Who Arted: Weekly Art History for All Ages

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• Author Interview Thomas Laqueur | The Dog's Gaze 01.06.2026 38мин

  My guest this week is author and historian Thomas Laqueur to discuss his new book, The Dog's Gaze: A Visual History. Laqueur explores the deep biological, evolutionary, and cultural connection between humans and dogs as told through centuries of masterpiece paintings. From the ancient petroglyphs of the Arabian desert to Velázquez's intricate court scenes, the gaze of a dog functions as an inviting device to connect the audience to the artwork. Pick up a copy of The Dog's Gaze: A Visual History on Amazon or wherever you get your books. Related Episodes Diego Velazquez Pablo Picasso 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Parthenon 29.05.2026 12мин

  The Parthenon, a crowning achievement of Classical Greek architecture, was constructed on the Athenian Acropolis between 447 BCE and 432 BCE during the golden age of Athens. Commissioned under the leadership of the prominent statesman Pericles, the monumental project brought together the master sculptor Phidias and the brilliant architects Iktinos and Kallikrates. Embodying the ideals of structural harmony and human naturalism, the temple features celebrated optical refinements known as entasis, which include subtly swelling columns that tilt inward and an upward-curving stone foundation. These meticulous geometric adjustments were engineered to counteract visual distortions, creating a perfect illusion of straight lines and symmetry for the human eye. Beyond its primary role as a religious temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Parthenon functioned as a highly secure civic vault, safeguarding the financial reserves of the Delian League. Over its millennia-long history, the structure underwent dramatic transformations that mirrored the shifting political landscape of the Mediterranean. It was converted into a Byzantine Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the late sixth century CE, and later adapted into an Islamic mosque complete with a minaret following the Ottoman conquest in 1456. A catastrophic gunpowder explosion devastated the building in 1687 during the Morean War, when a Venetian mortar round struck the interior cella where Ottoman forces had stored ammunition. The surviving architectural treasures—including high-relief metopes, majestic pediment sculptures, and a 524-foot continuous low-relief frieze carved from Pentelic marble—depict vivid narratives of Greek mythology and civic processions. Today, these ancient artifacts remain central to global conversations regarding cultural property and museum ethics, particularly due to ongoing international repatriation campaigns for the Elgin Marbles displayed in the British Museum. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. The image used in the episode cover art came from Adobe's stock photos. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Marine Corps War Memorial 25.05.2026 15мин

  Today, I am sharing an episode of my other podcast Fun Facts Daily focusing on the Marine Corps War Memorial and the iconic image of soldiers raising the flag. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, honors all United States Marine Corps personnel who lost their lives in service to their country since 1775. Sculpted by Felix de Weldon, the massive bronze statue recreates the iconic, Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph captured by Joe Rosenthal during the Battle of Iwo Jima. The monument depicts a historic tableau of six service members raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi, symbolizing a critical turning point in a grueling 36-day campaign. Resting upon a massive foundation of polished Swedish black granite, the structure features engraved names of pivotal military engagements and a lasting tribute to the uncommon valor displayed by those on the battlefield. A fascinating historical paradox surrounds the physical design of the monument's figures. While the statue visually pays tribute to the battlefield actions of combatants later identified as Harold Schultz and Harold Keller, the actual bronze faces belong to Rene Gagnon and John Bradley, who originally modeled for the sculptor after the war. The complex production process required the monument to be cast in over 100 individual bronze pieces in Brooklyn, New York, before being transported to Virginia for its permanent installation. Today, the site serves as a powerful symbol of military sacrifice and American resilience, illuminated nightly beneath a 24-hour cloth American flag mandated by a historic presidential proclamation. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR Jasper Johns | Flag 22.05.2026 14мин

  Jasper Johns, born May 15, 1930, in Augusta, Georgia, significantly influenced mid-century American painting by reintroducing recognizable, everyday imagery into fine art. After pursuing an art degree at the University of South Carolina and studying at the Parsons School of Design, Johns served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Upon returning to New York City in 1953, he established a studio in lower Manhattan and became part of an avant-garde artistic community alongside figures like Robert Rauschenberg and John Cage. This group sought to challenge Abstract Expressionism, the dominant movement of the era, which favored raw emotion and non-representational forms. Seeking a distinct creative identity, Johns took the radical step in 1954 of destroying nearly all his previous derivative artworks that were still in his possession. Johns developed a style later classified as Neo-Dada, paving the way for the pop art movement by focusing on commonplace subjects like targets, maps, letters, numbers, and flags. His breakthrough piece, Flag (1954–55), was inspired by a vivid dream and depicted the 48-star American flag utilizing encaustic—an ancient painting technique involving pigments mixed with heated beeswax. This fast-hardening medium allowed Johns to rapidly layer materials, including scraps of The New York Times, giving his work a highly textured, three-dimensional physical presence. Early in his career, to financially support himself, Johns also worked under the pseudonym Matson Jones alongside Rauschenberg, creating commercial window displays for luxury retailers like Tiffany & Co.. Decades later, his extensive contributions to American art history were recognized on February 15, 2011, when President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Walter De Maria | The Lightning Field (encore) 18.05.2026 37мин

