Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages
Who Arted is art history and art education for everyone. While most art history podcasts focus on the traditional "fine art" we see in museums around the world, Who ARTed celebrates art in all of its forms and in terms anyone can understand. Each episode tells the story of a different artist and artwork including the traditional big names like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol along with lesser-known artists working in such diverse media as video game design, dance, the culinary arts, and more. Who Arted is written and produced by an art teacher with the goal of creating a classroom resource that makes art history fun and accessible to everyone. Whether you are cramming for your AP Art History exam, trying to learn a few facts so you can sound smart at fashionable dinner parties, or just looking to hear something with a more positive tone, we’ve got you covered with episodes every Monday and Friday.
Episodes
July 11, 2025 • 10 mins
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...
Mark as Played
July 7, 2025 • 49 mins
Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun is best known as Marie Antoinette's favorite portrait painter. In this episode, I spoke with Judith Lissauer Cromwell, author of a new biography of Vigée Le Brun.
Louise-Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun first studied art with her father. Sadly, he passed away while Vigée Le Brun was just a child. Her mother helped her to gain access to artworks, to gain inspiration and continue developing her talent. By the...
Mark as Played
July 4, 2025 • 19 mins
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 ...
Mark as Played
June 30, 2025 • 15 mins
Hieronymus Bosch was a 15th-century Dutch painter whose fantastical and often unsettling works continue to captivate viewers today. His most famous painting, "The Garden of Earthly Delights," is a triptych that depicts a complex narrative of creation, temptation, sin, and damnation. Bosch's unique visual vocabulary, drawn from religious iconography, folklore, alchemy, and contemporary social mores, challenged the established norms ...
Mark as Played
June 27, 2025 • 8 mins
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...
Mark as Played
June 23, 2025 • 16 mins
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was a prominent figure in the Aesthetic Movement focusing on "Art for art's sake." One of Whistler's most renowned works is "Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1," widely known as "Whistler's Mother," painted in 1871. This oil on canvas depicts his mother, Anna McNeill Whistler, seated in profile. Despite Whistler's insistence that the painting be appreciated for its formal qualities, its subtle harmoni...
Mark as Played
June 20, 2025 • 16 mins
Francisco Goya (1746-1828) is one of Spain's most important and complex artists. His career bridged the gap between the Old Masters and the modern era. He found success as a court painter for the Spanish monarchy, creating bright, lively tapestry designs for the royal palaces. However, a devastating illness in 1792 that left him completely deaf marked a profound turning point. His art took on a darker, more critical tone, evident i...
Mark as Played
June 16, 2025 • 57 mins
My guest this week is B.A. Shapiro, author of a new historical fiction book, The Lost Masterpiece. Her book focuses on Berthe Morisot and the French Impressionists. In this interview, we dicussed some the things Shapiro learned through her exhaustive research into Morisot and other artists who appear in her book.
Images discussed in the episode:
Two Sisters on a Couch
The Mother and Sister of the Artist
Find The Lost Masterp...
Mark as Played
June 13, 2025 • 15 mins
Today I wanted to share an episode of Culture Kids. Culture Kids is a great podcast for kids and families to enjoy learning about the world. It was a privilege to be a guest on their show talking about art and the moon. If you enjoy the episode, be sure to follow Culture Kids wherever you are listening.
Check out my other podcasts Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab
Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If...
Mark as Played
June 9, 2025 • 16 mins
Édouard Manet, born in Paris in 1832, defied his privileged upbringing to pursue art, despite initial family opposition. Studying under Thomas Couture, Manet diverged from academic traditions, favoring scenes of modern Parisian life. His controversial works, such as Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe and Olympia, challenged artistic and social norms by depicting contemporary figures in realistic settings, notably nudes without mythological co...
