The Little Peasant by Amedeo Modigliani at the Tate Modern, London

April 3, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting The Little Peasant by Amedeo Modigliani at the Tate Modern, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Amedeo Modigliani was born in Italy in 1884. He mainly worked in France and he painted The Little Peasant Oil on canvas around 1918. He’s celebrated for his innovative take on portraiture and the human form, where faces, necks, and figures take on surreal stretches, offering a glimpse into a unique artistic realm. The Tate Gallery tell us: “This is one of a small group of paintings that Modigliani made of young people. There is some doubt over the accuracy of the title, as the same model seems to appear in another portrait by the artist, titled The

Roman Hercules Bust at the British Museum, London

March 4, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the Roman ‘Hercules’ Bust at the British Museum, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. We are looking at a Roman ‘Hercules’ Bust from the 2nd Century AD which is made of marble and is in the corner of the enlightenment room at the British Museum. The actually bust represents the Greek hero Herakles who was the Roman hero Hercules. This statue is a copy of a bronze original by the renown Greek sculptor Lysippos who was from the 4th century BC. Lysippos is considered one of best sculptors of all time, in fact he’s known as being one of the top three of classical Greek sculptor – although it’s a challenge to identify his

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, at the British Museum, London

February 12, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, at the British Museum, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, also known as the Tomb of Mausolus, stood as a monumental tomb constructed in Halicarnassus (present-day Bodrum, Turkey) during the period between 353 and 350 BC. It served as the final resting place for Mausolus, the ruler of Caria (377–353 BCE), and his sister-wife Artemisia II of Caria of the Achaemenid Empire, the First Persian Empire. This empire, centred in modern-day Iran, held the distinction of being the world’s largest at the time, encompassing a vast expanse of 5.5 million square kilometres (2.1 million

The Bacchanal Relief by Aimé Jules Dalou

February 10, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the Bacchanal Relief by Jules Dalou at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. This is the first of several versions of Jules Dalou’s Bacchanal. It was originally exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in 1879. There are several versions of this piece including a bronze at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Jules Dalou was born December 31, 1838 in Paris and died April 15, 1902. This relief of painted plaster was made in 1879 by Dalou and shows a drunken orgy which was part of the ancient cult of Bacchus. The word Bacchanal is defined “a wild and drunken celebration” from Bacchus the Greek god of wine.

The War of Troy Tapestry

February 7, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting The War of Troy tapestry at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Woven from a combination of wool and silk, this impressive tapestry spans over four meters in height and extends to a length of seven meters. Originally, it constituted one piece among a series of 11 hangings recognized as The Trojan War tapestries. When exhibited collectively, these hangings, if laid side by side, would have reached an astonishing length exceeding 100 meters. The production of multiple sets of The Trojan War tapestries was undertaken, finding a place of prominence within the palaces of some of Europe’s most influential individuals. The War of Troy tapestry is from 1475-1490, Tournai,

The Toilet of Venus (Rokeby Venus) by Diego Velázquez

January 27, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the Toilet of Venus also known as the Rokeby Venus by Diego Velázquez at the National Gallery London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Diego Velázquez, a prominent figure in the Spanish Golden Age of art, painted The Rokeby Venus between 1647 and 1651, likely during his time in Italy. This masterpiece portrays Venus, the goddess of love, reclining sensually on a bed, her back turned to the observer, while Cupid, the Roman god of physical love, holds a mirror. Records show that Velázquez was baptized on June 6, 1599, and died on August 6, 1660, Diego Rodríguez Velázquez, a Knight of the Order of Santiago, stood as a leading painter in the court of

Michelangelo’s ‘David’, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London

January 26, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Michelangelo’s ‘David’, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. In 1856, Clemente Papi cast a reproduction of Michelangelo’s renowned David in painted plaster, mimicking the original 1501-4 marble statue from Florence. This plaster cast, now at London’s V&A Museum since 1857, was a donation from Queen Victoria. The cast can be traced back to 1847 when Leopold II, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, enlisted Clemente Papi, a skilled bronze founder and cast maker, to craft an exact bronze replica of David. The intricate form of David necessitated the creation of over 1500 individually shaped mould pieces, ingeniously fitting together within a mother mould like an immense jigsaw puzzle.

Apollo and the Nine Muses from 1580 at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London

January 15, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Apollo and the Nine Muses from 1580 at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Created in the late sixteenth century, Apollo and the Nine Muses is an oak panel that blends French mid-16th-century carving styles. Despite its French influence, the piece is believed to have been crafted in England towards the close of the same century. Depicting Apollo and the Nine Muses, the artwork symbolizes the Arts at large, making it suitable for an esteemed chamber in a grand residence. Commonly utilized as overmantels, these panels, in conjunction with the chimney-piece, constituted the focal point of the room. Courtiers appreciated such mythological adornments, indicative of their education and grasp

The Raphael Cartoons by Raphael at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London

January 12, 2024

Welcome to “Art, Culture & Books” with me Anthony King. Today I’ll be taking you on a video and photographic tour of The Raphael Cartoons by Raphael at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. As always, I take all the photos and videos myself on location, ensuring you get an up-close and personal view of the fascinating world of art and culture. I’ll be popping in and out with commentary as this video progresses but for now let’s take a close up look. Born on either March 28 or April 6, 1483, Raphael, an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, created the Raphael Cartoons, a set of seven full-scale designs for tapestry. Alongside Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, he is part of the

The Stoning of St Stephen by Grinling Gibbons at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London

January 5, 2024

Welcome to “Art, Culture & Books” with me Anthony King. Today I’ll be taking you on a video and photographic tour of ‘The Stoning of St Stephen’ by Grinling Gibbons which is made of limewood between 1680 – 90 at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. According to biblical history, Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin was scathing and it was the angry crowd who threw the first stones. As always, I take all the photos and videos myself on location, ensuring you get an up-close and personal view of the fascinating world of art and culture. This piece is behind glass but I tried my best to capture it for you. I’ll be popping in and out with commentary as this video progresses but for