Art History, But Not the Boring Parts
Cool Stories About Art is a newsletter that turns complex art history into captivating stories, surprising facts, and fun discoveries you’ll actually remember.
“My mission is to make learning about art the most entertaining part of your week.”
Who Is This For?
This newsletter is for you if you’ve always been curious about art but never found the time to study it formally. It’s for you if you’re looking for a Netflix-like fix of real-life drama, or if you just want to have the coolest story to tell at your next dinner party. This is a place for the curious-minded.
Hi, I’m Julien.
For a long time, I was one of those people who spent just eleven seconds looking at a painting in a museum, rushing past masterpieces without really understanding them.
Everything changed when I started telling my daughter the incredible stories behind the paintings—the love affairs, the rivalries, the scandals. She was captivated. I realized then that emotion is what makes art unforgettable.
I’m not an art historian. I’m a Paris-based communication consultant and a dad who believes art should be accessible. Through my Instagram, I discovered a community of over 250,000 people who felt the same way. This newsletter is our home.
What You Should Expect from Cool Stories About Art
This project is your shortcut. If you want to learn about art, discover artists, and understand the incredible stories behind the works without spending hours on it, I do the research for you.
You Should Expect:
To dive into incredible stories that you’ll binge-read like a Netflix series. Botticelli is a man haunted by an impossible love. Rembrandt, a widower crushed by debt. Rubens, a diplomat. Tintoretto, an ambitious man. Behind every work, there are lives, dramas, and passions.
To discover hidden gems, incredible artists who will brighten your day. I unearth underrated talents, from yesterday and today, for you.
To learn anecdotes and hidden secrets in the lives of painters and in their paintings. Enough to see the works from a new angle and to shine at your next dinner party.
What You Shouldn’t Expect:
Academic Jargon. We’re here to have fun and learn, not to take an exam.
Boring Analysis. We get straight to the point: the emotion, the story, the surprise.
Me to Know Everything. I am a passionate enthusiast who learns and discovers every day, just like you.
Your Weekly Dose of Culture
💎 As a “Cool Stories Club” Member: You unlock the full experience to make learning about art fun and easy:
Artist Discoveries: Fun, visual lists to introduce you to incredible artists you need to know.
Surprising Facts & Anecdotes: Bite-sized stories and “fun facts” perfect for sharing.
“Netflix-Style” Narratives: Deep-dive, captivating stories about a single subject, designed to be binge-read.
Let’s have fun here.
Julien
Popular Free Reads:
The Woman Who Made Vincent van Gogh
Behind every legendary artist lies an untold story, but this one belongs to a woman history forgot, who held the power to make or break a genius. Discover Johanna’s fabulous story.
The Magritte River Tragedy
Everyone knows Magritte’s faceless figures, but no one knows why he painted them. This is the untold story of how a February night in 1912 changed everything.
💎 Unlock the full experience and learn art simply.
📩 Exclusive artist discoveries, fun facts, and the entire library of “Netflix-style” stories
