At the Café by Edgar Degas at The Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at the 1876 oil on canvas painting At the Café by Edgar Degas at The Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Edgar Degas was born in Paris on July 19th 1834 and died September 27th 1917. He is a distinguished French Impressionist artist, celebrated for his pastel drawings, oil paintings, and sculptures. This examination delves into one of his intriguing works, “At the Café,” painted between 1875 and 1877, currently housed at The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, Bequeathed by Frank Hindley Smith, 1939. The museum’s own label tells us: “Degas made several paintings, prints and drawings of women in cafés between 1875 and 1877. The two women in this

Damaged Destroyer by John Duncan Fergusson at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at the 1918 oil on canvas painting; Damaged Destroyer by John Duncan Fergusson at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The vibrant and impactful artwork “Damaged Destroyer” painted in 1918 by J.D. Fergusson, a Scottish artist and sculptor (9 March 1874 – 30 January 1961), stands as a testament to his prominence within the Scottish Colourists school of painting. Fergusson, born in Leith, was largely self-taught and made a significant impact by immersing himself in the latest trends of French painting after relocating to Paris in 1907 after Fergusson took his first trip to Paris to study at the Louvre in 1898. Unlike

Flora Bronze Sculpture by Gerald Laing at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at the bronze sculpture Flora by Gerald Laing at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery in Scotland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Flora is a bronze sculpture by Gerald Laing which was created December – April 1982 and this is one of an edition of ten that you will find around the world in private collections, at auction, or in galleries and museums. The gallery label tells us that “This sculpture shows Laing in a more naturalistic mode than The American Girl”, which refers to another of Laing’s bronzes, also at the Inverness Museum which we will be looking at in a future episode of Art, Culture and Books! The style surely

Satan by Jean-Jacques Feuchère at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at a captivating bronze sculpture titled Satan. This remarkable work was created by the celebrated French artist Jean-Jacques Feuchère in around 1834. Some say that this piece inspired Rodin’s “Thinker”. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. In the heart of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, visitors encounter a captivating bronze sculpture titled “Satan.” This sculpture symbolizes rebellion, evil, and temptation. Satan has played a central role in various religious and literary texts, representing the eternal battle between good and evil. The sculpture’s exhibition at the prestigious Paris Salon in 1834 added to its recognition, securing its enduring place in art history. It was described there as ‘a personification, with plenty of verve and ardour,

The Dinner at the Ball by Adolph Menzel at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at The Dinner at the Ball by Adolph Menzel at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The Dinner at the Ball is an oil on canvas painting by Adolph Menzel from 1878. Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von Menzel, a German Realist artist, distinguished himself in drawings, etchings, and paintings. Regarded as one of the pre-eminent German painters of the 19th century, Menzel achieved unparalleled success in his era. He was Knighted in 1898, he adopted the name Adolph von Menzel. He was born on December 8th, 1815, in Breslau, he died February 9th, 1905, in Berlin, Prussia, Germany. Sadly, Menzel’s last will and testament revealed his lifelong

The Crouching Venus by John Nost the Elder at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at The Crouching Venus by John Nost the Elder at The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. In the 1680s, John Nost the Elder, a skilled sculptor from Mechelen, Belgium, made his way to Britain. Setting up his sculptural workshop in London’s Haymarket district, he quickly gained prominence and secured numerous commissions. Notable among these were projects at Hampton Court Palace, Melbourne Hall, Castle Howard, Buckingham Palace, and Chatsworth. Nost drew inspiration for his work from an ancient Roman sculpture of Venus housed in the Royal Collection. Having likely encountered this masterpiece in person due to his court patrons, he crafted a stunning rendition. The original Crouching

The Harbour at l’ Estaque by Georges Braque which is at the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at The Harbour at l’ Estaque by Georges Braque which is at the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The Harbor at L’Estaque oil on canvas from 1906 was painted by Georges Braque who was one of the most influential French painters and sculptor of the 20th century. He was born on May 13th, 1882, and died August 31st, 1963. Braque made significant contributions to the art world, particularly through his association with Fauvism (which is the style of this painting) and his pivotal role in the development of Cubism. Initially creating impressionistic works, Braque’s artistic trajectory shifted after encountering the vibrant and emotionally charged paintings

The Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko at the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at The Battle of Grunwald by Jan Matejko at the National Museum in Warsaw, Poland. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. The Battle of Grunwald, painted by Jan Matejko, is an expansive oil on canvas completed in 1878. Measuring 426 cm × 987 cm, it spans nearly 10 meters in length! It’s massive! This monumental artwork portrays the Battle of Grunwald, illustrating the triumphant victory of the allied Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania over the Teutonic Order in 1410. Jan Alojzy Matejko, also known as Jan Mateyko, was born in the Free City of Kraków in June 1838 and passed away on the November 1st, 1893.

Water-Lilies by Claude Monet at the National Gallery, London

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at the 1916 ‘Water-Lilies’ by Claude Monet at the National Gallery, London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Water Lilies comprises approximately 250 oil paintings by the French Impressionist Claude Monet who was born November 14th, 1840 in Paris, France and died December 5th, 1926. These paintings depict his flower garden at his residence in Giverny and were the primary focus of his artistic production during the final three decades of his life. Many of these works were executed while Monet was contending with cataracts which severely affected his vision. In 1916, Monet constructed a new studio at his residence in Giverny to work on large canvases portraying his water-lily pond, each

The Moulin de la Galette by Vincent van Gogh at the Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin

December 4, 2023

Welcome to “Art, Culture & Books” with me Anthony King. Today I’ll be taking you on a video and photographic tour of The Moulin de la Galette by Vincent van Gogh. It was painted in 1886 in Paris, France. It’s currently at the Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin. Vincent van Gogh created multiple paintings in 1886 titled “Le Moulin de la Galette,” featuring a windmill near his residence in Montmartre, Paris. This windmill, known for both milling and its scenic terrace, was owned by the Debray family during the 19th century. They produced a popular brown bread called galette, giving the windmill and its associated establishments their name. The site, including a renowned guinguette and restaurant, provided entertainment for 19th-century Parisians seeking fun, wine, and windmill-ground bread.