Arte is a rare gem of a manga and I'm so glad I found it. It follows the intrepid travels of a young girl set on being a famous painter in Italy ala Da Vinci-style - The only problem is she's a female and god forbid women can be painters.

The story is wholesome and explores the bends & turns of society in Renaissance Italy. it provides as deep a social commentary as manga can provide (which is still pretty shallow); but nevertheless, it's a refreshing breath of fresh air - Story 9/10

Arte has lovable and sweet characters. Side characters are given their fair share of 'screentime' (or 'pagetime, whatever you want to call it) and their arcs/personalities are built up just as complexly as the leads -Characters 10/10

The art style is very unique and reminds me of a cross between manga x sketching, which matches the historical context - Art 10/10

There are hints of a subtle and almost-not-there romance to come, nothing so far has outright happened but I'm hopeful there will be some love in the air in future chapters. - Romance 7/10

Definitely recommended if you like strong, likeable female leads and historical fiction!