When the aspiring graduates of those academies went to Italy to advance their knowledge through first-hand encounters with revered works of art, they were also expected to work from local models and record, on the spot, Roman ruins, picturesque towns and the Italian landscape.

WSJ: Appealing to Modern Eyes | The Path of Nature | Metropolitan Museum of Art | By Karen Wilkin

Buffalo Trace's bourbons have gained a reputation as works of art--complex drinks that show the hand of the distiller and taste like the work of a dedicated craftsman, rather than just a bottle of mass-produced, committee-designed drek.

FORBES: Tastemakers: Wine, Beer and Spirits

But a fitted gun that's handmade in England over the course of two years--with parts constructed by specially trained craftsmen and adorned with personalized hand engraving--is a one-of-a-kind work of art.

FORBES: Smart Collecting