An evergreen tree of the Mediterranean region valued for its aromatic leaves, the laurel is a type of wreath.  Worn on the head as a symbol of triumph in Ancient Rome, the symbol of the laurel wreath actually comes from Greek mythology-the Romans, who admired Greek culture, adopted this famous symbol.  The national divinity of …
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Regarded as sacred in Ancient Egypt, the often brilliantly colored scarab is a stout-bodied dung beetle of the Mediterranean area.  The insect with a hard shell-like back held great significance to Ancient Egyptians as they believed that the beetle’s dung ball was representative of the world-the dung beetle kept the world forever revolving like its ball …
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A common motif in Greek art, the meander or Greek key is a decorative device constructed from a continuous line that takes repeated right-angled turns.  The meander was among the most important symbols in Ancient Greece.  For the people of Ancient Greece, the meandros (meander) symbolized eternity and infinite love. The famous pattern is named after the 250-mile-long …
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April is National Poetry Month!  National Poetry Month is a special occasion to celebrate the expressiveness, delight, and pure charm of poetry.  Throughout April we remind ourselves that poets have an essential role in our culture and that poetry matters.  Funerary art helps one learn more about a life that was cherished and contemplate one’s own existence.  …
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Opened to the public in 1935, The Frick Collection is an art museum housed in the former residence of American industrialist, financier, and art patron Henry Clay Frick.  One of the top attractions in New York City, The Frick Collection houses a remarkable collection of art treasures from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.  A premier …
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McKim, Mead, and White was a prominent American architectural firm at the turn of the 20th century.  A partnership formed in 1878 by Charles Follen McKim, William Rutherford Mead, and Stanford White, the illustrious firm came to define the look of Gilded Age America.  The most successful and influential American architectural firm of its time, …
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Located at one of Midtown Manhattan’s most visible corners between 34th and 35th Streets on Broadway, Macy’s Herald Square is the flagship of Macy’s department store as well as corporate headquarters of Macy’s, Inc.  With a daunting retail space of 2,136,600 square feet spread over 10 floors, Macy’s Herald Square is the largest department store in …
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Woodlawn Cemetery is known for its beautiful sculptures and unique works of art.  One of America’s most historic cemeteries, Woodlawn contains the largest and finest collection of funerary art in the country.  Woodlawn’s outstanding landscape design is graced by an equally spectacular collection of art and architecture featuring angels.  With exquisite grace, these ethereal creatures watch …
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