National Gallery Of Art | Audio

David Gariff, senior lecturer, National Gallery of Art. There are many works in the National Gallery of Art which have been inspired by the glorious story of Easter. Paintings and sculptures from the Gallery’s extensive and rich permanent collection illustrate and speak to the significance of this timeless and moving story for artists and their audiences throughout history. On March 18, 2019, senior lecturer David Gariff explores both the spiritual nature of the Easter story through excerpts from the King James Version of the Bible, apocryphal writings, and later interpretations by saints, along with its related visual representations by some of the world’s greatest artists. Prominent paintings and prints by Matthias Grünewald, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Albrecht Dürer, El Greco, Tintoretto, Perugino, and Benvenuto di Giovanni, along with sculptures by Giovanni della Robbia, Pietro Tacca, Alessandro Algardi, and François Duquesnoy are featured in this commemoration of the Easter holiday.

The National Gallery of Art will be the first American art museum to invite teams of data scientists and art historians to analyze, contextualize, and visualize its permanent collection data. The Gallery’s full permanent collection data has been released to six teams of researchers from institutions including Bennington College, Carnegie Mellon University, Duke University, George Mason University, Macalester College, New College of Florida, University of California, Los Angeles, and Williams College. Questions from curators, conservators, and researchers will help guide this analysis, and teams are encouraged to pursue whichever avenues of inquiry they find most compelling. The study will culminate in a two-day Datathon during which the teams will finalize their visualizations and present their findings at a public livestreamed event on Friday, October 25, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. The project is led by Diana Greenwald, Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, National Gallery of Art.

Jonathan Bober, Andrew W. Mellon Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Art In celebration of the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, the Gallery presents 25 prints and drawings in an intimate installation. The works illustrate how Raphael’s art shaped the standard of aesthetic excellence for later artists, connoisseurs, and scholars. The exhibition features four drawings by Raphael: the sheet from which the design of his painting Saint George and the Dragon was transferred; the cartoon for the so-called Belle Jardinière; a detailed representation of the prophets Hosea and Jonah; and a well-known study for part of the frescoes in the church of Santa Maria della Pace in Rome. Nine drawings by his closest collaborators and followers—Giulio Romano, Polidoro da Caravaggio, and Perino del Vaga—are also on view. The exhibition includes 10 engravings, as well as a chiaroscuro woodcut, by the earliest interpreters of Raphael’s designs: Marcantonio Raimondi and his followers Agostino dei Musi and

Eric Denker, senior lecturer, National Gallery of Art Raphael is recognized by many as the foremost figure of the classical tradition in Western painting. Unparalleled in the complexity of his style and the near reverence his art has inspired over the five centuries since his death, few artists are so deserving of commemoration. In the early twentieth century, the mark of a great Italian collection in the United States was to have work by Raphael. No Michelangelo paintings or sculpture were in America’s collections, nor any work by Leonardo da Vinci. However collectors in the United States astutely acquired 14 paintings by Raphael, five of which would become part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection. To celebrate the exhibition marking the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, Eric Denker, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art, gave this talk on March 13, 2020. He provides an overview of the exhibition and examines the Gallery’s extraordinary collection of paintings, drawings, and prints by Ra

Edgar Degas was fascinated by music, opera, and ballet throughout his long career. He was a regular attendee at the old Paris Opéra house on the Rue Le Peletier through his early career, and then at the Garnier Opéra after its opening in 1875. Degas explored every aspect of the world of the opera—from rehearsals to performances, from the practice rooms to the stage. Yet his many paintings of the rehearsal rooms and the operas were never done on the spot; they were the product of his careful study of the ballerinas, singers, and musicians posed in his studio. The leader of the avant-garde group known as the impressionists, Degas always asserted that nothing was less spontaneous than his art. He kept volumes of drawings of figures, from every conceivable angle, that he would return to time and again for compositions throughout his career. He was interested in the body in motion and at rest, often in characteristic (if awkward) positions. Toward the end of his life, when his sight began to fail, Degas substitute

Mary Morton, curator and head of French paintings, National Gallery of Art, and Ann Lofquist, artist At the National Gallery of Art on February 23, 2020, Mary Morton is joined in conversation with artist Ann Lofquist to discuss the exhibition True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870. Singling out particular paintings from the exhibition, Lofquist describes the influence of 19th-century artists, such as Camille Corot, on her own practice of sketching in oil paint outdoors. Like these European painters who were aesthetically energized by the light of Italy, Lofquist spent several years in California after a lifetime of painting in the northeast. The conversation highlights a tradition begun in the late 18th century that extends to contemporary painting.

