Stuff about Things: An Art History Podcast

Episode 41: Damien Hirst & the Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable Aug 18, 2024

An ancient shipwreck, filled with magnificent treasures from around the world--every maritime archaeologist's dream, right? But when does dream become delusion? Join me for the podcast's longest (!) ever (!!) episode (!!!), during which we take a DEEP DIVE (ha) into Damien Hirst and the 2017 Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable exhibition. Come for the blow-by-blow of the documentary, stay in spite of my wine-induced gullibility. shownotes: https://stuffaboutthingspodcast.com/2024/08/19/episode-41-damien-hirst-the-wreck-of-the-unbelievable/

Episode 40: Damien Hirst - A Shark's Tale May 24, 2024

**insert Jaws theme song here** A new episode swimmin’ straight for you! This one features the classic trio: sharks, death, and formaldehyde. That is to say, it is a deep dive (ha) into Damien Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, AKA The Shark One. Come for facts about optimal methods for shark taxidermy, stay in spite of the bleeped f-bombs. Please note that this track contains the occasional spot of spicy adult language. Those words have been superficially bleeped, but if listened to on 1.25x or 1.5x speed, the bleeps become ineffective.

Episode 39: The Moai of Rapa Nui Mar 17, 2024

🌊🗿 🌊🗿🌊 The emojis say it all: this episode is a deep dive into the monolithic moai of Rapa Nui—also known as Easter Island. Come for the in-depth discussion of how generations of Rapanui (i.e. the people of Rapa Nui) made and moved moai; stay in spite of the bad puns about 🌋 volcanoes 🌋. The wave noises are courtesy of Tim Kahn via FreeSound.

Episode 38: Spirit Photography Dec 30, 2023

As R.L. Stein would say, “Say 🧀 and ☠️!” In this episode, it’s more like “The 💀👻 say 🧀!” This episode explores the strange world of spirit photography, a whacky offshoot of early photography that had its heyday in the 1860s and 1870s. Come for the lite sarcasm regarding Spiritualism, stay in spite of the primordial ooze.

Minisode 7: Early Photography Nov 26, 2023

Ahoy hoy! A new minisode is upon thee: the early history of photography! Come for the history, stay in spite of the science (or vice versa). Episode 38 will follow in about 3 weeks. Until then, your girl is headed on vacation.

Minisode 6: The Hope Diamond, the Heart of the Ocean, & the Love of the Sea Oct 13, 2023

All aboard! This minisode covers a trifecta of Titanic gemstones and the diamond links that may--or may not--bind them. Come for information about a movie prop and its replicas, stay in spite of the very bad dramatic rendition of the interlude from Britney Spears's 2000 masterpiece of a music video, Oops I Did It Again!

Episode 37: The Hope Diamond Sep 01, 2023

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Marilyn Monroe and Madonna told me so! That is… unless those diamonds are cursed! This episode is a deep-dive into the Hope Diamond, a 45.52 carat blue diamond in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Come for an almost too-thorough history, stay for stories about a blingy great dane named Mike.

Episode 36: The Amber Room Jul 10, 2023

This episodes is a deep-dive into the mysterious (and, as of 1945, missing) Amber Room. Come for the in-depth research into the Amber Room's 300-year existence, stay in spite of the unhinged reference to the lickability of its peanut-brittle-esque panels.

Minisode 5: Amber Jul 10, 2023

This minisode delves into the million-year-old material that is amber. Come for the references to Jurassic Park, stay in spite of me using the word "excrete."

Minisode 4: The Clothilde Missal Apr 15, 2023

Bonjour, mes bijoux! Yes, that's you--my jewels. Speaking of a jewel... this minisode celebrates an art historical jewel known as the Clothilde Missal, an early twentieth-century illuminated manuscript by Clothilde Coulaux in the collection of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Come for the jewel-toned escapism into an idealized version of the Middle Ages, stay in spite of the toxic white lead.

Episode 35: The Book of Kells, Part II - Cover to Cover and Page to Page Mar 18, 2023

This episode covers the wonderful, majestic, so-detailed-it-almost-hurts Book of Kells, from cover to cover and page to page. Come for the resolution to Episode 34's reference to "pendulous breasts," stay in spite of a rant about mis-matched mustache and beard colors. Slainte, friends!

Episode 34 : The Book of Kells, Part I - An Uncertain History Mar 11, 2023

Dia dhuit! That means "hello!" in Old Irish. This episode is the first in a two-part series on the world's most famous book: The Book of Kells. Part I focuses on the uncertain history of the book, a history that may (or may not, but probably does...) go back 1,200 years. That's real old, y'all. Come for the into-the-weeds tramp through the book's history, stay in spite of Scottish women throwing chairs.

