Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages

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...

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...

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. Kngw...

Wayne Thiebaud is known for his paintings of everyday objects. Born in 1920, Thiebaud's early experiences as a sign painter and an apprentice animator at Walt Disney Studios shaped his understanding of visual communication and iconic forms. Though often associated with the Pop Art movement of the 1960s, Thiebaud’s approach was distinct. While artists like ⁠Andy Warhol⁠ embraced mechanical reproduction, Thiebaud celebrated the painter's touch, using thick impasto, brilliant colors, and strong shadows to bring his subjects to life. His signature works feature commonplace items, particularly diner foods like pies, cakes, and gumballs, transforming them into objects of formal study...

The Ardabil Carpet, a masterpiece of 16th-century Persian weaving, represents a pinnacle of Safavid art. Though associated with Ardabil, scholars suggest it may have been woven in Kashan, a prominent center for carpet production during that era. Commissioned during the reign of Shah Tahmasp I (1501-1736 CE) for the Shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili, this monumental wool pile carpet on a silk foundation measures an impressive 34 feet 6 inches by 17 feet 5 inches and boasts over 25 million knots. The carpet's intricate design features a central medallion surrounded by elaborate floral motifs, scrolling vines, and arabesques, reminiscent of a...

Wifredo Lam was a visionary artist whose work seamlessly blended the diverse influences of his multicultural heritage with the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century. Born in 1902 in Sagua la Grande, Cuba, Lam was the son of a Chinese immigrant father and a mother of mixed African and Spanish descent. This rich cultural tapestry, combined with his early exposure to Santería through his grandmother, deeply informed his artistic vision. Lam’s journey took him from the traditional art academies of Havana and Madrid to the heart of the surrealist and cubist movements in Paris, where he formed a p...

Constantin Brâncuși was a Romanian sculptor who made a significant impact on modern art through his abstract sculptures. His passion and dedication to art is legendary. In the autumn of 1903, he began a months-long walk from Bucharest to Paris, where he sought to immerse himself in the avant-garde art scene. Brâncuși's work, characterized by simplified forms and a focus on the essence of his subjects, often sparked controversy, as seen with his Bird in Space sculpture, which was challenged by U.S. customs officials who didn't recognize it as art. This led to a landmark court...

Amedeo Modigliani, a rebellious Italian painter, left a lasting mark on the art world with his distinctive style and captivating portraits. Born in Livorno in 1884, his early life was marked by illness and a dramatic incident that saved his family from financial ruin. Modigliani's art, influenced by diverse sources like Cezanne, Brancusi, and African sculpture, is characterized by elongated figures, long necks, and almond-shaped eyes. He moved to Paris in 1906, where he became a part of the bohemian art scene, despite struggling with poverty and rejection. His first solo exhibition in 1917 caused a scandal due to its nude paintings...

Today's mini-episode is rebroadcast of one of my favorites, Auguste Rodin and his sculpture of The Burghers of Calais. The story behind the piece is an inspiring tale that defines courage. During the Hundred Years' War, the English had the city of Calais surrounded. As the days went on and the French army was unable to break the siege, the townspeople were forced to begin negotiating terms of surrender. They were told the town would be spared if 6 burghers (a burgher was a title, so these were the town leaders) would sacrifice themselves. Six men stepped up. While they...

In December 1894, Alphonse Mucha just happened to be in the print shop checking some proofs for a friend, when in walked an actress, Sarah Bernhardt in need of posters for her upcoming play. All of the regular artists she worked with were off for the holidays leaving Mucha as her only option. It was a tremendous stroke of luck for both of them as Mucha created a stunning poster that not only flattered the actress, it caught the attention of collectors all around Paris. People were cutting the posters off of displays and bribing the poster hangers so they...

Pioneering 19th-century photographer Eadweard Muybridge is celebrated for his groundbreaking work in capturing movement, which laid the foundation for modern cinema. After immigrating to the United States and gaining fame for his stunning landscape photographs of the American West, his career took a decisive turn in 1872. Muybridge was commissioned by railroad tycoon and former California governor Leland Stanford to settle a popular debate and a significant wager of $25,000. Stanford had bet that all four of a horse's hooves leave the ground at once during a gallop. This question pushed the limits of early photographic technology and set Muybridge on...

The Bay was painted in 1963 as Frankenthaler had refined her soak and stain process. While Mountains and Sea was made with diluted oil paints, The Bay is acrylic on unprimed canvas. She had found that using acrylics gave her greater control over the viscosity or how fluid the paint was. As I look at The Bay, the title indicates a landscape and the brightness, the organic shapes of blue and green give me a sense of a Bay, but it feels like it is more about a happy, contented sort of tone. There is movement, but it seems gentle...