Mark as Played
June 6, 2025 • 8 mins
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) stands as a titan in the realm of Japanese woodblock prints of the ukiyo-e period. His tranquil landscapes, meticulously detailed cityscapes, and captivating depictions of flora and fauna continue to resonate with viewers centuries after their creation. Hiroshige's life, however, was far from a serene stroll through the picturesque scenes he immortalized. Born into a humble background and navigating a ...
Mark as Played
June 2, 2025 • 13 mins
Alberto Giacometti (1901–1966) was a significant 20th-century artist known for his elongated, attenuated sculptures that often embody post-war existential themes. Born in Switzerland, he was influenced by his artist father and later by Renaissance, Egyptian, and African art. He moved to Paris, studied sculpture, and was briefly involved with the Surrealists before breaking away to focus on working from live models. Giacometti's int...
Mark as Played
May 30, 2025 • 9 mins
Today I thought it would be fun to switch things up a little bit. Instead of focusing on just one artist and artwork, I’ve got 5 artists who work with food in ways most people would never consider. Jason Mecier creates mosaic portraits of celebrities using their favorite snacks, vices, and trash, making him a prominent figure in "junk art." Vik Muniz recreates famous paintings on a large scale using discarded materials, including g...
Mark as Played
May 26, 2025 • 12 mins
Charles and Ray Eames were an iconic husband-and-wife design team who became leaders of the Mid-Century Modern movement. Their partnership began at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, merging Charles's architectural and structural background with Ray's keen artistic eye for color and form. A critical development in their career was perfecting a method for molding plywood into complex shapes, a technique they developed while making leg sp...
Mark as Played
May 23, 2025 • 11 mins
Petra, the ancient city carved into the sandstone cliffs of Jordan, is a testament to the ingenuity and artistry of the Nabataean civilization. Established in the 4th century BC, Petra's strategic location along trade routes fueled its prosperity. The Nabataeans carved impressive structures like the Treasury and the Monastery directly into the rock face using chisels, hammers, and picks. The city's architecture reflects a blend of ...
Mark as Played
May 19, 2025 • 9 mins
Mariko Mori, born in Tokyo in 1967, is a Japanese artist whose work blends traditional Buddhist iconography with futuristic digital art. With a background influenced by her father's inventiveness and her mother's art history knowledge, Mori initially studied fashion design before pursuing visual arts in London and New York. Her early pieces featured herself in elaborate costumes, exploring identity and technology. Mori's notable wo...
Mark as Played
May 16, 2025 • 20 mins
Sandro Botticelli, born Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, was a renowned Florentine painter during the Renaissance. By the 1470s, Botticelli established his own workshop and gained recognition for his unique style. He received commissions from wealthy patrons, including the powerful Medici family. For the Medici, Botticelli painted portraits and created allegorical and mythological works that showcased his mastery of line, c...
Mark as Played
May 12, 2025 • 41 mins
My guest this week is Michelle Young, author of The Art Spy. During WWII, French museum curator Rose Valland risked her life to sabotage the Nazi art theft machine, secretly documenting their plunder and saving countless masterpieces. The book is thoroughly researched to not only verify the facts of Valland's work preserving art, but also to gain insights into Valland as a human being. In our interview, Young shared some of her ins...
Mark as Played
May 9, 2025 • 5 mins
In 2009, a television presenter from the BBC, a guy by the name of James May, gathered about 2,000 volunteers and approximately 3.2 million bricks donated by LEGO to create a two-story house out of Legos. He created this for a series called James May's Toy Stories. The house even went so far as it had working plumbing, like it had a working shower and toilet all made of LEGO. May actually spent the night in his LEGO house and he ...
Mark as Played
May 5, 2025 • 48 mins
Jessica Poundstone is the author of Museum of Dogs: a Romp through Art History for Dog People. As the name suggests, it is a light and fun look at dogs as portrayed by various artists throughout time and across cultures. In this episode, we discussed dogs in art history and mentioned several artists including Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Berthe Morisot, and Diego Velázquez. In the second segment...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.