  Walter De Maria (1935-2013) was a pivotal figure in Minimalism, Conceptual Art, and Land Art, known for large-scale environmental installations. His significant works include The New York Earth Room and The Lightning Field. The Lightning Field, commissioned by the Dia Art Foundation and completed in 1977 in Catron County, New Mexico, comprises 400 stainless steel poles arranged in a precise grid, designed to interact with light and evoke the sublime. De Maria's art often explores themes of scale, human perception, and the relationship between nature and human intervention, emphasizing direct viewer experience over traditional art consumption. My guest this week is Tim Bogatz, host of ⁠Art Ed Radio⁠ from ⁠The Art of Education University⁠. Tim and I are both active on the ⁠Art of Ed Community⁠ and I would encourage all my fellow art teachers to join if you haven't already. If you are interested in learning more about The Lightning Field or you would like to try to make the pilgrimage and stay there, check head over to ⁠Diaart.org⁠ ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts ⁠ 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: ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR El Greco | The Burial of the Count Orgaz (encore) 15.05.2026 14мин

  Domenikos Theotokopoulos, better known as El Greco, was a singular figure in art history who bridged the gap between Byzantine tradition and Western modernism. Born in Crete in 1541, he trained as an icon painter before moving to Venice and Rome, where he absorbed the vibrant colors of the High Renaissance. However, his bold personality and vocal criticism of local heroes like Michelangelo made it difficult for him to thrive in Italy. In 1577, he moved to Toledo, Spain, where he spent the rest of his life creating his most famous works for the Church and private intellectuals. El Greco is best remembered as a leading Mannerist. His style rejected strict realism in favor of emotional intensity, featuring elongated figures twisted in unnatural poses and bathed in eerie, acid-green or blue light. While a popular scientific theory in the early 20th century suggested these distortions were caused by astigmatism, historians have proven they were a deliberate stylistic choice intended to emphasize spiritual mysticism. He was also known for his litigious nature, frequently suing clients to ensure painting was respected as a high intellectual pursuit rather than a common craft. One of his crowning achievements is The Burial of the Count Orgaz (1586). This massive painting, located in the Church of Santo Tomé in Toledo, visually synthesizes his two main influences. The lower half depicts a miraculous funeral with striking realism, including portraits of local contemporaries, while the upper half represents the heavens with swirling, abstract forms. Although El Greco fell into obscurity for nearly three centuries after his death in 1614, he was rediscovered by Romantic and Expressionist artists in the 19th century. His unique approach to form and space became a major influence on modern masters, specifically Pablo Picasso, who used El Greco’s distortion as a blueprint for the development of Cubism. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science LabWho ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR Nan Madol 11.05.2026 12мин

  Nan Madol is an ancient archaeological site situated off the eastern shore of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Constructed between 1200 and 1600 CE, the city served as the administrative and ceremonial seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty, which unified the island’s population of approximately 25,000 people. Often referred to as the "Venice of the Pacific," the site consists of nearly 100 artificial islets built atop a coral reef and interconnected by a sophisticated network of tidal canals. The architecture is defined by massive megalithic basalt columns, some weighing up to 50 tons, stacked horizontally in a "log cabin" style. These structures were built without mortar or cement, reaching heights of 25 feet and thicknesses of 17 feet, particularly within the royal mortuary complex of Nandauwas. The layout of Nan Madol reflects a highly stratified social hierarchy, with specific islets designated for elite residences, religious rituals, food preparation, and specialized industries like canoe building. This centralized urban design allowed the Saudeleur rulers to maintain political control by keeping potential rivals under close observation within the city limits. Beyond its architectural significance, the site is notable for localized magnetic anomalies caused by the varying orientations of the iron-rich basalt logs, which disrupt standard compass readings. Following the collapse of the dynasty in the early 17th century at the hands of the warrior Isokelekel, the city was abandoned and eventually reclaimed by the surrounding mangrove forests. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Charles and Ray Eames | Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman (encore) 08.05.2026 12мин