Minisode 3: Illuminated Manuscripts and Their Making Feb 13, 2023

This minisode is dedicated to the illuminated manuscript, an art form whose heyday stretched from the 5th to the 15th centuries. Come for the cover-to-cover breakdown of the manuscript production process, stay in spite of the Silence of the Calves joke.

Minisode 2: Discovered - An Unknown Self-Portrait of Van Gogh Aug 27, 2022

This half-hour ‘sode discusses the exciting discovery of a previously unknown self-portrait by Van Gogh, which he painted on the back of his painting known as Head of a Peasant Woman in the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland. Come for the knowledge, stay in spite of your hypothetical broken ankle.

Minisode 1: Lost & Found - Van Gogh's Drawing of Starry Night Aug 05, 2022

Did you know that there are TWO Starry Nights? Well, you do now! This minisode covers the harrowing, fascinating, and infuriating story of Van Gogh's drawing of Starry Night. Come for the intrigue, stay in spite of the bad Russian pronunciation.

Episode 33: Van Gogh & Starry Night Jul 28, 2022

Art history nerds, lend me your… ear? Because there’s a new episode in town! This episode is a one-and-a-half-hour deep dive into the life of Vincent Van Gogh and one of his most famous works: The Starry Night! Come for the bashing of Paul “Googy” Gauguin, stay in spite of the ear-severing and alleged paint-eating. Edit 8/9 - Small corrections made to the episode. Gustave Courbet's L'Origine du monde is at the Musée d'Orsay, not the Louvre; Van Gogh died at an inn attended by doctors, not a local hospital; and Van Gogh: A Life was written by both Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. Thanks to Gary F. for pointing these out.

Episode 32: The Benin Bronzes, Part II Feb 09, 2022

Howdy, you rootin' tootin' listener! This episode is the second in a two-part series on the Benin Bronzes, a group of a few thousand objects looted from the Kingdom of Benin in 1897. This episode covers the 1897 Benin Punitive Expedition, the subsequent scattering of the bronzes throughout the world, demands for the bronzes to be sent back to Nigeria, and why museums are saying “no” (or, in some cases, “NEIN!”). Come for the commentary about why eight British dudes need 250 African soldiers to carry their bags, stay in spite of the sarcasm sneezes.

Episode 31: The Benin Bronzes, Part I Jan 20, 2022

Ahoy, there! This episode is the first in a two-part series exploring the Benin Bronzes, a body of several thousand objects in bronze and brass that were looted from the Kingdom of Benin by the British in 1897. In this episode, we explore the historical and cultural context in which these magnificent bronze works were created, used, and beloved before talking about the bronzes themselves: what do they show? For what purposes were they made? What in the heck is lost wax casting? Come for the knowledge, stay in spite of my terrible pronunciation of Edo words/names.

Episode 30: Raphael's Young Woman with a Unicorn Nov 21, 2021

Will your biographer say you died from "amorous excesses"? Are you saving yourself for unicorn hunting? Have you ever heard of death by spiked wheel? You have now! In this episode, we dive deep into an alleged Raphael masterpiece known as the portrait of a Young Woman with a Unicorn. Come for the art historical facts, stay for the excursus on the benefits of hosting a two year old's birthday party. **contains mild language and innuendo**

Episode 29: Niki de Saint Phalle & the Tarot Garden Jun 16, 2021

All hail the queen of monsters, Niki de Saint Phalle! This episode is a deep dive into Niki de Saint Phalle, her career, and the culmination of her life’s work: the Giardino dei Tarocchi, or Tarot Garden. Come for the facts, stay in spite of the bad puns. #nikidesaintphalle #tarot #giardinodeitarocchi #tarotgarden #nana #monumental #sculpture #tinguely #modernart #arthistory #arthistorian #arteducation #pesciafiorentina

Episode 28: The Ponte Sant'Angelo, Bernini, & the Stuff of Angels Mar 09, 2021

Columns, thorns, and superscriptions, oh my! This episode is a deep-dive--not into the Tiber River but rather the almost 2000 year history of the Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome, Italy. It includes background on the bridge's ancient past, a little dip into the biography of Gianlorenzo Bernini, and even an excursus on the bridge's appearance in cinematic masterpieces (ahem...)such as Angels & Demons. Come for the angels, stay in spite of my professed desire to become enmeshed in a murder-mystery situation.