Kimberly A. Jones, curator of 19th-century French paintings, National Gallery of Art Edgar Degas (1834–1917) is celebrated as the painter of dancers, a subject that dominated his art for nearly four decades. An exuberant display of rich imagination and keen observation, his renowned images of the Paris Opéra are among the most sophisticated and visually compelling works he created. Celebrating the 350th anniversary of the Opéra’s founding, Degas at the Opéra presents approximately 100 of the artist’s best-known and beloved works in a range of media, including paintings, pastels, drawings, prints, and sculpture. Organized with the Musées d'Orsay et de l'Orangerie, Paris, the exhibition is on view at the National Gallery of Art from March 1 through July 5, 2020. BP America is proud to be a sponsor of this Washington, DC, exhibition as part of its support for the arts in the United States. Adrienne Arsht also kindly provided a leadership gift for this exhibition. Additional funding is provided by Jacqueline B. M

William Whitaker, senior art services specialist, office of the registrar, National Gallery of Art, in conversation with Molly Donovan, curator of contemporary art, department of modern art, National Gallery of Art Absent context, marks are stubbornly ambiguous things. How, then, do they acquire meaning? Perhaps their meaning lies not in what they signify or represent, but in how the viewer experiences them. On November 18, 2019, as part of the Works in Progress lecture series, William Whitaker and Molly Donovan grappled with this question—and the proposed answer—by examining paintings by Whitaker. Discussing Whitaker’s artistic practice and his goals in mark-making, they challenged the audience to think critically about how meaning is attributed.

Jess Cherry, artist, and education assistant with Art Around the Corner, department of gallery and studio learning, National Gallery of Art; Bryan Funk, artist, and adjunct professor, UDC; Maren Henson, artist, and adjunct professor, George Washington University and Anne Arundel Community College; Giulia Piera Livi, artist, and adjunct professor, Maryland Institute of Contemporary Art, and manager, C. Grimaldis Gallery; and Edward Victor Sanchez, artist, and adjunct professor, University of Cincinnati COMPACT ASSEMBLY is an ongoing project showcasing a range of artistic practices from a completely multidisciplinary perspective. This international collective was formed in the city of Baltimore in 2017 and, through time, has evolved to better support and celebrate the work of such a diverse crowd. As part of the Works in Progress series held on November 18, 2019, artists representing the collective reunite to discuss their project goals and the ways in which COMPACT ASSEMBLY breaks away from individual tendenci

David Gariff, senior lecturer, National Gallery of Art Offered in conjunction with the exhibition True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870 on view at the National Gallery of Art February 2 – May 3, 2020, senior lecturer David Gariff discusses shifting definitions and visual explorations of weather in European painting. In this lecture, presented on February 26, 2020, at the National Gallery of Art, Gariff investigates how approaches to painting the effects of weather — storms, rain, snow, wind, floods, and cloud formations — slowly transform from symbolic portrayals in religious, mythological, and history paintings to more scientific and empirical depictions of weather, reflecting the influence of the new science of meteorology emerging in the nineteenth century.

Mia Fineman, curator, department of photographs, Metropolitan Museum of Art 2019 marks 50 years since Apollo 11 landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, capturing the attention of viewers worldwide who eagerly awaited the first photographs taken onsite. Photography played a key role in the space race of the 1960s, both as a tool of scientific documentation and as a medium of public relations. In this lecture held on October 20, 2019, in celebration of the exhibitions By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs at the National Gallery of Art and Apollo’s Muse: The Moon in the Age of Photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, curator Mia Fineman explores the connections as well as the tensions between these two functions, delving into the fascinating history of lunar imaging.

Richard Mosse, artist, with Sarah Greenough, senior curator and head of the department of photographs, National Gallery of Art, and Andrea Nelson, associate curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art Irish photographer Richard Mosse (b. 1980) attempts to capture the complex realities of loss and destruction. Having gained initial recognition and acclaim for his work on the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mosse became increasingly frustrated with the constraints of conventional documentary photography. In an attempt to refresh the medium and reengage viewers, Mosse began using a military-grade surveillance camera, focusing on migrants and refugee camps. Locating his subjects and creating images through thermal radiation, Mosse subverts the aggression of the military technology to reveal the hardships of those displaced by war. This work culminated in the 52-minute video Incoming, filmed by Trevor Tweeten with a score by Ben Frost, that vacillates between scenes of the profoundly beautifu

Mary Morton, curator and head of French paintings, National Gallery of Art, in conversation with Ger Luijten, director, Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris; Jane Munro, keeper of paintings, drawings and prints, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and director of studies in history of art, Christ’s College, Cambridge; and Alice Goldet, private collector An integral part of art education in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, painting en plein air was a core practice for avant-garde artists in Europe. Intrepid artists such as Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, Simon Denis, Jules Coignet, and André Giroux—highly skilled at quickly capturing effects of light and atmosphere—made sometimes arduous journeys to paint their landscapes in person at breathtaking sites ranging from the Baltic coast and Swiss Alps to the streets of Paris and the ruins of Rome. The exhibition True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780-1870 consists of some 100 oil sketches, including several recently discovered

