📜 History: James Merritt Ives — producing picture prints of Americana: Modern-day printers are hard plastic machines that use ink cartridges to transfer computer files to paper. Before the digital age, “printer” was the job title of a highly skilled individual who used a combination of artistic talent and technical training to mass-produce images.

📚 Literature: Looking for laughter? Try Frank O’Connor’s “First Confession”: The slice-of-life humorous look at church and family presents light fare during the Lenten season.

🌾 Tradition: Chicago Cultural Center, dramatic domes dominate: What was once Chicago’s main public library has become an art exhibition center and prominent reception and event venue in America’s third largest city.

The Man Who Shaped America’s Visual News: Very often, it’s the cover photo on a newspaper or magazine’s front page that catches the eye and makes a browser want to keep reading after the headline. Before the 1840s, there were no pictures of any kind used to illustrate news stories. Read more →