Podcasts by A Long Look Podcast
A Long Look is for art lovers as well as people interested in art who feel intimidated or overwhelmed by museums. Each 10-minute episode opens with a unique experience — a short, vivid description of an artwork as lifelong art and museum lover Karen Jackson shares the discoveries and questions that come up while looking for minutes instead of the usual 6-10 seconds. And you’ll find out the history, mystery or controversy about the work or the artist!
Karen approaches art as a fan, so no jargon, just an easy-going, sometimes irreverent look at works in Washington DC's world-class museums and the very human stories behind them. Plus, the descriptions provide blind or visually impaired listeners a way to enjoy art too!
Further podcasts by Karen Jackson
Podcast on the topic Bildende Kunst
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Still Life with Peacock Pie by Pieter Claesz from 2023-11-18T14:11
Just in time for Thanksgiving, we take a look at this sumptuous feast by one of the stars of still-life painting, Pieter Claesz. We'll find out three hints that tell us who might have owned this...
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Childhood by Thomas Cole from 2023-10-21T12:00
In today’s episode we’re looking at “Childhood” by Thomas Cole. It’s the first of a series of enormous paintings he did called “The Voyage of Life.”
Changes in the Air! from 2023-10-14T12:00
Autumn is a season of change, so it seemed like the perfect time to announce a few changes happening with the show!
First, I've got new music! The current theme did the job when I starte...
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Two Women Drinking Coffee by Edouard Vuillard from 2023-08-27T15:18
This work by Edouard Vuillard reminds me of the old Magic Eye images that ran in the Sunday comics back in the ’90s. You’d be presented with a dense, colorful patter...
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Ceres (Summer) by Antoine Watteau from 2023-07-20T19:36
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St. Francis at the Frick Collection from 2023-06-03T13:57
Meet St. Francis, who’s in the middle of receiving a…um…complicated divine visitation. This wealthy young party lover and man about town gave it all up to live a more meaningful life and lead ot...
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River Landscape by Annibale Carracci from 2023-05-06T12:00
In today’s episode, we get to picture ourselves in a dreamy landscape on a sunny afternoon courtesy of Annibale Carracci and the National Gallery of Art in DC. Annib...
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Portrait of a Noblewoman by Lavinia Fontana from 2023-03-25T14:47
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Vittore Carpaccio: So Many Mysteries from 2023-01-29T22:22
Our final episode in our long look at Vittore Carpaccio examines the mysteries raised by a reunited panel painting and how a good cleaning can make all the difference.
Vittore Carpaccio: Virgin Reading from 2023-01-06T19:04
Our next stop is Carpaccio’s “Virgin Reading.” We discover a hidden Jesus, a still-unsolved art mystery, and how Carpaccio broke the rules in his unusual depiction of the Virgin Mary. Check out ...
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Vittore Carpaccio: St. Augustine in His Study from 2022-12-16T19:42
Next up in our tour of Vittore Carpaccio is “Saint Augustine in His Study.” Carpaccio was a specialist in creating series of huge paintings designed to hang in seque...
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Vittore Carpaccio: Lion of St. Mark from 2022-12-03T19:53
We kick off Season 7’s spotlight on Renaissance artist Vittore Carpaccio with his majestic, “Lion of St. Mark.” This enormous painting announces Venice’s return t...
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Vittore Carpaccio: Renaissance Storyteller from 2022-11-28T18:19:52
Meet Vittore Carpaccio, a famous Renaissance artist you might never have heard of. He's the star of the National Gallery of Art’s exhibition, “Vittore Carpaccio: Master Storyteller of Renaissanc...
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Madonna and Child by Giotto from 2021-12-12T16:44:43
We’re going old school in this Christmas episode as we look at “Madonna and Child” by Giotto di Bondone, a guy who got so famous he goes by one name, Giotto! Kind...
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The Autumn Episode 2021 from 2021-10-03T15:52:42
Well, it’s fall, my favorite time of year! I decided to celebrate by pulling together three past episodes related to this beautiful season. We’ll revisit a stunning view of the Hudson River by J...
