Explore Artworks

L’Énigme (1898)

Henri Bellery-Desfontaines (French, 1867–1909)

A veiled figure stands in shadow, her face obscured—an allegory of the unknowable. The muted tones deepen the mystery, while her draped form suggests secrets folded into fabric. What truth hides beneath those layers? The enigma lingers, refusing to unravel.
A synopsis of the birds of Australia, and the adjacent Islands Pl.43 (1837-1838)

Elizabeth Gould (English, 1804–1841)

A vibrant kingfisher perches on a branch, its cobalt wings stark against the muted greens. Nearby, a smaller bird tilts its head, as if listening. The detailed plumage suggests a careful study of life in motion, frozen mid-breath between flight and stillness.
Study for Rokoko (1888)

Carl Larsson (Swedish, 1853–1919)

Delicate pastel hues swirl around figures in powdered wigs, their gestures frozen mid-conversation. The sketch captures Rococo’s playful elegance—whispered secrets and rustling silk suggested with quick, confident strokes. A world of aristocratic leisure emerges from these loose lines, both spontaneous and precise.
A young girl with bonnet reading by a window

Gaston La Touche (French, 1854–1913)

Sunlight spills across the pages as she leans into the book, her bonnet’s ribbon loose against her shoulder. The world outside blurs—just shapes and color—while the words hold her still.
Sunset Over Water

Joseph Mallord William Turner (English, 1775–1851)

Golden light bleeds into the water, dissolving the horizon. Clouds swirl like smoke, their edges burning crimson. The sea swallows the sun’s last embers, rippling with molten reflections. For a moment, everything is fire and liquid—then night pulls its curtain across the sky.
Geftambte rose (1692)

Magdelena Rosina Funck (German, unknown)

A single rose, meticulously etched, its petals unfurling with delicate precision. Thorns and leaves curl in sharp contrast to the soft bloom, each line capturing the tension between fragility and resilience. The engraving breathes life into paper, turning botany into quiet drama.
Portrait Of Edith Hope Iselin (1930)

Philip Alexius de László (Hungarian, unknown)

A poised woman gazes past the frame, her dark dress contrasting with the soft glow of her skin. The hint of a smile lingers, suggesting a private thought left unspoken. Light catches the pearls at her neck, their luster mirroring the quiet confidence in her eyes.
Amarilla

Frederic Leighton (English, 1830–1896)

A woman in yellow leans against a sunlit wall, her draped gown pooling around her. The fabric catches the light like liquid gold, its folds whispering against stone. Her gaze drifts beyond the frame, lost in some private thought. The warmth of the scene lingers, suspended between stillness and motion.
Study For The Head Of Venus In The Awakening Of Adonis

John William Waterhouse (British, 1849-1917)

Venus gazes downward, her expression caught between longing and sorrow. Loose strands frame her face as shadows play across delicate features. The study pulses with quiet intensity—a goddess’s yearning distilled into brushstrokes. Myth lingers in every curve, every half-lidded glance toward an unseen Adonis.
Bodianus guttatus, The Jen-fish. (1785-1797)

Marcus Elieser Bloch (German, 1723–1799)

The Jen-fish glides across the page, its spotted flank etched with precision. Delicate gills flare, fins splay like lace—an underwater dance frozen in ink. Every scale catches the light, a silent testament to life beneath the waves.
Princesse Jean De Broglie, Depuis Honorable Mrs Daisy Fellowes

Jacques-Émile Blanche (French, 1861–1942)

A woman in white gazes past the viewer, her gloved hand resting lightly on a chair. The portrait hums with restrained elegance, capturing an aristocrat’s poised detachment. Every brushstroke whispers of privilege and unspoken rules, leaving us to wonder what lies beneath that cool, composed surface.
Arranging Flowers

Wilhelm Kotarbiński (Russian, unknown)

A riot of blooms spills from a vase, petals trembling with life. Each stem leans into the next, a tangle of color and wild grace. The flowers seem to breathe, caught in a moment of untamed beauty before they inevitably fade.
Insecta Coleoptera Pl 018 (1879-1915)

Frederick DuCane Godman (English, 1834–1919)

A beetle’s iridescent shell gleams under scrutiny, each ridge and curve meticulously traced. The precision transforms a common insect into something extraordinary—a tiny armored marvel frozen in ink.
Atlas państwa zwierzęcego Pl.25 (1905)

Kurt Lampert (German, unknown)

A meticulous engraving of the animal kingdom, each line precise as a scientist’s sketch. Creatures frozen in stark detail, their forms both familiar and strange, as if pulled from the pages of a forgotten field guide. The paper hums with silent life.
Violinist in the Belfry Window (1858)

Eduard von Steinle (Austrian, 1810–1886)

A lone violinist leans from the belfry window, bow poised above strings. The church tower frames him against an unseen sky, his music hovering between sacred and solitary. Below, empty streets wait for the notes to fall.