struggle for freedom. Swipe to uncover the story ⬇️  #ArtUncovered . . . . 🖼 Philomé Obin, “Paysans Sortant et Allant au Marché (Villagers Going to the Market),” 1953 oil on board overall: 40.64 × 50.8 cm (16 × 20 in.), Gift of Beverly and John Fox Sullivan 🖼 Jacob Lawrence, From “The Life of Toussaint L’Ouverture,” 1992 and 1989, color screenprints on wove paper, Gift of Alexander M. and Judith W. Laughlin, and Gift of Larry and Brenda T. Thompson 🖼 Rigaud Benoit, “Woman Picking Mangos,” 1969, oil on Masonite, 23 x 16 in., Kay and Roderick Heller

We’re stuck with PSLs…while people in the 1600s were eating like this every fall 👀 #FunFact: Every fall, people in the 17th-century Netherlands would make these rich, slow-cooked dishes that took hours, maybe even days, to prepare—lobster in saffron, spiked oysters, plenty of sweet spiced wine, roasted goose with turmeric root and candy, pigeon pie…Okay, maybe pigeon pie sounds a little questionable. But you get the idea. These elaborate feasts were no small feat, and it’s no wonder the still lifes that celebrated them were called “pronk” pieces, which means “show off.” It's all about that culinary spectacle… __ 🖼 Jan Davidsz de Heem, “Still Life with Ham, Lobster and Fruit,” 1653, Wikimedia Commons 🖼 Osias Beert the Elder, “Dishes with Oysters, Fruit, and Wine,” 1620/1625, oil on panel, 20 x 28 in., Patrons' Permanent Fund 🖼 Gerret Willemsz Heda, “Still Life with Ham,” 1650, oil on panel, 38 x 32 in., Gift of John S. Thacher 🖼 Pieter Claesz, “Still Life with Peacock Pie,” 1627, oil on panel, 30 × 50 in., The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund

A Gustave Caillebotte le encantaba su jardín, y a nosotros también. Aquí el artista francés nos enseña sus queridas dalias. En el fondo se ven su invernadero y su casa en Petit Gennevilliers en las afueras de París, donde se mudó en 1881 y donde pasó la gran parte de su vida desde ese momento. Desde ahí pintó numerosas obras hasta que, en 1894, falleció en el jardín que tanto amaba. __ 🖼 Gustave Caillebotte, “Dahlias, Garden at Petit Gennevilliers,” 1893, oil on canvas, 61 x 44 in., Gift of the Scharffenberger Family

Édouard Manet’s “The Railway” is one of the most famous paintings in the world, but when it first debuted in 1874, critics hated it. To them, it seemed trivial—just a woman and child near a train station. What they missed was the deeper meaning. This painting symbolized change. Paris was modernizing at a rapid pace, and railways were transforming the city, accelerating the rhythm of life. In the painting, the woman and child are right next to each other, but they’re disconnected. The child is fixated on the steam from the train, while the woman, lost in thought, stares back at us with a blank expression—just another stranger in a crowd. What Manet was really showing was how modernization was quietly reshaping human relationships—how, in a fast-moving city, we can sometimes feel isolated, even when we’re standing right next to each other. __ 🖼 Édouard Manet, “The Railway,” 1873, oil on canvas, Gift of Horace Havemeyer, National Gallery of Art 📍 You can see this painting in person at #Paris1874, our new show about the birth of the impressionist movement 🎥 Animation designed by Andrey Zakirzyanov

In case you need some Halloween decorating inspo 🫱 This skeleton marionette was inspired by the watercolors of American folk artists from the 1930s. These artists poured their hearts into their work, creating pieces that not only showcase their craftsmanship but also give a voice to underrepresented communities. __ 🖼 George File,” Skeleton Marionette,” 1936, watercolor, graphite, pen and ink, and gouache on paperboard, 19 x 13 in., Index of American Design

A costume designer was so inspired by Henri Matisse’s "Pianist and Checker Players" that she turned it into a dollhouse—and the result is simply breathtaking. 💛 Los Angeles artist Sara Paquette brought Matisse’s family portrait to life, recreating the scene from his Nice apartment. Now, here’s the fascinating part: while the figures in the painting are models standing in for his children, Matisse wanted to give us all a look inside his world. See that vacant armchair in the dollhouse? It’s no accident—it’s the same chair Matisse left empty in the painting, because that’s where he would’ve sat. What do you think of Sara’s recreation of this 100-year-old Matisse painting? 🖼 Henri Matisse, “Pianist and Checker Players,” 1924, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon 📍 East Building, Ground Level, Gallery 103E

Prepárate para un saludo real 👑 Peter Paul Rubens pintó esta obra hace más de 400 años. ¿De quién es? El sujeto es Brigida Spinola Doria, una marquesa de 22 años que viene de una de las familias más poderosas de la nobleza italiana de la época. __ 🖼️ Sir Peter Paul Rubens, "Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria," 1606, oil on canvas, 60 x 39 in., Samuel H. Kress Collection

What do you do when someone doubts your ability? We’ve all been there. Even the legendary Mary Cassatt faced that kind of skepticism. Around 1886, Edgar Degas—one of the giants of the art world—basically told her, “Women don’t know anything about style.” So, what did Cassatt do? She picked up her brush and proved him wrong. . . . . 🖼 Mary Cassatt, “Girl Arranging Her Hair,” 1886, oil on canvas, 29 x 24 in., Chester Dale Collection 🖼 Paintings by Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas

Falling in love in an art museum > A few visitors made lasting memories in the galleries today. 🖤

This is one of the oldest photolithographs taken of Indigenous Americans in history. This piece captures a moment from 1885, showing Chief Severo and his family, published in 1900 by the Detroit Publishing Company. But there’s something important to note—when this image was inscribed, Chief Severo’s name was misspelled as “Chief Sevara.” It’s a mistake, but a telling one, considering the period and how often Indigenous names were misrecorded. Chief Severo wasn’t just a figure in history—he was a leader. As head of the Caputa band of the Southern Ute tribe, he played a significant role in advocating for the rights of his people. In 1868, he traveled to Washington, DC, as part of a Ute delegation. Their mission? To negotiate a reservation—a secure place for their people as settlers continued to encroach on their ancestral lands. And they succeeded. They secured 56 million acres in western Colorado. But that victory was short-lived. Over time, treaties like the Brunot Agreement of 1873 reduced their land. By 1895, what was once a vast expanse had been reduced to just 110 miles. But the story doesn’t end there. Today, the Southern Ute Reservation in Ignacio, Colorado, spans 681,000 acres. And on that land stands the Southern Ute Museum, a symbol of resilience, dedicated to preserving the stories, culture, and legacy of the Southern Ute people. It’s a testament to their survival and their determination to keep their history alive, even after so much was taken from them. #IndigenousPeoplesDay . . . . 🎞 Charles A. Nast, Detroit Photographic Company, “Ute Chief Severo and Family,” 1885, published 1900, photo-chromolithograph, 10 x 13 in., Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon