Cool Stories About Art

Have you ever had that strange feeling in a museum?

That strange feeling of being surrounded by masterpieces, yet feeling like an outsider? Like you’re missing the point?

You are not alone.

Eleven seconds

That’s the average time a person spends looking at a work of art. A furtive glance for a piece that sometimes required years of work, survived centuries, endured fires, looting, wars, thefts, and bombs.

I realized I was doing the same thing. Moving through museums without really understanding what I was seeing.

Finding the Magic

The breakthrough happened with my daughter. Museum visits were a chore until I turned them into a treasure hunt: telling anecdotes, searching for hidden details, making it a game. Suddenly, the magic happened. Art became an adventure.

A Little About Me

I’m Julien. I am not an art historian, I’m just a dad working in communications in Paris. I started sharing this fun approach on Instagram, and it exploded (270k+ followers). Today, over 35,000 people get these stories on Substack.

Why? Because we all want to learn, as long as we are told the right stories.

My 3 most popular stories:

→ The Last Day of Vincent Van Gogh
→ Claude Monet’s Japanese Bridge, before and after his cataracts
→ 10 Artists you need to Know

What You Should Expect

• ✅ To dive into incredible stories that you’ll binge-read like a Netflix series.

• ✅ To discover hidden gems, incredible artists who will brighten your day.

• ✅ To learn anecdotes and hidden secrets in the lives of painters and in their paintings.

What You Shouldn’t Expect:

• ❌ Academic jargon

• ❌ Boring analysis

This space is for you. For those who want to learn while having fun.

Julien

Ready for the full experience?

Join the Cool Stories Club and unlock:

• 💎 8 captivating stories / month (vs 1 free)

• 🎨 Discover hidden artists and masterpieces

• 🧠 Exclusive fun facts to impress anyone

• 📚 Full access to the entire archive

GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE

Reader Reviews:

• “Short, fun, and I actually remember the stories. Worth it.”

• “I’ve discovered so many incredible artists I’d never heard of. Hooked.”

• “I don’t know much about art but these stories are really interesting. Easy to read and I actually learn stuff.”

• “Finally, art history that doesn’t make me feel stupid. Julien turns masterpieces into page-turners. ”