Michelle Plastrik

Michelle Plastrik is an art adviser living in New York City. She writes on a range of topics, including art history, the art market, museums, art fairs, and special exhibitions.

The Powerful Portrayal of ‘Augustus of Prima Porta’

The emperor Augustus's pose has inspired portraits of subsequent leaders.

Fine Arts July 13, 2026
Casting Light on the Work of Andrea del Verrocchio

Skilled in sculpture, painting, architecture, and goldsmithing, the 15th-century artist inspired some of the greatest Italian Renaissance masters.

Fine Arts July 10, 2026
John La Farge’s Spectacular Stained Glass Windows of Peonies

Among the first to incorporate opalescent glass, he designed unprecedented stained glass windows.

Fine Arts July 9, 2026
One of the Greatest Treasures of European Medieval Art in an American Museum

A chalice used for centuries in a French basilica is now a treasured piece at the National Gallery ...

Fine Arts July 6, 2026
Villa Kérylos: Ancient Greece Reincarnated on the French Riviera

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit an early 20th-century paean to ...

Traditional Culture June 26, 2026
Eternal Etruscan Love in Their Funerary Art

Etruscan society loved music and banqueting, and their funerary art reflected their prosperous lifestyle.

Fine Arts June 24, 2026
‘A Marvelous Journey: The Collection of Maurice Tempelsman’ at Sotheby’s New York

A varied collection of fine and decorative art as well as rare books will be auctioned at Sotheby’s ...

Fine Arts June 22, 2026
Regal Portraiture at the London Exhibition ‘Elizabeth I: Queen and Court’

The exhibition's assemblage of rare Tudor-era paintings demonstrates the development of portraiture as a significant art genre in ...

Fine Arts June 18, 2026
Antiquity’s Most Magnetic Mosaic

At over 2,000 years old, the majestic “Alexander Mosaic" is a testament to the advanced skills of ancient ...

Fine Arts June 7, 2026
‘A Treasured History: The Stream Family Collection’ at Christie’s New York

The auction features one of the world’s finest groups of Fabergé, together with an extraordinary trove of rare ...

Fine Arts June 3, 2026
Park Avenue Armory: American Aesthetic Movement’s Revitalized Monument

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a New York City cultural ...

Traditional Culture May 31, 2026
‘Old Masters, New Amsterdam’ at The New York Historical

The New York City exhibition examines life in New Amsterdam through the lens of exceptional 17th-century Dutch paintings.

Fine Arts May 24, 2026
An Invitation to the Ducal Palace in Gubbio at The Met

Inside the 'studiolo,' visitors are transported to a ruler’s retreat in a 15th-century Italian palace.

Fine Arts May 14, 2026
TEFAF New York Opens: Prestigious Art Fair Blooms for a Limited Time

The annual art fair brings together international dealers to showcase their work throughout the 16 historic, period rooms ...

Fine Arts May 14, 2026
The Civil War Painting That Made Winslow Homer’s Reputation

The artist's experience at the battlefront had a lasting effect on his art.

Fine Arts May 14, 2026
The Getty’s Stupendous Dutch Still Life Acquisitions

Two works by Dutch Golden Age painters Pieter Claesz and Jan Davidsz. de Heem mark the first works ...

Fine Arts May 13, 2026
‘Gothic by Design: The Dawn of Architectural Draftsmanship’ at The Met

This unique exhibition offers a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate and innovative design practices of Gothic architecture.

Fine Arts May 9, 2026
The ‘Mona Lisa’ of the Classical World

The 'Mask of Agamemnon' formed the basis for Homer’s golden Mycenae.

Fine Arts May 6, 2026
Adam Elsheimer’s Poetic Depictions of the Flight Into Egypt

Two of Elsheimer’s copper paintings of the biblical narrative give insight into his innovative artistry.

Fine Arts April 27, 2026
Raphaelle Peale: America’s First Still Life Painter

Peale’s important body of work established the still life tradition in America.

Fine Arts April 27, 2026
Bronzino’s Mother and Son Masterpiece

'Portrait of Eleonora di Toledo With Her Son Giovanni' at the Uffizi Gallery is considered the Italian mannerist ...

Fine Arts April 27, 2026
Hendrick Avercamp: A Painter of Winter for All Seasons

The Dutch painter's animated winter landscapes were in such demand that he even painted them in summer.

Fine Arts April 22, 2026
‘Raphael: Sublime Poetry’: An Epic Exhibition at The Met

This is the first major Raphael exhibition to be staged in the United States.

Fine Arts April 5, 2026
Mozart, Music, and Family at the Morgan Library

Artifacts from the Mozarteum Foundation of Salzburg are on view in America for the first time.

Traditional Culture March 27, 2026
Philadelphia’s Independence Seaport Museum Celebrates America’s Semiquincentennial

'Seeking Profit and Power' exhibition takes visitors on an extraordinary voyage through the history of America’s commercial and ...

America’s 250th March 20, 2026
Houdon’s Remarkable Marble Bust of Benjamin Franklin

The French sculptor's likenesses of many American luminaries honor their personalities and achievements.

Fine Arts March 17, 2026
El Greco’s Most Famous Painting Outside of Spain

El Greco’s triumphant altar painting “The Assumption of the Virgin” capitulated his career.

Fine Arts March 11, 2026