Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages

In this episode, I was thrilled to be joind once again by Tim Bogatz, host of Art Ed Radio from The Art of Education University. Writing for The Art of Ed was one of my career and if you want to find my articles, here is a link: https://theartofeducation.edu/author/kylewood/ and fellow art teachers, join Tim, me and thousands of other art teachers on the AOE Community

Jacques-Louis David was a foundational figure of the Neoclassical movement, marking a significant departure from the ornate and frivolous Rococo style that dominated 18th-century France. His artistic journey was characterized by a push toward visual languages inspired by the austerity and perceived virtues of Ancient Rome and Greece. David’s personal history was as turbulent as the era he lived in; raised by uncles who were successful architects after his father was killed in a duel, he faced early professional rejection, failing the Prix de Rome several times before finally succeeding in 1774. His radical political involvement during the French Revolution, including his vote to execute Louis XVI and his later role as an artistic authority under Napoleon, deeply influenced his approach to art as a medium for moral and political communication.

At the center of David’s portfolio is his 1784 masterpiece, The Oath of the Horatii, a work that exemplifies the Neoclassical ideal of placing patriotism and civic duty above personal or familial ties. The painting depicts a legendary conflict between Rome and the city of Alba Longa, where three brothers from the Horatius family swear an oath to their father to fight to the death for their city. David’s composition utilizes a stark, triptych-like structure created by architectural arches that divide the scene into three distinct groups: the brothers swearing the oath, the father holding the swords, and the grieving women—some of whom are tied by marriage to the opposing side. The work is noted for its dramatic use of linear perspective, a dark, simple background, and a sharp contrast between the rigid, angular forms of the men and the soft, organic curves of the distressed women. Originally commissioned under the king, the painting was eventually adopted as a powerful piece of propaganda by revolutionaries, cementing its status as a landmark of Western art history.

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When you think of bold and revolutionary modern artists from the 20th century, you probably don't think of a grandmother laying across her living room floor painting, but maybe you should. Janet Sobel was a Ukrainian American painter who was dripping paint across the canvas long before Jackson Pollock "invented" the technique.

Other artists mentioned in this episode:

⁠Jackson Pollock⁠

⁠Alexander Calder⁠

⁠Norman Rockwell⁠

⁠Roy Lichtenstein⁠

⁠Georgia O'Keeffe

This is an encore presentation. Every January/February, I release daily episodes to refresh everyone's memory on the 64 artists and artworks that will be included in my Arts Madness Tournament held in March. While most of these daily episodes will be reruns, I will continue publishing new episodes on Mondays. 

Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The brilliance of Edward Hopper is that he was able to be simultaneously specific and concrete yet vague and leave a lot up to the viewer to interpret. In a painting like Nighthawks we see people gathered in a diner, but as viewers we are stuck on the outside looking in. We feel isolated and apart from the scene and as we look closer, we discover that the people inside the diner are isolated themselves. It is not a group of four inside the space but rather a collection of four individuals.

My guest for this episode was Julie Averbach, the founder of ⁠smARTee⁠, a non-profit that helps people feel connected and continue their lifelong learning via free virtual museum tours. She is also the author of the upcoming book, The Art of Trader Joe's (⁠https://theartoftraderjoes.com⁠) which helps readers appreciate the subtle brilliance of the grocery chain. ⁠Buy the book on Amazon⁠ or at your local bookstore.

This is an encore presentation. Every January/February, I release daily episodes to refresh everyone's memory on the 64 artists and artworks that will be included in my Arts Madness Tournament held in March. While most of these daily episodes will be reruns, I will continue publishing new episodes on Mondays. 

Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

American artist Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) was a leading figure of the Regionalist movement, known for his dynamic depictions of American life, labor, and landscapes. Born into a politically prominent Missouri family, Benton initially pursued art against his father's wishes, studying at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and later in Paris, where he engaged with avant-garde movements like Cubism and Synchromism. However, he eventually rejected European modernism, advocating for a distinctly American art form that captured the realities of the nation. His signature "muscular realism" is characterized by swirling forms and vibrant colors, often seen in his prolific murals in public buildings such as the Missouri State Capitol.

Benton's monumental mural cycle, ⁠America Today⁠, completed in 1931, stands as a prime example of American Regionalism. Executed in egg tempera on linen, these ten panels offer a panoramic view of American life during the Great Depression, featuring scenes of bustling cities, industrial activity, and rural labor. The mural, originally commissioned by The New School for Social Research, showcases figures like steelworkers, farmers, and jazz musicians, with Benton subtly including himself and his family within the work. America Today is a powerful visual narrative that celebrates the resilience of ordinary Americans and critiques the challenges of the era, solidifying Benton's legacy as a chronicler of American history and culture. The mural is now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Check out my other podcasts ⁠ Fun Facts Daily⁠⁠ | Art Smart⁠ |⁠ Rainbow Puppy Science Lab⁠

Who ARTed is an⁠ Airwave Media⁠ Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: ⁠[email protected]
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Kame Kngwarreye was born around 1910, a time when the Aboriginal people were not considered full citizens in their own country. Earth’s Creation is an absolutely massive painting about 9 feet tall and 20 feet wide. She painted it in 1994 when she was around 84 years old. Most biographies will say that she only painted for the last 8 years of her life, but really, she was only painting for Western audiences for that period. She spent her life learning, practicing, and creating in line with the Aboriginal customs.

Earth’s Creation is an absolutely massive piece she created in 1994. Kngwarreye was about 84 years old when she painted it. It shows an evolution in her style from the more earth toned traditional pieces she painted as she first began to work on canvas. In this piece we see rich blues, yellows, and greens referencing the lush “green times” that follow periods of heavy rain. She was moving beyond the clay and ochre pigments but still creating work deeply rooted in her connection to the land and nature. This painting is about 9 feet tall and 20 feet wide and when it went up for auction in 2007, it sold for an equally large price of just over $1 million. It set a record for the highest price of a work by an aboriginal artist and the highest price for an Australian female painter. A decade later it sold for over $2 million once again setting the record for the highest price by an Australian female painter.

This is an encore presentation. Every January/February, I release daily episodes to refresh everyone's memory on the 64 artists and artworks that will be included in my Arts Madness Tournament held in March. While most of these daily episodes will be reruns, I will continue publishing new episodes on Mondays. 

Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices