France

Gertrud Eysoldt as Salome in a Berlin production of Oscar Wilde's notorious play, circa 1902

Why Oscar Wilde's Play About a Biblical Temptress Was Banned From the British Stage for Decades

"Salome," a one-act tragedy by the Irish playwright, terrified the Victorian public with its provocative depiction of a teenage girl whose lust for a man quickly morphs into bloodlust

Diver Chris de Putron inspects the wreck of the German submarine UC-18, which sank off the Channel Islands in February 1917.

How Britain's Secret Decoy Ships Outfoxed German U-Boats During World War I

Divers recently discovered the wreck of a German submarine and the Royal Navy Q-ship that sank it in February 1917

The 13 adults discovered at the site appear to have be positioned in a similar way: seated, with their backs resting against the eastern wall of a pit.

Why Were All of These Bodies Buried Sitting Upright and Facing West More Than 2,000 Years Ago?

Archaeologists are still unraveling the mysteries of an unusual burial site in Dijon, France, which dates to between 450 and 25 B.C.E.

This dress from Balenciaga's Demna Collection Prêt-à-Porter Printemps/Été 2020 is part of the Louvre's new "Louvre Couture" exhibition in Paris.

The Louvre Is Hosting Its First-Ever Fashion Exhibition

The world's most-visited museum is spotlighting clothing and accessories from 45 fashion houses and designers

Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in England on February 8, 1587.

This Tragic European Monarch Was Executed for Treason on Her Cousin's Orders

Elizabeth I ordered the beheading of Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic claimant to the English throne, on this day in 1587

Edmond Dédé, a talented composer who is finally getting his due

One of the Oldest Surviving Operas by a Black American Composer Will Be Performed for the First Time—138 Years After It Was Written

Edmond Dédé's 1887 magnum opus "Morgiane"—billed as "the most important opera never heard"—will finally get its premiere after languishing in obscurity for more than a century

 French President Emmanuel Macron announced the move this week.

The 'Mona Lisa' Is Moving to a Room of Her Own at the Louvre

As part of a massive renovation, the Leonardo da Vinci portrait will get its own gallery space accessible from a separate entrance

The guillotine became France’s official method of capital punishment in spring 1792.

On This Day in 1793, Revolutionaries Executed the King of France by Guillotine, a Deadly Machine They Saw as a Symbol of Equality

Supporters of the French Revolution killed Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, with the same apparatus used to execute common criminals

The systems have been especially successful in Latin America, where massive cities and dramatic landscapes make building roads, rail lines and subway tunnels difficult. Mi Teléferico, shown here, connects more than two million people across the La Paz metro in Bolivia.

Seven Cities in the World Where You Can Ride an Aerial Cable Car

Urban planners from Mexico City to Toulouse are adopting the high-flying mode of transit. Will it catch on elsewhere?

Works like Tissot's The Convalescent (1872), pictured here, reflect a sense of unease over a modernizing society that was sweeping women up in its fray.

These Stunning 19th-Century Artworks Reveal the Contradictions of the Modern Woman

A new exhibition spotlights James Tissot, whose paintings and prints reflected women’s ever-evolving roles in Victorian society

A visitor examines a watch crafted by Abraham-Louis Breguet for Marie Antoinette.

These Fascinating Objects Show How the Palace of Versailles Drove Surprising Scientific Advances in the 17th and 18th Centuries

Titled "Versailles: Science and Splendor," a new exhibition illustrates how the royal court encouraged innovation during the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI

Portrait of a Jester looking through his fingers, circa 1548

The Fool Has Appeared in Art for Centuries. What Do These Portrayals of the Complex Character Say About Us?

A new exhibition at the Louvre takes visitors on a visual journey, exploring how the figure of the fool evolved between the Middle Ages and the 19th century

This gold ring features an engraving of Venus Victrix, or Venus the Victorious, a Romanized aspect of the goddess associated with imperial power and romantic conquests alike.

Exceptionally Well-Preserved Gold Ring Featuring 'Venus the Victorious' Unearthed on Ancient Road in France

In addition to the 1,800-year-old piece of engraved jewelry, archaeologists discovered a trove of Carolingian coins, medieval pottery and more

In Still Life With Brioche, c. 1890, Victoria Dubourg Fantin-Latour captures the buttery crust of a signature pastry. Known for her tablescapes, she met her artist husband Henri when both were copying the same painting at the Louvre.

Feast Your Eyes on These Paintings From the Impressionist Era

A new exhibition at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville will bring the food world of the late 19th century to its gallery walls

Camille Claudel's famous bronze sculpture The Age of Maturity depicts a young women being left behind by her lover, who walks ahead with an older woman.

Stunning Sculpture by Camille Claudel Rediscovered in an Abandoned Parisian Apartment

Titled "The Age of Maturity," the artwork may reflect the sculptor's turbulent relationship with Auguste Rodin, her mentor and lover

French artist Claire Tabouret has just won a national competition to create new stained glass windows for Notre-Dame in Paris.

Get a Colorful Sneak Peek of Notre-Dame's New Stained Glass Designs

Nearly a year after the controversial plans to replace six original windows were first announced, the French government unveils the winning plans by artist Claire Tabouret

A drawing of the famous Christmas Truce of 1914, when German and British soldiers left their trenches to meet, talk and swap food in no-mans land.

A Stunning Series of Informal Ceasefires Known as the ‘Christmas Truce’ Began on This Day in 1914

After official attempts at a World War I truce failed, soldiers in the trenches of the Western Front took it upon themselves to share in the bonhomie of the season

A mantel clock designed by André-Charles Boulle with a movement by Claude Martinot (circa 1726)

See These Ornately Decorated 18th-Century Clocks Before Time Runs Out

An exhibition in London is highlighting a collection of Baroque timepieces designed by the renowned Parisian craftsman André-Charles Boulle

Charles de Gaulle talking to reporters in 1945

A Forgotten Collection of Charles de Gaulle's Personal Letters, Speeches and Manuscripts Has Been Discovered in a Safe

Most of the documents are heading to the auction block, where they could fetch more than $1 million. They were found in a bank vault owned by the French statesman's son

Artist Jean Charles Blais and his contractor discovered the engraving behind a layer of plaster on his studio wall.

An Artist Noticed a Leak in His Studio. The Repairs Revealed a Mysterious Ancient Engraving Hidden Inside the Walls

Jean Charles Blais had no idea that his studio in southern France was hiding a Roman funerary inscription dating to the first or second century C.E.

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