Episode 100: Our Favorite and Least Favorite Pieces of Art

This is our 100th episode!  It is an exciting milestone for us and we want to thank all of our listeners for sharing this journey with us!  We also want to thank all of our alumni whose work in the podcast over the years we treasure!  We have included messages from some of them in this episode.  We miss you Marie, Kenna, Mary, Megan, Chloe, Zach, and Lauren!

In this episode we each chose an example of our most favorite and our least favorite artists or pieces of art and had a bit of a smackdown!   As we discuss art together, we often find that we have such differing opinions.  Yet none of them are wrong because there is no universally agreed upon example of "best" or "worst" art. What we gain from our debates is a better understanding and greater appreciation for artists and their creations. 



Alisha's Picks
Love:  Winged Victory, or Nike of Samothrace, Unknown Greek artist, c.200-190 BCE
Hate:  Russian Suprematism-- ie:  Red Square by Kazimir Malevich, 1913

Carolyne's Picks
Love:  Apollo & Daphne by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1622-1625
Hate:  Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1517

Jo's Picks
Love:  The Slave Ship by J.M.W. Turner, 1840
Hate:  Dada-- ie: Fountain by Marcel Duchamp, 1917

Carrie's Picks:
Love:  Antoni Gaudi-- ie: Casa Batllo, 1877
Hate:  Willem de Kooning-- ie: Woman V, 1952-1953

Julia's Picks
Love:  Red Room by Henri Matisse, 1908
Hate:  Street, Dresden by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, 1908

Thank you for listening today, we hope you enjoyed our 100th Episode! Next week we have a special guest host, Assistant Professor Courtney Davis talking with Julia about the famous French Neoclassical painter David.

Have a great week!

Episode 91: Great Artist Rivalries

Some of the most well known artists through out history did their best work while trying to beat out their rival. In this weeks episode Jo and Lauren discuss Great Artist Rivalries

In the first round, we have Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarotti!

Here's some Leo (note precision and attention to atmospheric detail):

The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, 1516

Madonna of the Rocks, 1483-86

And here's some Michelangelo (note the way he brings the figure out of the work):

Atlas Slave, 1530-1534

Lorenzo de Medici (the lesser one, not the awesome one) from the Medici Chapel, 1526-1533

Here is a link which succinctly describes in the artist's words their feelings towards one another:

OKAY so moving on towards our second rivalry: Borromini and Bernini! 

In summation, Bernini had the charisma which Borromini was severely lacking, leading ultimately to the latter's suicide. Not a happy story, but definitely a dramatic one!

Basilica di San Pietro, construction started 1506

Both artists worked on this structure (even Michelangelo!). The modern bell towers are Borromini's fix it to Bernini's big snafu. 

Baldacchino, 1623-1634

 This was another love child between Bernini and Borromini - but you can see Bernini's flamboyancy won out.

San Carlo alle Quatro Fontane, 1646, Borromini

 

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane - Inside, 1646, Borromini

 At last Borromini got his own building - look at the lavish splendor!

And for our last rivalry, with a particularly French flavor: Ingres and Delacroix!

Ingres on Left, Delacroix on Right, Self Portraits

In a nutshell, this is an ultimate battle between the straitlaced line lover, and the adventurous color-wielder!

Paganini, Delacroix, 1831

Paganini, Ingres, 1819

Bacchus and Ariadne, Titian, 1520-23

Delacroix, Moroccan Saddles His Horse, 1855

One of Delacroix's influences. Notice the hints of loose brushwork (impasto) and the delightful colors! One of Delacroix's works showing that wonderful brushwork.

Well, thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week, and leave your comments here or on iTunes U!

Episode 61: Italian Baroque: The Basics

Today we are really excited to start what is going to be a really great mini series all about Baroque art. We have divided up the period by region and are starting off today with Italian Baroque with Julia and Chloe! 

It would be impossible to talk about Baroque art with out mentioning the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation. The art from the period, especially the art produced in Italy, was heavily influenced by the Council of Trent.

There were two branches of Italian Baroque: the Carraci brothers and the students of their academy, and Caravaggio and the Caravaggisti who were the stylistic followers of Caravaggio. Caravaggisti, isn't that a great word! To learn more about Caravaggio listen to Episode 15. 

Bargellini Madonna, 1588 Lodovico Carraci

Farnese Ceiling, Triumph of Bacchus, 1597-1600, Annibale Carracci

Massacre of the Innocents, 1611, Guido Reni

Santa Maria della Pace, 1657, Pietro de Cortona

Rape of the Sabine Women, 1627-29, Pietro da Cortona

The Calling of St. Matthew, 1599, Caravaggio

Doubting Thomas, 1601, Caravaggio

Besides all of the wonderful painters, there were also some amazing sculptors and architects like Bernini and Borromini. Episode 41 is all about them and the rivalry that build Rome.  

Ecstasy of St. Theresa, 1652, Bernini

Apollo and Daphne, 1621, Bernini

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, 1630, Borromini

Come back next week, Jo and Chloe will be discussing Monet.

If you have any topics in art history you are interested in hearing more about, please email us at uvu.artsandfacts@gmail.com.

All of our previous episodes can be found on iTunes U. 

Episode 41: Bernini and Borromini- The Rivalry That Built Rome

Julia and Jo talk about Bernini and Borromini and their great rivalry that helped create the Rome we know today. It all started when Bernini was chosen to take over the work on the Palazzo Barberini after Borromini's uncle, Maderno, died. It was an instant rivalry that followed the two men through out their carriers. In the end they helped each other fall from grace, temporarily ending Bernini's career and possibly leading Borromini to an untimely death. This is the stuff that great soap operas are made from!

Can't we all just get along?

Palazzo Barberini

Façade of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Dome of the San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

St Peter's Baldacchino

St Peter's including St Peter's Square

Episode 25: The Davids

Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bernini are three master sculptors from three very different times. One thing they have in common? Subject matter. During all of their times, religous topics were well loved by patrons, including the story of David. As in David and Goliath.

There are a few differences in their approaches, including what moment of the story they depict, how David seems to feel about it, and in what manner to emphasis his youth.

Donatello, David, c. 1440

Michelangelo, David, 1504

Bernini, David, 1623-24