Verso

The modern valentine is inextricably linked to romance—candle-lit dinners, a dozen red roses, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. But the long, complex, and fascinating history of valentine cards shows that they have a vastly different origin.

Seven paintings by the contemporary British artist Celia Paul (born 1959) will be on view Feb. 9–July 8 in the Huntington Art Gallery.

Did you vow to tidy up in 2019? If the current mania for organizing consultant Marie Kondo is any indication, you're not alone.

In October 2018, more than 100 students had the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of art conservation as part of a Deep Learning Day developed by The Huntington's Education staff, focusing on the ongoing "Project Blue Boy" exhibition.

In just three characters, Terry Yuan's calligraphic Terrace that Invites the Mountain—now carved into a rock in The Huntington's Chinese Garden, Liu Fang Yuan—captures one of the key principles of Chinese garden design

On March 24, 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, and James VI of Scotland was proclaimed James I of England. There was widespread relief and rejoicing that the transition happened so smoothly

Tall and amiable, wearing glasses, his hair tied back in a pony tail, contemporary artist Tang Qingnian 唐慶年 stands in The Huntington's Rose Hills Garden Courtyard on a sunny day in early Nov. 2018, facing a long table covered with white paper.

As the year draws to a close, we invite you to revisit a dozen of our favorite stories from this year's Verso offerings.