Part textbook, part resource, Obelisk is a free art history platform, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the rich, diverse world of art history and human creativity from the past 40,000 years across the globe.
It’s also an academic tool, and universities and colleges around the world send students here, to delve into the timeline of art, composition and other basics, and history methodologies. Featuring thousands of high-quality images of artwork, essays, and artists’ letters and manifestos, along with quizzes and projects, there’s always something new and interesting to discover.
Created and founded by designer and writer Reed Enger, Obelisk was inspired by a childhood love of art and history, and started as a classroom resource called Trivium. More of an invitation than a platform, it was later redesigned and reimagined as more of a non-linear textbook, combining the best of encyclopedic information with guided classes. The project continues as it began, an after-hours labour of love, reflecting Enger’s love of art, his “fragmented and imperfect learning,” and his desire to share the diverse world of creativity.
(Photo credits: Obelisk. Top left: Painting by Hilma af Klint. Top right: Adélaide Labille-Guiard self-portrait. Bottom left: Detail of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.)
What we like about this art history platform
You don’t have to be an expert or art history student to enjoy this site. (And, yes, we know, this is an online resource – but there are lots of ways to translate the experience of this site into real life, as you’ll soon see below.) This site is about storytelling – the story of art and the artists – and visitors are invited to dive into the works and lives of creative people throughout history as they browse the stunning images and explore art history’s various themes and movements.
We love that Obelisk’s shop includes gorgeous archival prints of artwork, as well as some other fun stuff. Art and art history don’t have to be dusty, old subjects, but are dynamic and vibrant movements that speak to the human condition and our evolving society. (Written by C.M.)
Ideas for where you can go from here:
- Visit Obelisk and dive into their art history resources. What artist or period in art history will you discover or revisit?
- Check out Obelisk’s shop to see the stunning archival prints and other fun art-related offerings.
- Visit your local library and check out their art history book collection, including art movements and artist biographies.
- Better yet, find and visit a local art museum or art gallery in your area. Browse the historical sections and see how contemporary artists may have been inspired by their predecessors and earlier movements.
We love delving into art history and art movements because they allow you to experience the evolution of art across time and place. Experiencing the evolution of art lets you be more deeply moved by art in the present. Being more deeply moved by art is part of the flourishing offline life Young W helps you discover: by exploring ART and the other 8 pillars of Arts & Letters, including those you may be hesitant to try.
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