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Extended Ep: Woman with a Sunflower by Mary Cassatt from 2021-08-14T15:16:49
Woman with a Sunflower looks like one of Mary Cassatt’s charming domestic scenes. But when she painted this in 190...
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End of Season 6 from 2021-07-03T16:51:41
Well, I've wrapped up our virtual road trip! I hope you enjoyed exploring works at other fantastic museums around the country. They all have great online resources if you want to check do a deep...
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Vale of Kashmir from 2021-06-26T21:49:31
This final episode of our virtual museum road trip takes us to the Cleveland Museum of Art to see the dreamy Vale of Kashmir by Robert S. Duncanson.
We’ll find out how a self-tau...
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Grainstack: Sun in the Mist from 2021-05-26T16:49:35
Today’s episode takes us to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for a long look at Claude Monet.
We’ll find out how th...
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Allegory of Fortune from 2021-04-24T17:47:04
Isabella d'Este knew a thing or two about bad luck. A philandering husband who was out of town most of the time, the loss of three children, and oh yeah, running the government of Mantua while p...
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The Great Wave from 2021-04-10T19:30:07
In today’s episode, we travel to the Art Institute of Chicago for a long look at this iconic print by Japanese artist, Hokusai.
Adam and Eve from 2021-03-27T14:23:10
In today’s A Long Look, we’ll find out how German artist Albrecht Dürer pushed the limits of engraving by experimenting with tools used by armorers and g...
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The Apostle Judas Thaddeus from 2021-03-12T17:57:52
Talk about a bad rep. Poor Judas Thaddeus has had to contend with the shame of being confused with Judas Iscariot, the traitor who sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of...
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Season 6 Hits the Road from 2021-03-06T20:33:48
Season 6 is finally here but with a twist! We’ll start at the Gallery but then travel virtually to other museums with fantastic online offerings.
Exciting Changes Coming! from 2021-02-20T20:08:40
It's been a busy 2021 at A Long Look! I'll be launching a new site at its new home, alonglookpodcast.com. The new home page features a grid of the latest ep...
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The Christmas Episode from 2020-12-20T16:39:03
I wasn’t sure I wanted to celebrate Christmas after this dumpster fire of a year. But we’re starting to have some good news, so I’ve become cautiously optimistic.
But did I feel optimist...
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The Thanksgiving Episode from 2020-11-24T16:10:37
End of Season 5 from 2020-10-17T19:13:09
We’ve reached the end of Season 5 and as this unbelievable year comes to a close, I’ll be taking some time off to figure out what’s next for the show.
...
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Quarry by Edward Loper from 2020-10-03T19:00:27
Still Life by Margaret Burroughs from 2020-09-12T19:35:36
Margaret Taylor Burroughs was an author, painter, sculptor, printmaker, curator, museum director, activist, and teacher who left an amazing artistic and historic legacy in Chicago. In today’s ep...
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The Good Shepherd by Henry Ossawa Tanner from 2020-08-29T15:22:06
Henry Ossawa Tanner became one of America’s most famous Black artists by depicting dream-like Bible scenes like this one. Click Listen
Autumn Drama by Alma Thomas from 2020-08-15T14:49:17
Click here to view “Autumn Drama” on the Gallery’s site. Clicking the imag...
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Correcting the Canon: The Evans-Tibbs Collection from 2020-08-01T14:45:24
Welcome back to “A Long Look!” For the rest of the season, I’ll be presenting paintings from the Evans-Tibbs Collection, one of the most important collections of works by Black artists in Americ...
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The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew by Duccio di Buoninsegna from 2020-05-17T21:23
This colorful panel painting depicts an episode early in Jesus’s career–the moment he called Peter and his brother Andrew to join his ministry. It was part of an enormous altarpiece for the cath...
