Crouching Youth by Winifred Turner at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at Crouching Youth by Winifred Turner at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. This 1934 bronze was inspired by one of our channel favourites, Ivan Mestrovic whom we’ve become quite accustomed to, and consequently, I am quite sure that you will notice that the Victoria and Albert Museum made an error in their description of this piece. Have a look and see if you can work it out! It relates to his place of birth. I spoke with the museum who told me that they would be happy to correct it, which means that the next time you go and see this it’ll probably have

Men of the Docks by George Bellows at the National Gallery in London

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at Men of the Docks by George Bellows at the National Gallery in London. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Men of the Docks by George Bellows was painted in 1912. I remember when the painting was sold to the National Gallery in 2014 for $25.5 million and many times afterward going to see it… it took a while to grow on me… but it eventually did. It must be worth 2 – 3 times that valuation now. Men of the Docks stands 114 by 161 centimetre and is an oil painting on canvas. Placed alongside the East River, the piece offers a perspective across the partly frozen water to the towering

Venus in the Musselwagon by Max Klinger at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin

December 5, 2023

In this episode, we’ll be taking a closer look at Venus in the Musselwagon by Max Klinger at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. Welcome to Art, Culture & Books with me, Anthony King. Max Klinger, born on February 18, 1857, in Leipzig, Germany, and died on July 5, 1920, was a distinguished German artist renowned for his significant contributions to painting, sculpture, prints, and graphics. He played a crucial role in the Symbolist movement, earning him a cult-like following and establishing him as a key figure in early German modernism. One of Klinger’s notable paintings is “Venus in the Musselwagon” from 1884, along with its numerous counterparts, including “Venus in a Shell Chariot,” created in 1912. This was the theme of artworks that adorned the

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