“[It is a] room that a person can only enter when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is […]
How Did a Guy Live in a Mall for Four Years?
When The World’s Great Authors Formed a Cricket Team
What do literary giants do when they aren’t writing history’s greatest books? There’s no better way to stave off a case of writer’s block than to play a rousing game of cricket. […]
The Epic Prank that Became History’s Greatest Practical Joke
Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) was an accomplished architect, designer, sculptor, and mathematician. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of Renaissance architecture and holds the distinction of being the first […]
Turning the Modern Art World Upside-Down
Admittedly, the Commonplace Fun Facts editorial department is not exactly a paragon of cultural sophistication. This is especially true when it comes to the phenomenon known as Modern Art. For this reason, […]
Can You Crack the Code that Stumps the CIA?
It should not be surprising that CIA Headquarters is home to some of the world’s biggest secrets. What may raise your eyebrows is the fact that one of its biggest secrets is […]
Visit the Museum Where Peanut Butter is Art
If you like art, and if you are particularly fond of peanut butter, a visit to Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has all the makings for your perfect day. It is the […]
Finding an Aspiring Artist In Every Child
Legendary cartoonist Mort Walker is remembered as the creator of the popular comic strips Beetle Bailey and Hi and Lois. In his book, Lexicon of Comicana, he reflected on the artistic potential […]
Pierre Brassau: the Chimpanzee Who Made a Monkey Out of Modern Art
When the paintings of Pierre Brassau were released for public viewing in 1964, the artistic community was lavish in its praise. Rolf Anderberg of the Göteborgs-Posten wrote, “Brassau paints with powerful strokes, […]
Take a Shot at Guessing Why Picasso Carried a Gun
No one wants to be misunderstood, and being a great artist does not give you an exemption from this rule. Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) had a particularly-memorable way of discouraging anyone from questioning […]
Michelangelo’s Last Judgment on an Unwelcomed Critic
No one enjoys receiving criticism. Even the greatest artists in history dislike critiques. Unlike the rest of us, great artists have a way of getting even that should give all of us […]
Michelangelo and the Foul Footwear
Michelangelo may have been one of the most creative people ever to live, but his attention to personal hygiene left much to be desired.
Picasso’s Strategy for Pursuing Greatness
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was never accused of false modesty. He once said, “My mother said to me ‘If you are a soldier you will become a general. If you are a monk […]
Megalomania or Honest Assessment?
“If I spit, they will take my spit and frame it as great art.” — Pablo Picasso
Go, Go, Gogh!
During his lifetime, Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting, and this was to a friend and only for a very small amount of money. While Van Gogh was never a success […]
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