  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 splints for the U.S. Navy during WWII. They famously applied this innovation to furniture, with their most enduring creation being the 1956 Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. Designed to have the "warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman's mitt," the chair combined luxurious materials with ergonomic comfort, becoming an instant classic and a symbol of sophisticated taste that is still in production today. Beyond furniture, their influential Eames Office also created pioneering films, toys, and architecture, including their own modular Eames House, all driven by the goal of making thoughtful, high-quality design accessible to improve everyday life. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR Pablo Picasso 04.05.2026 14мин

  Pablo Picasso remains one of the most influential figures of 20th-century art, with a career spanning over 80 years and an estimated output of 50,000 works. Born in Málaga, Spain, in 1881, Picasso was a child prodigy whose technical mastery reportedly surpassed that of his father, an academic painter, by the age of 13. After moving to Paris in 1904, he navigated through several distinct stylistic phases, including the monochromatic Blue Period and the warmer, circus-themed Rose Period. These early explorations eventually led to the co-founding of Cubism alongside Georges Braque, a movement that deconstructed traditional perspective and changed the trajectory of Western art. Picasso’s artistic legacy is defined by constant experimentation across diverse media, from fine art painting and sculpture to printmaking and ceramics. He is credited with co-inventing collage as a fine art medium, notably through the 1912 work Still Life with Chair Caning, which blurred the lines between high art and everyday objects. His later years were marked by a prolific output of ceramics at the Madoura Studio, where he created thousands of designs intended to make his art more accessible to the public. His 1921 masterpiece Three Musicians stands as a monumental synthesis of his Cubist developments, serving as both a rhythmic exploration of form and a nostalgic tribute to his close friends and the bohemian days of his youth. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR Damien Hirst | The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 01.05.2026 15мин

  Damian Hirst is a pivotal figure in contemporary art, best known as the leading force behind the Young British Artists (YBA) movement that transformed the London art scene in the 1990s. Born in Bristol and raised in Leeds, Hirst’s trajectory toward international fame began during his studies at Goldsmiths College, where he organized the landmark 1988 independent exhibition, Freeze. By securing a warehouse in the London Docklands and bypassing traditional gallery systems, Hirst and his peers established a "do-it-yourself" approach to marketing and exhibition that attracted influential collectors like Charles Saatchi. His innovative and often provocative practice earned him the Turner Prize in 1995 and solidified his place in major public collections such as the Tate Modern and the Museum of Modern Art. Much of Hirst’s body of work explores the complex relationships between art, life, and mortality, frequently utilizing unconventional materials to challenge viewers' perceptions. His Natural History series, most notably The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, features preserved biological specimens like tiger sharks and sheep suspended in formaldehyde to freeze the process of decay. Other iconic works include For the Love of God, a diamond-encrusted platinum skull that serves as a modern memento mori, and his Pharmacy installations, which examine society's faith in medicine. Hirst’s influence extends into the business of art as well; in 2008, he staged the historic Beautiful Inside My Head Forever auction at Sotheby’s, bypassing his long-term galleries to sell a complete body of work directly to the public for over £111 million. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• TLDR The Alhambra 27.04.2026 10мин

  The Alhambra is a majestic palace and fortress complex situated on Sabika Hill in Granada, Spain, representing the pinnacle of Moorish architecture in Western Europe. Originally built on the ruins of a small Roman fortification, the current structure's modern history began in 1238 under Mohammed ibn al-Ahmar, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty. Over the 13th and 14th centuries, subsequent rulers such as Yusuf I and Muhammad V expanded the site into a sprawling palatial city featuring administrative buildings, royal quarters, barracks, and lush gardens. Its design is defined by an intricate integration of nature and geometry, utilizing materials like rammed earth, wood, and stucco to create elaborate surface decorations and tranquil courtyards centered around sophisticated water features. Beyond its historical significance, the Alhambra is renowned for its advanced engineering and profound artistic influence. The complex features a sophisticated 13th-century hydraulic system that diverted the Darro River to provide passive cooling and power a legendary water clock in the Fountain of Lions. This architectural marvel has inspired countless figures, including American author Washington Irving, whose 19th-century writings helped save the site from ruin, and the Dutch artist M.C. Escher, whose famous "tessellation" works were sparked by the fortress’s geometric tile patterns. While the name translates to "The Red Castle" from the Arabic al-Qal'a al-Hamra', the fortress was originally whitewashed, standing as a bright beacon before centuries of weathering revealed the vibrant red clay underneath. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• DayGlo Colors (encore) 24.04.2026 8мин

