Casting new light on “the heart and soul” of museums—that is, the permanent collections—the Times asked “a dozen curators and other art specialists to speak about what they consider the region’s great art, from ancient to contemporary.” Eleven artworks from LACMA’s permanent collection made the Times list...

Check out this beautifully painted Degas masterpiece in LACMA's Collections Online!

"Edgar Degas (1834-1917) was an outspoken proponent of a new sensibility. He and his contemporaries, known as the Impressionists, organized independent exhibitions in which they showed their controversial work. Degas's style, subject matter, and artistic sensibility set him apart from the other Impressionists..." You can learn more from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's education section entitled Explore and Learn.

Read more about the charismatic Robert H. Ahmanson Chief Curator of European Art, Patrice Marandel, to learn about the kinds of artworks he collects for LACMA and why he came to work at the museum in 1993.

Take a closer look at this giant comb - it's 77 inches tall!

It's only on display until April 19th 2009, but you can view it online here. Photograph by Sybille Bergemann.

You can see Personal Values as well as many other Surrealist works by following this link to Eyeconart.net.

This sensitive painting is one of the most popular paintings at LACMA.

In Paris, the Louvre Museum has a wonderful collection of paintings by Georges de La Tour.

Get a closer look at this ancient artwork made in India.

Although not directly connected with events in the life of the Buddha, Sanchi became a pilgrimage site when Ashoka Maurya erected a stupa and column there in the middle of the 3d century BC. Later rulers enlarged the complex. After the decline of Buddhism in India, the ruins lay neglected until the 19th century. Restoration activity commenced in the early 20th century, with the rebuilding of the principal stupas and the creation of the present park and museum. Sanchi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Explore the controversy chronicled in this website. The famous assemblage sculpture by Ed Kienholz, Back Seat Dodge '38, gained notoriety in 1966 when it became the focus of a public dispute involving censorship and the arts.

This article addresses the lasting fascination with Edward Kienholz's sculpture, Back Seat Dodge ’38 .

Take a closer look at this Post-Impressionist painting in LACMA's Collections Online.

This virtual museum allows the visitor to search 200 of Cezanne's paintings, read a biography of the artist, and visit the websites of other museums with Cezzane holdings.

Check out the 1907 light fixture and other Art and Crafts style furniture made for the Robert R. Blacker House in Pasadena, California.

Read more about The Arts and Crafts Movement 1880-1920 in Europe and America.

Even if you can't make it to Pasadena, this wonderful website will provide plenty of amazing visuals and informative content.

Take a closer look at this crowd-pleaser, the rare French painting made by Chardin in 1733.

In 2000, the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibited 66 works by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. Although the exhibition was temporary, many of these pieces can be seen at this link.

View several detail photos to see the intricate pattern carefully woven into this carpet.

This Associated Press video tells the story of a rug made by Iranian weavers that is more than two square miles!

This 1758 portrait was comissioned by Sir Wyndham to document his travels. Zoom in to check out the souvenirs he collected!

"My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question 'What does that mean'? It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing either, it is unknowable." René Magritte

This LACMA exhibition (now closed) brought record attendance, but thankfully you can still see all the exhibition's wonders. Visit this website to read about Magritte and the scores of artists he influenced.