Andrea di Bartolo (Sienese, active from 1389 – died 1428), The Nativity of the Virgin, c. 1400/1405, tempera on poplar panel, Samuel H. Kress Collection 1939.1.42
Just like the Annunciation I talked about a while ago, there’s a lot going on in this scene portraying the birth of the Virgin Mary. This stunning panel is one of a trio showing events from the lives of Anna and Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary. We’ll find out the surprising way their struggle with infertility ended and how di Bartolo used small touches to turn this religious scene into something wonderfully warm and very human.
And there’s a mystery here! The catalog says this was very likely part of a large altarpiece and that several panels are missing! Click here to see what it might have looked like.
Also check out this video to see how these kinds of panels were created and how artists painted with gold!
John Singer Sargent, Nonchaloir (Repose), American, 1856 – 1925, 1911, oil on canvas, Gift of Curt H. Reisinger
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 pleasure, doing landscapes and scenes of his family. His niece Rose-Marie, pictured here, became one of his favorite subjects.
Painted just before World War I, we also find out what happened to them after this peaceful afternoon.
Aelbert Cuyp (Dutch, 1620 – 1691), River Landscape with Cows, 1645/1650, oil on panel, Gift of Family Petschek (Aussig) 1986.70.1
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 is something straight out of Indiana Jones.
We’ll find out why the cow is a Dutch icon and the clever way one family screwed with the Nazis to keep this out of their hands.
River Landscape with Cows information Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., “Aelbert Cuyp/River Landscape with Cows/1645/1650,”Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century, NGA Online Editions (accessed August 27, 2018).
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (Spanish, 1617 – 1682 ), The Return of the Prodigal Son, 1667/1670, oil on canvas, Gift of the Avalon Foundation 1948.12.1
This enormous, dramatic painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo focuses on the emotional homecoming in the Biblical story of “The Prodigal Son” in which youth and money make a bad combination.
Murillo painted this as one of eight paintings for a charitable hospital in Seville and we’ll find how the king of Spain’s top official tried to “borrow” it to place in a royal museum. We’ll also discover its connection to Napoleon Bonaparte and a guy nicknamed “Joey Bottles.”
Leonardo da Vinci (Florentine, 1452 – 1519), Ginevra de’ Benci [obverse], c. 1474/1478, oil on panel, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund 1967.6.1.a
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!
We’ll explore this unusual two-sided work, find out the story behind the strange combination of plants on the back and even learn a little Latin. I’ll also tell you where you can find Leonardo’s fingerprint!
Leonardo da Vinci (Florentine, 1452 – 1519), Wreath of Laurel, Palm, and Juniper with a Scroll inscribed Virtutem Forma Decorat [reverse], c. 1474/1478, tempera on panel, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund 1967.6.1.b
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.
The new season will start in August, so you can listen at the beach, at the pool or that great waterfront bar you like so much! And don’t forget to download episodes to your device so you can listen in the air, on the train or on the road.
In the meantime, check out any episodes you might’ve missed and if you’re in DC go visit the Gallery! They have a lot of great exhibits and there’s an Ingmar Bergman film program running through Sept. 3. You can find more info at www.nga.gov.
So we’ve reached the end of Season 1! The show will go on hiatus while I review, assess and prep for Season 2. I hope you’ve been enjoying the show and maybe even tried some long looking yourself.
Thanks to all of you who’ve taken time to listen and subscribe, I appreciate your support. I’ll be posting updates here, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, you can catch up on any episodes you missed and maybe even go visit the Gallery! They have a lot of great exhibits going on as well as their wonderful permanent collection.
Joseph Mallord William Turner (British, 1775 – 1851), Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight, 1835, oil on canvas, Widener Collection 1942.9.86
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 through his groundbreaking vision and skill.
We’ll see how his interest in the Industrial Revolution and love of the natural world come together in this dazzling image and take a look at how he created something so gorgeous yet ominous.
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 to 10 seconds looking at works of art in museums and the slow art movement encourages people to slow down and spend more time with a work of art. So, let’s change that statistic! Go visit your favorite museum or gallery and take a long look. You can find participating locations at www.slowartday.com.
Let us know in the comments what you discover and what your experience was like!