From humble beginnings in Recife, Brazil, to international acclaim in Miami, Florida, Romero Britto has redefined the boundaries of contemporary pop art. Born in 1963, Britto developed a signature style known as Neo-pop Cubism, blending the fractured geometric perspectives of Picasso with the vibrant, saturated color palettes of Matisse. His career launched into the stratosphere in 1989 following a collaboration with Absolut Vodka, placing him in the company of icons like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Beyond the gallery, Britto has democratized art through extensive licensing and philanthropy, serving on the boards of organizations like Best Buddies International. A closer look...

Saloua Raouda Choucair was a pioneer of abstract art born in Beirut in 1916. Despite initial discouragement, she pursued her passion for art, studying in Paris and developing a unique style that blended Western modernism with Islamic artistic traditions. Her work, characterized by geometric forms and a sense of dynamic movement, explored the underlying structures of existence and the concept of infinity. Choucair's art was often met with confusion and misunderstanding, and she faced numerous challenges throughout her career. However, she remained committed to her vision and continued to create art that pushed boundaries. Late in her life, she finally...

Ibrahim El-Salahi is a pivotal figure in Sudanese and African modernism. Born in 1930 in Omdurman, Sudan, El-salahi's artistic journey began with the study of calligraphy under his father. After formal art training in Khartoum and at London's Slade School of Fine Art, he developed a unique visual language that blended Western modernist styles like Cubism and Surrealism with his Islamic and African heritage. This innovative approach, which often incorporated calligraphic forms and earthy tones inspired by the Sudanese landscape, was central to the modernist art movement known as the Khartoum School. His wrongful imprisonment in 1975 profoundly influenced his work...

Marc Chagall (born Moishe Shagal, 1887-1985) was a prominent Russian-French modern artist whose life spanned nearly a century of dramatic historical change. Originating from a Hasidic Jewish community near Vitebsk, Russian Empire (now Belarus), Chagall pursued art studies in St. Petersburg before immersing himself in the Paris art scene from 1911-1914. There, he absorbed influences from Cubism and Fauvism, blending them with his unique heritage of Russian folklore and personal memories to forge his signature dreamlike style. Trapped in Russia by World War I, he married his muse, Bella Rosenfeld, and briefly served as Commissar of Arts in Vitebsk...

Henri Matisse was born in Northern France on December 31, 1869. His father was a successful grain merchant. In 1887, Henri was well on his way to a successful, respectable career when he went to Paris. He was going to study law, and was working in that arena for a while then at age 20, he had appendicitis. His mom gave him a paint set so he could have something to do while he recovered, and he decided to become an artist. Links: ⁠Katsushika Hokusai⁠ ⁠Vincent van Gogh⁠ ⁠Henri de Toulouse Lautrec⁠ ⁠JMW Turner⁠ <p...

Today, Renoir is remembered as one of the greatest painters of the Impressionist movement. His paintings are soft and delicate, but his life and his work was a painful struggle. Most painters pride themselves on their ability to work with their hands. They spend years practicing, developing fine motor skills and muscle memory to easily render a beautiful image, but Renoir’s hands weren’t on board with the plan. As his son Jean recounted “Visitors who were unprepared for this could not take their eyes off his deformity. Though they did not dare to mention it, their reaction would b...

Ansel Adams (1902-1984) was an iconic American photographer renowned for his dramatic black and white landscapes, particularly of Yosemite National Park. His distinctive style, characterized by sharp focus, expansive tonal range, and masterful composition, was shaped by his early passion for music, his deep connection with nature, and his innovative approach to photography. Adams co-founded Group f/64, advocating for "straight photography," and developed the Zone System, a precise technique for controlling exposure and development. His most famous works, like "Monolith, the Face of Half Dome," showcase his technical skill and artistic vision, capturing the grandeur of the American West...

El Anatsui is a leading contemporary sculptor born in 1944 in Anyako, Ghana. Trained at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Anatsui’s early education was heavily influenced by Western art traditions, which often neglected the rich artistic heritage of West Africa. After relocating to Nigeria in 1975 to teach at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, he joined the Nsukka group, a collective dedicated to reviving traditional practices like Uli—an Igbo art form characterized by fluid linear drawings. This shift marked the beginning of his lifelong endeavor to blend traditional African motifs with contemporary sculptural techniques. Anat...