  This is an encore presentation of my episode about how DayGlo colors work and how they were developed by a pair of brothers in the 1930s. This spring has been very busy for me with responsibilities for work and family. I am taking. a bit of a break for a few weeks to rest and recharge, but I am planning some new episode that will be released in May. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Want to learn more? Head over to my website www.funfactsdailypod.com and be sure to listen to my other podcasts Who ARTed: Weekly Art History for All Ages or Art Smart. For family fun, check out my son's podcast Rainbow Puppy Science Lab Fun Facts Daily is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Salon des Refusés (encore) 20.04.2026 8мин

  In mid-19th century Paris, the prestigious Paris Salon, sanctioned by the Académie des Beaux-Arts, reigned as the art world's epicenter, acting as the primary gateway to artistic success. By 1863, mounting rejections ignited public outcry, compelling Emperor Napoleon III to establish the groundbreaking Salon des Refusés. This exhibition, held at the Palais de l'Industrie, showcased rejected artists like Manet, Cézanne, and Pissarro, with Manet's "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" causing particular scandal. Despite harsh critical reception, the Salon des Refusés became a pivotal moment, exposing the Académie's rigidity, fostering modern art's rise, and demonstrating a public appetite for unconventional art, ultimately paving the way for future artistic revolutions like Impressionism, and cementing its legacy as a symbol of artistic freedom. This spring has been very busy for me with responsibilities for work and family. I am taking. a bit of a break for a few weeks to rest and recharge, but I am planning some new episode that will be released in May. ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Curious Case of Nat Tate (encore) 17.04.2026 6мин

  The art world is full of interesting characters. In so many ways, the artist‘s biography can be as important as their work. Nat Tate was an interesting character introduced to critics and tastemakers in 1998 when David Bowie hosted a dinner party to help launch a new book Nat Tate: Am American Artist 1928-1960. While the book has the sleepy title of a non-fiction book, it was actually a novel framed as a biography. Nat Tate was a tragic abstract expressionistic painter who destroyed 99% of his work before his untimely death. It was a compelling narrative of art and an artist lost to history. It was also pure fiction. While Bowie enlisted the help of a Picasso biographer to tell tales of Tate‘s interactions with Picasso, Braque and others, Nat Tate never existed. A week later, a journalist published a story of how important figures in the art world fell victim to this hoax. Oddly while Nat Tate was not real, there are real ”surviving” artworks attributed to him. In 2011, Sotheby‘s auctioned off a Nat Tate painting, Bridge No. 114, which sold for over 7000 pounds.  ⁠Listen Ad-Free on Patreon. ⁠ For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod⁠ if you are interested. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Artist Interview | Ian Capstick 13.04.2026 56мин

  Ian Capstick’s creative evolution spans from theatrical performance and prop making to a high-stakes career as a political pundit and creative director. After years of advocating for marginalized voices in Canada’s capital through his agency, MediaStyle, Capstick transitioned into fiber arts, finding a new medium in "quilty banners". His work intentionally blurs the historical divide between fine art and craft, challenging the perception that textiles are merely decorative or domestic. Drawing from a pop art sensibility, his banners utilize bold, graphic communication to deliver clear political messages, influenced by his background in political soundbites and public policy advocacy. Find Ian online: https://iancapstick.net/  https://artagainstempire.net/  Related episodes: Bisa Butler Faith Ringgold Support me on Patreon.  Please consider joining my new Patreon community and listen ad-free. For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod if you are interested. Check out my other podcasts  Fun Facts Daily | Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science LabWho ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Giotto | Ognissanti Madonna 10.04.2026 12мин

  Giotto di Bondone, born around 1267 near Florence, is widely recognized as a pivotal figure who transformed the trajectory of Western art by breaking away from the flat, spiritual symbolism of the Byzantine style. Legend, as recorded by the 16th-century biographer Giorgio Vasari, holds that the master painter Cimabue discovered Giotto as a young shepherd boy sketching lifelike sheep on a rock. During his apprenticeship in the bustling trade center of Florence, Giotto pioneered the use of chiaroscuro—the application of light and shadow to create three-dimensional volume—and introduced anatomical realism that made religious figures appear as if they had actual bones and muscle beneath their garments. His mastery of the fresco technique, which involved painting into wet plaster to bond the pigment directly to the wall, ensured that his storytelling and emotional depth would endure for centuries in major Italian cities like Assisi, Rome, and Milan. Giotto’s influence is perhaps most evident in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, completed around 1305, where he depicted raw human grief in scenes like The Lamentation. His later work, the Ognissanti Madonna, further showcases his ability to blend traditional medieval conventions with observable reality. While the infant Jesus is rendered as a "homunculus" or "little man" to symbolize divine wisdom, the Virgin Mary is depicted with a sense of physical weight and presence previously unseen in altarpieces. Beyond his artistic innovations, Giotto was a savvy businessman and a public figure, eventually serving as the chief architect for the city of Florence. Before his death in 1337, he designed the iconic bell tower for the Florence Cathedral, leaving a legacy as the "Father of the Renaissance" who bridged the gap between sacred symbolism and the human experience. Support me on Patreon.  Please consider joining my new Patreon community and listen ad-free. For just $3 per month, you can get ad-free versions of Fun Facts Daily, Who ARTed and Art Smart. Head over to https://www.patreon.com/cw/FunFactsDailyPod if you are interested. Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Announcement: The Winner of Arts Madness 2026 06.04.2026 40мин