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River Landscape with Ferry by Salomon van Ruysdael from 2020-05-03T22:09:19
Salomon van Ruysdael absolutely nails the feeling of optimism, enjoyment, maybe even relief, as his fellow Dutch citizens ferry across a river on a soft spring evening. They’re setting out to ex...
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The Lackawanna Valley by George Inness from 2020-04-18T18:55:12
George Inness painted this scene of a train chugging through a bucolic landscape for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad to commemorate the opening of their big, new train roundhouse i...
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Season 5 Begins from 2020-04-17T21:42:20
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be to start another season of an arts podcast during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the incredibly creative work of so many museums, galleries an...
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End of Season 4 from 2020-03-06T14:33:14
The blossoms are starting to bloom, so “A Long Look” is going on spring break!
If you’ve been enjoying the show I’d really appreciate if you would spread the word! Personal recommendation...
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The Mother and Sister of the Artist by Berthe Morisot from 2020-02-24T18:46:04
When Berthe Morisot and her sister Edma wanted to learn how to paint, their parents willingly obliged. After all, that was part of an upper-class young woman’s education. But when their teacher ...
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Autumn – On the Hudson River by Jasper Cropsey from 2020-02-08T15:45:21
When Jasper Cropsey painted Autumn – On the Hudson River, he set out to create a breathtaking vista to promote the idea of American grandeur and vast potential. Like Listen
La Condition Humaine by René Magritte from 2020-01-25T16:54:18
Rene Magritte is one of the best known Surrealist painters and loved turning expectations on their heads. Which could explain A LOT about some of the more unsavory parts of his life!
And ...
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The Annunciation by Masolino da Panicale from 2019-12-20T17:33:18
It’s Christmas and that means it’s time to look at another of the Gallery’s gorgeous Annunciation paintings. The elaborate inlay work decorating almost every square inch of this Renaissance roo...
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The Dancing Couple by Jan Steen from 2019-12-07T16:10:55
I realized I’ve been talking a lot lately about pure and pious saints. So, it’s time to lighten up by hanging out with people who know how to party–the Dutch! Scenes like this of a large group d...
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Breezing Up (A Fair Wind) by Winslow Homer from 2019-11-23T14:00:54
Breezing Up was a huge hit when Homer exhibited it during the American centennial, 1876. Viewers loved the optimism he conveyed in this scene of a trio of boys and their old skipper spe...
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Her Appeal to the Dauphin by Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel from 2019-11-09T13:57:38
A young person kneels before a crowd of one-percenters in this kaleidoscopic medieval scene. Meet Joan of Arc, one very tough teen. She’s here to convince the exiled French court that she can sa...
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Saint George and the Dragon by Sodoma from 2019-10-26T17:00:06
Slaying dragons and rescuing damsels–all in a day’s work for St. George of Cappadocia. We get his story from The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine, the same place I found the story o...
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Season 4 Update from 2019-10-24T20:30:08
Excited for Season 4 to get started! We’ll be looking at one big favorite and a couple of hidden gems. Plus one artist I’d never even heard of!
A Long Look is now available on all podcast...
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End of Season 3 from 2019-08-10T15:26:56
We’ve reached the end of Season 3! Thanks to all you returning listeners and welcome to our new audience members. If you’ve been enjoying the show, you can show your appreciation by subscribing ...
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The Martyrdom and Last Communion of St. Lucy by Veronese from 2019-08-04T20:25:05
This dramatic scene was painted by Paolo Veronese during the Counter-Reformation. The Church, reeling from years of corruption and the rise of Protestantism, relied on works like these to promot...
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Farmhouse in Provence by Vincent van Gogh from 2019-07-20T15:36:51
This deceptively peaceful summer landscape actually bristles with energy! Van Gogh painted this in Arles, in the south of France where he tried to escape modern life and re-discover a simpler, b...
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Improvisation 31 (Sea Battle) by Wassily Kandinsky from 2019-07-06T15:21:40
Today’s painting was a real challenge to describe! It’s by Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian artist who was one of the pioneers of abstract art. We’ll find out how the Apocalypse, Monet, Matisse and ...