Andrew Butterfield, exhibition curator, and president of Andrew Butterfield Fine Arts Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence is the first-ever monographic exhibition in the United States on Andrea del Verrocchio (c. 1435–1488), the innovative artist, painter, sculptor, and teacher whose pupils included Leonardo da Vinci, Pietro Perugino, and likely Sandro Botticelli as well. The exhibition examines the wealth and breadth of Verrocchio's extraordinary artistry by bringing together some 50 of his masterpieces in painting, sculpture, and drawing that allow viewers to appreciate how his work in each art form stimulated creativity in the others. Groundbreaking technical research explores Verrocchio's materials and techniques, offering revelations about his artistic choices. Several carefully argued new attributions in different media are proposed in the exhibition. The National Gallery of Art is the sole American venue for the exhibition, and in this lecture, delivered on November 3, 2019, curato

Ray Barker, archivist of special collections/Washingtoniana, DC Public Library; Cynthia Connolly, artist, and booking agent, d.c. space; Claudia Joseph, artist, and booking agent, d.c. space; Rogelio Maxwell, artist, and director and curator (1976–1985), Hardart Gallery; Silvana Straw, poet, writer, performer, and DC’s original Poetry Slam Champion; and Richard Squires, artist, and founder, Museum of Temporary Art Often overshadowed by the presence of national museums, Washington, DC’s independent visual and performance art spaces have nonetheless played a critical role in shaping the cultural life of the city. While many of these local venues no longer exist, the DC Public Library is taking strides to preserve this rich history of a thriving arts community; prominent figures from that community share their experiences in this program presented at the National Gallery of Art on October 19, 2019. Artists Cynthia Connolly and Claudia Joseph speak of their work as booking agents at music venue d.c. space. Rogeli

David DeVorkin, senior curator of astronomy and the space sciences, National Air and Space Museum The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs features works ranging in date from the 19th century to the “space-age” 1960s. The event Photographing the Moon, held on October 3, 2019, at the National Gallery of Art, celebrated this exhibition by inviting three curators from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum to give talks on the intertwined histories of photography and space exploration. To open the event, David DeVorkin presented an illustrated inquiry into the interplay of the eye and hand with the photographic process, looking at developments over the past 150 years and their impact on the Apollo program.

Jennifer Levasseur, curator of space history, National Air and Space Museum The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs features works ranging in date from the 19th century to the “space-age” 1960s. The event Photographing the Moon, held on October 3, 2019, at the National Gallery of Art, celebrated this exhibition by inviting three curators from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum to give talks on the intertwined histories of photography and space exploration. In the second lecture, Jennifer Levasseur looked at photographs taken in space by people, revealing the ways that images captured by astronauts of the Apollo era have formed the framework for our understanding of human spaceflight today.

Matthew Shindell, curator of planetary science, National Air and Space Museum The year 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs features works ranging in date from the 19th century to the “space-age” 1960s. The event Photographing the Moon, held on October 3, 2019, at the National Gallery of Art, celebrated this exhibition by inviting three curators from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum to give talks on the intertwined histories of photography and space exploration. In the third talk, Matthew Shindell described the development and impact of the field of photogeology, which provided early photography of the earth and moon from airplanes and eventually allowed for mapping and selecting landing sites for human missions to the moon.

C. D. Dickerson III, curator and head of sculpture and decorative arts, National Gallery of Art Alonso Berruguete, active on the Iberian Peninsula during the first half of the 16th century, initially trained as a painter before becoming known for his painted sculptures in wood. Alonso Berruguete: First Sculptor of Renaissance Spain is the first major exhibition held outside Spain to celebrate Berruguete’s expressive art. The exhibition presents more than 40 works from across the artist’s career, including early paintings and the largest group of his drawings ever to be assembled, along with an unprecedented number of sculptures. These works range from single figures to large sections of multistory altarpieces, or retablos, that combine reliefs, statues, paintings, and architectural details. In this lecture, delivered on October 14, 2019, curator C. D. Dickerson III provides an overview to this exhibition of work by Berruguete, the preeminent sculptor of Renaissance Spain.

Kara Fiedorek Felt, Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow, department of photographs, National Gallery of Art, Washington Held on November 24, 2019, in conjunction with the exhibition The Eye of the Sun: Nineteenth-Century Photographs from the National Gallery of Art, the lecture Before the Kodak Girl explores the many roles that women played in nineteenth-century photography. From working in major studios to producing photographs as professionals and amateurs, women were deeply involved in the medium’s first half-century, though histories and collections of photography tend to emphasize only a few extraordinary examples. Kara Felt illustrates the diverse contributions of women—highlighting a selection of known and relatively unknown figures—while discussing the factors enabling, and limiting, their advancement. Ultimately, the lecture illuminates the emergence of photography as a central interest of the modern woman in the 1890s, when Eastman Kodak launched a highly successful campaign to sell its