History: The Premiere of the "Blue Angel" in 1930 On this day in 1930, the German movie Der Blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) celebrated its premiere in Berlin, making Marlene Dietrich a new movie star. The film's plot, which involved…
History: Dong Kingman born in 1911 On this day in 1911, Chinese-American artist Dong Kingman was born in Oakland, California. Kingman was a leading watercolor painter of the California Style School. He was known for his urban and landscape paintings…
History: The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 Happy Birthday, La Tour Eiffel, the global icon of Paris. The famous Parisian landmark was built between 1887 and 1889 for the Exposition Universelle and was named after its designer Gustave Eiffel.…
Today is #NationalPencilDay Most pencils made in the United States are painted yellow. This tradition supposedly began in 1890 when the L & C Hardtmuth Company of Austria-Hungary introduced their Koh-I-Noor brand, named after the famous diamond. This pencil was…
History: 1st Japanese cherry blossom trees planted in Washington, D.C. On this day in 1912, Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin,…
History: Fingerprint evidence used to solve murder case for the first time in 1905 The neighbors of Thomas and Ann Farrow, shopkeepers in South London, discover their badly bludgeoned bodies in their home. Thomas was already dead, but Ann was…
History: Art Nouveau conquers Vienna in 1918 On this day in 1918, the first exhibition of the "Secession" art movement opened in Vienna. This Austrian artists' association wanted to set itself apart from the established art business and created the…
History: Johannes Itten died in 1967 Johannes Itten (11 November 1888 – 25 March 1967) was a Swiss artist and educator who was influential in the development of modern art and design. He was a key figure in the Bauhaus…
Happy 93rd Birthday, Günther Kieser ! Günther Kieser was born in 1930 in Kronberg, near Frankfurt. Trained at the Werkkunstschule in Offenbach, Kieser began his career as a freelance artist in 1949 and founded a studio with Hans Michel in…
Today in History: Joseph Christian Leyendecker was born today in 1874 On this day in 1874, Joseph Christian Leyendecker was born in Montabaur, Germany. He immigrated with his family to Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 8. Showing an early…