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Little Dancer Aged Fourteen by Edgar Degas from 2019-06-26T15:23:19
Degas broke the rules with his innovative sculpture of Marie van Goethem, a young ballet student at the Paris Opera. We’ll find out where she came from and the not-so-glamorous life of a balleri...
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The Conversion of Saint Paul by Jacopo Tintoretto from 2019-06-07T20:24:43
Saul of Tarsus is having a very bad day at work. We’ll find out what (or who) is causing all the chaos he encounters on the road and how picking a fight with the wrong guy led Saul into an unexp...
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A Pastoral Visit by Richard Norris Brooke from 2019-05-11T16:39:10
In the late 1800s, it was common for families to have their pastor over for Sunday dinner. That’s what Richard Norris Brooke is depicting in this cozy domestic scene.
We’ll find out what ...
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Wivenhoe Park, Essex by John Constable from 2019-04-27T16:27:57
John Constable painted this bucolic landscape for Major General Francis Slater–Rebow but it’s not what it appears to be! We’ll talk about the headaches caused by an overeager client and what one...
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Cape Cod Evening by Edward Hopper from 2019-04-13T15:17:17
Edward Hopper was famous for his ambiguous paintings and “Cape Cod Evening” is no exception. We’ll find out the possible pop culture influence for the scene and how dumb luck can play a big role...
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Portrait of Madame du Barry by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun from 2019-03-31T16:37:12
In a complete 180 from the spiritual contemplation of our last episode, today we’re looking at the port...
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Woman Holding a Balance by Johannes Vermeer from 2019-03-19T20:20:44
Welcome back for Season 3! We’re starting with one of Vermeer's gorgeous, mysterious paintings. We’ll discover the layers of meaning in this simple domestic scene, what’s in the balance and just...
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Season 3 Update from 2019-03-08T21:24:44
I just wanted to let you know I’m hard at work on Season 3! We’re going to start off with another Gallery favorite, this time by Vermeer.
The new season starts soon, and in the spirit of ...
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End of Season 2 from 2018-12-19T19:07:13
We’ve reached the end of Season 2! Thanks to everyone who came back and all the new listeners and subscribers who joined us. I appreciate your support!
I’ll be taking some time off for th...
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The Adoration of the Shepherds by Giorgione from 2018-12-15T20:43:50
The Gallery calls Giorgione “one of the most mysterious artists in the history of art.” We’ll talk about his innovative landscape style and where he got the idea for this gorgeous and unusual de...
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The Skater (Portrait of William Grant) by Gilbert Stuart from 2018-11-30T17:39:36
This full-length portrait of Scottish lawyer William Grant was Stuart’s first but already he was innovating. We’ll find out how a cold day in the studio led to this creative variation on a stand...
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Place du Carrousel by Camille Pissarro from 2018-11-18T19:05:14
Camille Pissarro was an Impressionist painter who created this sun-drenched view of a famous park in 1900. We’ll find out where this lovely scene takes place and how and why just 5 small strokes...
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Daniel in the Lions’ Den by Sir Peter Paul Rubens from 2018-11-06T19:43:55
A big naked guy is shown sitting around with a bunch of lions in Rubens' over-the-top painting. Meet Daniel, a favorite counselor to the Persian king Darius. Daniel has made some powerful enemie...
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Ghost by Rachel Whiteread from 2018-10-21T17:05:38
“Ghost,” the ambitious sculpture by Rachel Whiteread tells a story of family, memory, impending loss and survival.
We’ll find out the mind-blowing idea behind it, the tenacity of a young ...
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The Nativity of the Virgin – Andrea di Bartolo from 2018-10-06T19:20:48
Just like the Annunciation I talked about a while ago, there’s a lot going on in this scene portraying the birth of the Vir...