  Today, we’re going to look back at the winner of this year’s Arts Madness Tournament. I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been listening and participating in the Tournament. This year was the biggest one yet. We started with 64 diverse artists and artworks. After six weeks of head to head matches and 13,757 votes Frank Lloyd Wright has come out on top.  Wright was been a formidable artist in every round of the tournament. He has gotten over 70% of the vote in every matchup and this final round was no different. Frank Lloyd Wright triumphed over Romero Britto in a landslide with 78% of the vote. Thanks again for everyone who listened and took time to vote over the last 6 weeks.  Listen ad-free and support the show on Patreon Consider joining my new Patreon community. For just $3 per month, members can enjoy ad-free versions of Who ARTed, Art Smart and Fun Facts Daily. Check out my AP Art History Cram Session playlist on Spotify Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Codex Borgia 03.04.2026 10мин

  The Codex Borgia is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican manuscript, a 36-foot folded document made of animal hide, dating from the 13th to early 16th centuries. Created by Indigenous peoples, likely in central Mexico, it serves as a religious and divinatory almanac used by priests. Filled with intricate depictions of deities like Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, and Tlaloc, it illustrates the 260-day tonalpohualli ritual calendar. Part of the “Borgia Group,” it survived the Spanish conquest and is now housed in the Vatican Apostolic Library. The codex offers invaluable insight into pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican beliefs, cosmology, and rituals, showcasing complex iconography and artistic skill. It provides crucial information for understanding the history, culture, and religion of ancient Mexican civilizations. 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Author Interview Kory Stamper | True Color 30.03.2026 56мин

  This week, I got to talk to Kory Stamper, author of True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color, exploring how color is a complex intersection of physics, physiology, and psychology. Human color perception is defined not just by wavelengths of light, but by the brain’s interpretive processes using specialized cells in the retina known as rods and cones. While rods detect light and dark, three types of cones are responsible for firing in response to specific wavelengths, which the brain then blends into the visible spectrum. Linguistics plays a vital role in this experience; studies of cultures like the Himba tribe in Namibia suggest that the specific terms available in a language can influence how quickly an individual differentiates between hues like blue and green. Research on infants even suggests that color recognition may trigger the brain’s language centers before the visual cortex, indicating that the human experience of the spectrum is deeply tied to the need for categorization. Find more information about Kory Stamper and her book, True Color at https://korystamper.com/true-color/ Buy the book on Amazon or wherever you get your books. Be sure to vote for your favorite work in our final round of Arts Madness https://www.whoartedpodcast.com/arts-madness 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Artemisia Gentileschi | Judith Slaying Holofernes 27.03.2026 13мин

  Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1653) was a preeminent Italian Baroque painter and one of the most accomplished artists of the 17th century. Born in Rome as the daughter of the esteemed painter Orazio Gentileschi, she developed her craft in an era where women were largely excluded from formal art academies and professional guilds. Despite enduring a traumatic assault by a tutor and a grueling, high-profile trial in 1612, Gentileschi forged a highly successful career that spanned Rome, Florence, Venice, and Naples. She broke significant historical barriers in 1616 by becoming the first woman admitted to the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence, an achievement that granted her the legal right to sign her own contracts and manage her own professional affairs. Gentileschi is celebrated for her mastery of tenebrism—a style characterized by intense contrasts of light and shadow—and her unparalleled ability to render human emotion with raw, visceral intensity. Her most famous work, Judith Slaying Holofernes, exemplifies her unique perspective, portraying the biblical heroine with a focus on physical strength, focused determination, and female solidarity. This depiction stands in stark contrast to versions by male contemporaries, who often portrayed the character as delicate or hesitant. Often interpreted through the lens of her personal resilience and agency, Gentileschi’s paintings frequently feature powerful, complex women. Today, she is recognized not only as a feminist icon but as a defining figure of the Baroque period whose technical skill and narrative depth rivaled the greatest masters of her time. Take a minute and vote in Arts Madness at WhoARTedPodcast.com/Arts-Madness 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: advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices