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  3. Art, Literature and Film History
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Art, Literature and Film History - Stories

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art, literature and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) composing the 'Missa Solemnis', February-April 1820. Oil painting by August Klober. (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

How Did Beethoven Die?

Genetic analysis of the composer’s hair reveals a likely cause of death.

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7 Early Imaginings of Artificial Intelligence

Humans have conceived versions of intelligent machines for centuries.

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Henry Ossawa Tanner and his painting "The Annunciation" (1898)

5 Groundbreaking 19th-Century African American Artists

Despite the virulent racism of their time, these talented African American artists found success—and left lasting legacies.

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Head of a high priestess with inlaid eyes Mesopotamia, Akkadian, Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar), area EH, south of gipar Akkadian period (ca. 2334–2154 BC) Alabaster, shell, lapis lazuli, and bitumen; 9.5 × 8 × 8.5 cm. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, USA, excavated 1926; B16228

The Earliest Known Author Was a Woman from Mesopotamia

A priestess named Enheduanna claimed authorship to poetry and other texts—sometimes in first-person—more than a millennium before Homer.

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Crinolines from 1850. Artist Unknown.

5 Over-the-Top Fashion Trends From the Victorian Era

As clothing became cheaper and faster to make amid the Industrial Revolution, new, sometimes outrageous fashion designs became chic.

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Portrait of Machito (at mic, right), with his Afro-Cuban mambo orchestra, including: José Mangual (bongos), Carlos Vidal Bolado (conga), Mario Bauzá (far left trumpeter), Ubaldo Nieto (timbales) and Graciella Grillo (front left), at the Glen Island Casino, New Rochelle, New York, c. July 1947

How Salsa Music Took Root in New York City

When Afro-Cuban mambo met big band jazz, musical sparks flew.

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Celia Cruz during rehearsal for the third annual Latin GRAMMY Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, 2002.

The Origins of 7 Key Latin Music Genres

Colonization of the Americas allowed for the melding of European, Indigenous and African sounds—creating some very danceable musical styles.

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Declaration of Independence Copy Up for Sale371385 03: One of only 25 known surviving copies of the Declaration of Independence which were printed July 4, 1776 sits on display at Sotheby''s June 22, 2000 in New York City. The historic document will be sold in a one-day sale June 29th, 2000. It is estimated to be worth between $4,000,000 and $6,000,000.

8 Treasures Discovered in Attics, Barns and More

These are some of the most surprising, and valuable, historical objects people have ever found by accident.

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10 Asian American Actors From Hollywood's Golden Age, Anna May Wong

10 Asian American Actors From Hollywood’s Golden Age

Actors of East Asian descent often faced limited and typecast roles in Old Hollywood, but they paved the way for future generations.

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Actresses Lucille Ball (right) and Amanda Milligan in a classic episode of the television comedy 'I Love Lucy' entitled 'Job Switching,' which aired on May 30, 1952.

The Most Influential Classic Shows from TV’s ‘Golden Age’

Pioneering shows from the 1950s, like ‘I Love Lucy,’ would help shape the medium for decades to come.

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A visitor looks at the work 'Campbell's Soup Cans' by artist Andy Warhol at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City

Andy Warhol’s Soup Can Paintings: What They Mean and Why They Became a Sensation

‘I used to drink it,’ the artist said. ‘I used to have the same lunch every day for 20 years.’

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Brad Meltzer Decodes Four Enduring Historical Mysteries

Brad Meltzer Decodes Four Enduring Historical Mysteries

Fort Knox empty? The disappearing White House cornerstone. America’s version of Stonehenge. And Leonardo’s missing notebook page.

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