Francis Davis Millet’s "Reading the Story Of Oenone" was the first painting acquired by the Detroit Institute of Arts. Millet painted the work in 1883, the same year it entered the museum’s collection. One hundred years ago today, on April 15, 1912, Millet was among the more than 1,500 victims of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. He was 65.

See the painting on our website: http://bit.ly/Ip77Yo

Dendrochronologist Dr. Tomasz Wazny, an associate research professor at the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research of the University of Arizona, visits the DIA conservation department today to help identify the age and origin of Northern European wood sculptures in the museum's collection.

Picturesque! "A Woman," being installed near the Stable Studio in Heritage Park, Farmington Hills. Visit our InsideOut Facebook page to see more photos: http://www.facebook.com/dia.insideout.

#InsideOut is now in Farmington! See more photos on our #Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dia.insideout

Installing InsideOut in Mt Clemens today! Look at that sun. See more photos on the DIA's InsideOut Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/dia.insideout.

The mist drifting in from Lake St. Clair creates a very eerie backdrop for The Fisherman's Wedding Party at the Grosse Pointe Shores Municipal Building. Check out the DIA's InsideOut Facebook page for photos of reproductions in other communities. Three spring communities have been installed so far! http://www.facebook.com/dia.insideout

We just “herd” that our Education Wing elephants were officially named this weekend. Children taking part in drop-in art activities submitted their suggestions for our picturesque pachyderms and our studio staff selected two winners. The adult elephant will henceforth be known as “Ellwood,” thanks to Arielle Levy, and our baby elephant has been christened “Bongo” by Sean Viola.

“Selene and Endymion” by Nicolas Poussin (French, 1594-1665)
In Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene was the lover of a mortal shepherd, Endymion; their meetings could only take place at night. Selene was so in love with Endymion that she asked Zeus to allow him to choose his own fate. Endymion chose to sleep forever, remaining deathless and ageless, so that he and Selene could have eternal love. How far would you go for love?

Learn more about this piece in the DIA's online collection: http://bit.ly/yOvRaU.

Today, over 1,000 students visited the DIA! In this photo, a group of students from Vandenberg Elementary School learns about our collection of Asian and Islamic art.

A special guest lion dropped by yesterday to “pluck the greens” & bring us luck & fortune for the New Year. 一本萬利

Contemporary artist Mike Kelley, a Michigan native, passed away today. You can see one of his works, “Carnival Time,” at the DIA. His death is a great loss to the contemporary art world. http://bit.ly/xFTaOV

Visitors enjoy plant (3D) in the DIA's screening room provided by Ikea! Located in the Kresge Reception area. Read more about plant (3D) here: http://bit.ly/xifQ23.

New on view: See this print of Martin Luther King Jr. by artist John Wilson in the Gilbert B. Silverman Gallery — part of the DIA’s African American art collection. The print has been on view for only a month!

Photo of the Day: MOSCOW- People walk along ice sculptures on display in Sokolniki park in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. The ice and snow park called Moroz (Frost) City, created by mostly art students, architects and designers, opened for general public in Moscow's Sokolniki park on Tuesday. AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel.

Happy birthday to Henri Matisse! Today is his 142nd birthday anniversary. You can see some of his paintings, like The Window, at the DIA.

The art world suffered a great loss earlier this week when artist Helen Frankenthaler passed away. You can see one of her prints, “Tales of the Genji III,” in the DIA’s current exhibition Once Upon a Time: Prints and Drawings that tell stories. http://bit.ly/rOeUkm

Did you know? The Louvre’s Supper at Emmaus was restored for display in Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus.

Now, after the conservation process, which took over a year, the painting can be enjoyed in a nearly pristine state, revealing many subtleties—light, brushwork, and color—that were covered with dirt and yellow varnish for many years. Come see it at the DIA! http://bit.ly/uAmCT7

Check out the DIA’s newest exhibition! Once Upon a Time: Prints and Drawings that Tell Stories opens today. http://bit.ly/rOeUkm

Many of these prints and drawings from the DIA’s collection have rarely or never been seen before. The exhibition is free with museum admission.

The Poet’s Dream, Robert Weir, c. 1830, watercolor and pen and ink over graphite pencil.

New on view in the British Gallery! A watercolor by Joseph Mallord William Turner—a towering figure in British art.

Joseph Mallord William Turner’s View in Sussex, Battle Abbey, the Spot Where Harold Fell, 1815, is now on view. The DIA collection lacks any paintings by Turner, so this loan offers museum visitors a rare opportunity to view work by a master of nineteenth-century British landscape art. It will be on view until March and is definitely worth a visit! Read our December Newsletter for more information: http://conta.cc/s4bQHX.