Episode 27: Oscar Wilde, Ivan Albright, & Pictures of Dorian Gray Dec 28, 2020

Good God, dear Basil! There is a podcast episode about your portrait of Dorian Gray! Just kidding. Basil Hallward and Dorian Gray aren't real, but Oscar Wilde, Ivan Albright, and the many Pictures of Dorian Gray certainly are! This episode is a deep dive into Ivan Albright's sickeningly masterful Picture of Dorian Gray, which the artist painted for the 1945 movie adaptation of Irish author Oscar Wilde's classic novel. Come for the portraits, stay for my take on supernatural Egyptian cats that drive movie plots! Happy listening. **At some point, I do refer to Wilde as being British. My apologies to the Irish.**

Episode 26: The Green Bay Packers & Lambeau Field Stadium Part II (1959-today) Nov 17, 2020

Lambeau, Lombardi, and Leaps! This episode finishes the two-part series on the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field Stadium, from 1959 to today. Note: edited as of 11/19/2020 to remove a meaner-than-necessary jab at Brett Favre that I felt bad about in retrospect. Sorry, #4.

Episode 25: The Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field Stadium Part I (1919-1959) Oct 31, 2020

Meat packing! Hot pretzels! Stock options! As a podcast love letter to my hometown, this episode (part one of two) covers the early history of the Green Bay Packers, including the first iteration of what will eventually become known as the famous... the infamous... Lambeau Field Stadium. Come for the history, stay for the declarations of me not being a "football scientist."

Episode 24 - The Winchester Mystery House Aug 17, 2020

Ghosts, glass, and guns, oh my! The Winchester Mystery House stands as one of the greatest houses in American history... and not just because it is allegedly haunted. Join me for this deep dive into the house and its history, including that of its patroness, Mrs. Sarah Winchester. Come for the spirits, stay for the stories!

Episode 23: Kehinde Wiley - Portraits, Power, & Presence Jun 08, 2020

Napoleon! Barack Obama! Charles I! LL Cool J! What do all these dudes have in common? They were all painted (more or less) by contemporary artist, Kehinde Wiley. This episode is a deep dive into how Kehinde Wiley is working to make art history a more inclusive space, one work of art at a time. #BlackArtistsMatter

Episode 22: The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, Boccaccio, and Basil Apr 26, 2020

Plague! Corpse dismemberment! Pretty costumes! Derpy greyhounds! Necrotic Herbs! This episode has a little bit of everything. It takes you on a journey through five centuries to discuss the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s obsession with Boccaccio’s story about a young woman named Lisabetta and her most beloved pot o’basil. Come for the learning, stay in spite of my telling you how to carry the body of a full-grown man up dorm stairs.

Episode 21: The Crystal Skulls Mar 10, 2020

Mineralogists! Lapidary tools! The human crrrrrranium! This episode is an art historical deep-dive into the origins of the so-called "crystal skulls" and the people who made them famous.

Episode 20: Brunelleschi's Dome Dec 31, 2019

Eggs! Bricks! Spine o' the fish! This episode covers a biggie, both figuratively and literally! Brunelleschi's dome for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. With this project, Brunelleschi pulled off the impossible, utilizing 4 million bricks to build what remains the world's largest masonry dome. Come for the dome, stay for the random story about the martyred, seemingly fire-proof Saint Reparata. Happy listening!

Episode 19: Madame Tussaud & Her Empire of Wax Oct 12, 2019

Heads on sticks! Heads in wax! Heads in trunks! This hour-long episode is a deep dive into the life and work of Anna Maria Grosholtz... though you may call her Madame Tussaud. This episode covers it all—from little Marie’s birth in 1761 to the present-day process of making a new celebrity waxworks! Come for the wax heads, stay in spite of the bad French accent.

Episode 18: Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Clocks, & Candy Aug 26, 2019

Clocks, candy, and human connection, oh my! This episode is a deep-dive into the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a Cuban-born American artist active in the 1980s and 1990s. FGT was known for his use of "non-traditional" materials and his artistic engagement with the HIV/AIDs epidemic. This episode touches on a little on it all. Come for the knowledge, stay for the random digression into the dangers of beaded curtains.

Episode 17: The Gateway Arch in St. Louis MO Jul 06, 2019

Steel, drunken brawls, creeper derricks, oh my! Episode 17 is a deep dive into the development, design, and construction of Eero Saarinen's Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO. Come for the facts, stay for (or in spite of) the bad jokes! Happy listening.

Episode 16: Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army Apr 04, 2019

Immortality, mercury, and 7,000 warriors, oh my! Episode 16 covers the mausoleum and terracotta army of China's first emperor and a supremely odd duck, Qin Shi Huangdi. Come for the knowledge, stay despite my terrible Chinese pronunciation!