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Nonchaloir (Repose) – John Singer Sargent from 2018-09-21T19:52:53
John Singer Sargent was famous for his high society portraits set in elegant rooms like this. Find out why he gave up what he called “a pimp’s profession” and began painting just for his own ple...
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River Landscape with Cows – Aelbert Cuyp from 2018-09-01T13:36:33
This evening scene celebrates the peace and prosperity the Dutch were finally enjoying after 80 years of war with Spain. But don’t be fooled by its bucolic vibe. The backstory of its ownership i...
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The Return of the Prodigal Son – Bartolomé Esteban Murillo from 2018-08-18T13:35:57
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's enormous, dramatic painting focuses on the emotional homecoming in the Biblical story of “The Prodigal Son” in which youth and money make a bad combination.
M...
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Portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci by Leonardo da Vinci from 2018-08-03T18:21:26
Welcome back for Season 2! I’m starting off with one of the Gallery’s greatest hits, the portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci by Leonardo da Vinci. It’s the only painting by Leonardo in America!
Hiatus Update from Karen from 2018-07-14T19:07:09
Hey everybody, I just wanted to let you know I’m hard at work on Season 2! We’re going to start off with one of the Gallery’s greatest hits, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in America. Listen
12 End of Season 1 from 2018-04-21T14:18:48
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11 Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight – Turner from 2018-04-14T19:38:09
Joseph Mallord William Turner was quite a painter and quite a character. He’s described as vulgar, uncouth, unsophisticated and cheap. And yet, he became one of England’s most beloved artists th...
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10 Slow Art Day is Here (Almost)! from 2018-04-12T20:36:31
Hi everybody!
Just wanted to remind you all that Slow Art Day is this Saturday, April 14!
If you’ve been listening to the show, you know that Americans on average, spend about six ...
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09 Doylestown House-The Stove – Sheeler from 2018-03-25T15:36:56
This gelatin silver print by American artist Charles Sheeler is one of several images he created while experimenting with the modernist ideas he’d discovered in the breakthrough work of artists ...
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08 Skiffs – Caillebotte from 2018-03-10T15:30:51
This sunny, warm painting is a welcome relief in this miserable March. ”Skiffs” is one in a series of young men boating by Gustave Caillebotte who was a lesser known Impressionist painter until ...
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07 Judith Leyster Self-Portrait from 2018-02-19T16:36:08
This warm and welcoming self-portrait by Dutch master Judith Leyster is a gallery favorite. Join me while I talk about how this remarkable woman accomplished what few women artists did in her ti...
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06 The Railway – Manet from 2018-02-05T20:48:23
Today, I’ll be looking at “The Railway” by Édouard Manet. This enigmatic painting has fascinated viewers since its creation in 1873. Set in a rapidly modernizing Paris, the work raised loads of ...
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05 Blue Morning – Bellows from 2018-01-20T19:00:55
Today, I’ll be looking at “Blue Morning” by George Bellows. Bellows lived and worked in New York at the turn of the 20th century and studied under artist Robert Henri (pronounced Hen-rye). His c...
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04 The Annunciation – Van Eyck from 2018-01-06T20:52:27
In this belated holiday episode, I’ll be looking at another favorite of mine, “The Annunciation,” by Jan Van Eyck. This complicated and fascinating painting illustrates the Biblical story of the...
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03 The Boating Party – Cassatt from 2017-12-25T17:35:23
Today, I’ll be looking at Mary Cassatt’s “The Boating Party.” This large painting represents a big break in style for Cassatt. She was one of the few American Impressionists in Paris as well as ...
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02 Young Girl Reading – Fragonard from 2017-12-09T18:39:02
Today, I take a long look at Jean Honoré Fragonard’s “Young Girl Reading,” part of his famous series of “Fantasy Figures.” Or is she?
Join me while we find out and explore the mystery of ...
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01 The Mill – Rembrandt from 2017-12-09T18:38:21
In this episode, I’ll be looking at Rembrandt’s “The Mill,” a long time favorite of mine. You can find a larger version on the Listen