– Brad Pitt Is Designing Art Deco Furniture: Having sharpened his aesthetic eye with his Make It Right foundation — which constructed starchitect-designed homes in New Orleans's Katrina-ravaged Lower Ninth Ward — Brad Pitt is now trying his hand at furniture-making. The actor is collaborating with New Jersey-based designer Frank Pollaro to create a series of about 45 works including tables, chairs, a bathtub, and a very large bed made in nine unique editions, which will debut in New York next week. "It just so happens Frank and I speak the same language," Pitt said of the collaboration. "And we both have a predilection for far too much wine." [Architectural Digest, Object Lessons]

– Should Art History Majors Pay Higher Tuition?: A task force commissioned by Florida Governor Rick Scott is putting the finishing touches on a proposal that would allow the state's public universities to start charging undergraduates different rates depending on their major. Students would get discounts for studying topics believed to be in high demand among Florida employers. If the proposal — which is part of a larger reform package for Florida's university system — goes through, art history majors would pay higher tuition to keep rates low for engineering students. Read the full story for an eloquent explanation of why the plan is misguided. [Atlantic]

– Prado Finds Titian in Spanish Church: Curators from Madrid's Museo del Prado have authenticated a painting of St. John the Baptist that had been on extended loan to a church in southern Spain from 1886 to 2007 to be the work of Titian. It was previously believed to be a mere copy of his other images of the saint, which are in the collections of Venice's Gallerie dell’Accademia and the El Escorial monastery outside the Spanish capital. The newly authenticated work, which has been dated circa 1555, will go on display alongside the two other Titian St. Johns at the Prado on February 10, 2013. [TAN]

– The Kitchen Suffers Massive Storm Damage: The New York performance, video, and arts center suffered at least $400,000 to $500,000 worth of damage from Hurricane Sandy, according to a letter sent to friends and posted on its website. Though staff members are hoping keep the season's program intact, beginning with an exhibition of artists Matt Keegan and Eileen Quinlan, they "are simply unable to say precisely when we will be able to open." The nonprofit will hold its annual benefit art auction on November 26. [The Kitchen]

– A Glimpse of Lesser-Known Lowrys: More than 40 rarely-seen paintings and drawings by British painter LS Lowry, who was born 125 years ago last week, will go on view at Crane Kalman Gallery in London. Even more interesting than the idiosyncratic artworks themselves — which do not conform to the prevailing commercial taste for Lowry's cityscapes — is the story behind their provenance. The artworks belong to Carol Ann Lowry (a namesake but no relation), who met the artist in 1957 when he was 70 and she was 13. She wrote him a letter asking for advice on her art, and some months later he arrived on her doorstep. When Lowry, a lifelong bachelor, died, he left his entire estate to her. [Telegraph]

– London Museum Offers Home for Henry Moore: The Tower Hamlets Council's plan to sell the large-scale Henry Moore sculpture Draped Seated Woman to help alleviate its funding woes has drawn opposition from major UK arts figures who see the sale as a betrayal of the artist's civic gesture. Now, the Museum of London has offered a permanent home for the massive bronze statue. "The Museum of London's offer to put Draped Seated Woman on free, public display would enable everyone to enjoy and derive meaning from this significant artwork," said Sharon Ament, the museum's director. Tower Hamlets has yet to respond to the offer. [BBC]

– Spaniard Wins UK Photo Prize: Jordi Ruiz Cirera, a London-based Spanish photographer, has won this year's £12,000 ($19,000) Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize for his photo of a young Bolivian woman seated at a table and hiding part of her face. She is a member of a community of Mennonites, many of whom believe photography violates their religion's prohibition against graven images. "She seems to be afraid of the photographer, unwilling to expose herself to our gaze," Ruiz Cirera said. "Her awkward expression says a lot about the tradition, isolation and lifestyle of this community." [Telegraph]

– Sotheby's Hopes China Wants 19th-Century European Paintings: This week, Sotheby's will open "The Age of Elegance," a selling exhibition of academic 19th-century European paintings (including works by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and John William Godward) and crafts at its new Hong Kong galleries, in hopes of spurring a Chinese market for ornate European visual art and objects. "Asian interest in exceptional items of furniture and decorative arts produced in Europe is flourishing," said Sotheby's Asia chairman Patti Wong. [Telegraph]

– Fake Art Keeps Popping Up for Sale: Ever wonder what happens to works of art after they are deemed forgeries? According to a report from Patricia Cohen, they sometimes simply end up back on the market. "You put it down, and then five, seven years later, poof!, and there it is again," Richard Grant, the executive director of the Diebenkorn Foundation, said of discredited artwork. Law enforcement officials have tried to halt resales, but ultimately, they say, it is up to the art market to police itself. [NYT, MarketWatch]