Satyr and Hermaphrodite from the 1st-2nd century AD at the Oxford Ashmolean Museum

April 27, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting an incredible sculpture; Satyr and Hermaphrodite from the 1st-2nd century AD at the Oxford Ashmolean Museum. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Satyr and Hermaphrodite from the 1st-2nd century AD. Now, we don’t know exactly who created this but the Ashmolean gives us an insight into the piece; “A satyr sits on a rock, seizing a Hermaphrodite from behind. The composition has a ‘front’ view presenting the nymph-like Hermaphrodite from behind, and a ‘back’ view showing its female chest and male genitals. Since satyrs normally assault nymphs, the coupling was intended as a surprise for the satyr and the viewer alike. The group was a famous Hellenistic work replicated in some 20 full-scale versions in

Amedeo Modigliani’s 1916 Female Nude

April 26, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Amedeo Modigliani’s 1916 Female Nude which is currently at The Courtauld Gallery in 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 this nude around 1916. He’s celebrated for his innovative take on portraiture and the human form, where faces, necks, and figures take on surreal stretches. It’s always difficult to rank art but I think that this, for me, is certainly one of the greatest paintings of all times. I’ve spoken previously about Van Gogh’s Starry night over the Rhone painting and the power it has in real life … this is similar … it has a presence and power

The Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil by Claude Monet

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be taking a quick look at Claude Monet’s The Railroad Bridge at Argenteuil. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Claude Monet was born in Paris on the 14th November 1840 and died on the 5th December 1926. He was the founder of Impressionism. Even the word itself; “Impressionism” was taken from his painting Soleil Levant which he exhibited in 1874. Monet’s revolutionary use of “plein air” painting, where he worked outdoors directly from nature, allowed him to infuse his canvases with a sense of immediacy and spontaneity, capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Monet’s ground-breaking technique of capturing the essence of a scene through the use of short, broken brushstrokes became a hallmark of the

Figurine Bronze by Drago Đurović at the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica in Montenegro

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Figurine Bronze by Drago Đurović at the Museums and Galleries of Podgorica in Montenegro. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Drago Đurović was born on March 29, 1923 in Titograd, now known as Podgorica which is the capital of Montenegro. He died March 30, 1986. The Yugoslavian was a sculptor and painter. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade in 1951 and travelled to Italy and France. He took part in exhibitions showcasing contemporary Yugoslav art both at home and overseas. His works were featured in displays by the Association of Fine Artists of Montenegro and the Union of Fine Artists of Yugoslavia. Notably, he exhibited at the 1962 Exhibition of Contemporary

The Bather by William Adolphe Bouguereau

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be taking a look at William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s 1864 The Bather. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. William-Adolphe Bouguereau was born in November 1825 and died 19th August 1905 and was a French academic painter. Throughout his career, he focused on realistic genre paintings, employing mythological themes to provide modern interpretations of classical subjects, particularly emphasizing the female human body. Academic art, also known as academicism is a style of painting and sculpture influenced by European art academies which was prevalent in the 19th century after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. Having spent the majority of his life in Paris, Bouguereau was honoured with the Legion of Honour on 12 July 1859. He described his love of art

National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station in London, England

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting the National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station in London, England. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The description beside the Monument reads: “The National Windrush Monument was designed to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding contribution and dedication of the Windrush Generation of British history. The Monument symbolises the courage, commitment and resilience of the thousands of men, women and children who travelled to the UK from 1948 to 1971. It has been created as a permanent place of reflection, fostering greater understanding of the Windrush Generation’s talent, hard work and loyalty to Britain, inspiring future generations forever. The National Windrush Monument has been funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. By Anthony

Composition C (No.III) with Red, Yellow and Blue 1935 by Piet Mondrian at the Tate Modern in London

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Composition C (No.III) with Red, Yellow and Blue 1935 by Piet Mondrian at the Tate Modern in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Piet Mondrian, was a famous Dutch painter and art thinker born 7th March 1872 and died 1st February 1944. He’s considered one of the best artists of the 20th century. Mondrian was one of the first to explore abstract art in the 20th century. He started with realistic paintings but later focused on simple shapes and lines in his art. There are many ways to interpret his line works. I personally, don’t. I try not to complicate the clean visual. About the piece, The Tate Modern tell us: “Mondrian used a

Nikolaj Omersa’s 1942 Nude painting at the National gallery of Modern Art in Ljubljana in Slovenia

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting Nikolaj Omersa’s 1942 “Nude” painting at the National gallery of Modern Art in Ljubljana in Slovenia. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. In this episode, we’ll be visiting Nikolaj Omersa’s 1942 “Nude” painting at the National gallery of Modern Art in Ljubljana in Slovenia. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. 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. Please consider donating via Paypal to keep the channel going. I’ll be popping in and out with commentary as this video progresses but for now let’s take a close up look. Nikolaj Omersa,

My Wife by Tone Kralj at the National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting My Wife by Tone Kralj at the National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The museum tell us: “Tone Kralj was a true Renaissance man as he worked in the techniques of painting, sculpture, printmaking, and drawing, and was also skilled in architectural planning and interior design. His artistic expression was always centred on the figure. Initially, his figures were part of expressive, vehement compositions in darker colours. Over time, however, he introduced a more vibrant colour palette, the shapes of both subjects and objects became more concrete, and his expression, with its socially critical themes, moved closer to the style of New Objectivity. His figures thus became increasingly monumental

The Munition Girls by Stanhope Alexander Forbes at the Science Museum in London

April 25, 2024

In this episode, we’ll be visiting The Munition Girls by Stanhope Alexander Forbes at the Science Museum in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The Munition Girls oil on canvas was painted in 1918 by Stanhope Forbes. He was born in Dublin on the 18th November 1857 and died on the 2nd March 1947. We find some incredible paintings and works of art at the Science Museum dotted around and this is no exception. The Science Museum tells us: “Commissioned by John Baker & Co of Rotherham, the painting depicts women workers at the firm’s Kilnhurst Steel Works. The First World War made unprecedented demands on industry and the Kilnhurst works were converted to the manufacture of artillery shells. With