Episode 15: King Tut's Tomb (Part II) Feb 22, 2019

Cobras, canaries, and curses, oh my! This episode is the second half of a two-part deep dive into the discovery of King Tut's tomb, beginning with the discovery of the tomb in early November of 1922. You also get to hear me gush about my love of the 1999 cinematic masterpiece, The Mummy.

Episode 14: King Tut's Tomb (Part I) Feb 22, 2019

A boy pharaoh, a tempestuous archaeologist, and a rich English aristocrat walk into a bar... This episode is part one of a two part episode duology on the discovery of King Tut's tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. Part I covers years 1350 BCE - 1922, from Tutankhamun to telegrams. The story continues in Part II, which covers the discovery and its aftermath.

Episode 13: The Shroud of Turin Jan 15, 2019

Episode 13 is a deep dive into a mysterious object indeed: The Shroud of Turin. Listen to a skeptic (me!) work through the history of the shroud, the controversies surrounding it, and the arguments for its authenticity or its forgery. Gospels, arson, rogue restorations, oh my!

Episode 12: Antoni Gaudí & Barcelona's Sagrada Família Dec 09, 2018

Episode 12 covers our biggest topic yet: a "madman" and a building 136 years in the making. Listen to learn about Antoni Gaudí, the Sagrada Família, and a pesky little thing called a building permit. There is also an enthralling story about Gus getting stuck in a culvert pipe (spoiler: he's fine). Happy listening!

Episode 11: Michelangelo's Bruges Madonna & The Monuments Men Nov 05, 2018

Episode 11 recounts the story of the Bruges Madonna as Nazi war booty in WWII. Come and learn all about her snatching by the Germans and eventual recovery by the Monuments Men. George Clooney, eat your heart out! Matt Damon, sorry about your face! It is Gus's now. *episode re-uploaded on 11/26/18 to fix sound issue*

Episode 10: Michelangelo's Bruges Madonna Oct 25, 2018

Episode 10 dives into a work of art that I know better than almost any other: Michelangelo's Bruges Madonna. This gorgeous statue of the Madonna and Child is one of Michelangelo's most beautiful but least known works of art. Why is that? Listen to the episode to find out!

Episode 9: Maya Lin & the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial Sep 15, 2018

Episode 9 tells the story of Maya Lin and the creation of the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial in Washington D.C. The episode covers the basics of the Vietnam War, a group of veterans with a vision and how a 21-year-old senior of Yale University created one of the most highly regarded memorials of the modern age. As always, visit the podcast's website, StuffaboutThingsPodcast.wordpress.com, to see supporting images and extra content. Happy listening!

Episode 8: Caravaggio's Taking of Christ Aug 12, 2018

Episode 8 takes a deep and dirty dive into the life of the painter Caravaggio and his "lost" painting of the Taking of Christ, a painting that rocked the art history world when it reappeared in 1990 after it had been deemed "missing" for hundreds of years. Artichokes, lizards, and prisons, oh my!

Episode 7: The Bamiyan Buddhas Jul 24, 2018

Travel with me to the Bamiyan Valley in Northern Afghanistan to learn about the majestic (majestic!) Bamiyan Buddhas, two colossal statues of the Buddha that were blown up in 2001 because terrorists are dopes.

Episode 6: The Catacombs of San Gaudioso Jul 03, 2018

Episode 6 delves underneath the city of Naples, Italy, to wander through the Catacombs of San Gaudioso, an underground burial complex with a history that spans over 1,500 years. Frescoes, graves, and skulls, oh my!

Episode 5: Chanel no. 5 - A Modernist Icon May 17, 2018

Episode 5 explores the fascinating advent of a modernist icon: Chanel no. 5.

Episode 4: Niccolò dell'Arca's Lamentation May 07, 2018

Episode 4 explores Niccolò dell'Arca's Lamentation of Christ, a 15th-century terracotta sculptural tableaux. We discuss the whats, the whos, and the whys of this glorious artwork.

Episode 3: So... What Are You Going to Do with That? Apr 16, 2018

Episode 3 explores the question that is as familiar to me as my own face: So... What are you going to do with that? In this episode, I discuss what career options are available to someone brave (i.e. crazy) enough to pursue a degree in art history and take a certain Aunt Carol to task...

Episode 2: Why Is Art History Important? Apr 09, 2018

Episode 2: Why Is Art History Important? The episode in which I attempt to explain why art history is important... with a few interesting tidbits about my past (hint: Quackenbush).

Episode 1: Introduction Apr 02, 2018

The first episode of Stuff about Things: An Art History Podcast. In this episode, I introduce myself (HI!) and my general conception for the podcast. Happy listening!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Stuff about Things: An Art History Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected