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National Gallery of Art - VIDEOS AND PODCASTS
Image: Robert Marshall Watts, American, 1923–1988 Untitled (Assorted Eggs from American Supermarket), 1964 chrome-plated and flocked eggs, each: 2 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection Image: Image: Unknown, Mary Girow's Cadillac, September 9, 1956, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Robert E. Jackson, 2006.161.9 Image: Pier Jacopo Alari-Bonacolsi called Antico, Italian (c. 1460 - 1528) Seated Nymph, 1503 bronze with mercury gilding on the drapery and hair and silver foil in the eyes Robert H. Smith Collection Image: Stephen Antonakos, American, born 1926 Nov #2 1986, 1986 colored pencil on vellum, sheet: 23 5/8 x 20 in. Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection Image: Salomon van Ruysdael Ferry on a River, 1649 Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner British, 1775–1851 The Burning of the Houses of Parliament, 1834 watercolor on paper Tate, London, Bequeathed by the Artist, 1856 © Tate, London Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist

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Vermeer: Master of Light
Multiverse, Leo Villareal Installation
Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples
Empire of the Eye: Magic of Illusion
Vermeer
Master of Light
The Music Lesson, Part 1

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"Multiverse,"
Leo Villareal Installation


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Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples


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Empire of the Eye:
The Magic of Illusion

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National Gallery of Art Audio
Behind the ScenesBehind the Scenes at The National Gallery of art
This audio series offers entertaining, informative discussions about the arts and events at the National Gallery of Art. The series consists of three programs: NGA ARTTALK provides engaging conversations between Gallery staff and top cultural figures; NGA BACKSTORY permits listeners to step behind the scenes of a world-class museum with host Barbara Tempchin and guests; and NGA NOTABLE LECTURES gives access to special Gallery talks by well-known curators, historians, and authors.
January 2008
NGA NOTABLE LECTURES
Image: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and the 1963 Exhibition of the

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and the 1963 Exhibition of the "Mona Lisa"
Margaret Leslie Davis, author
In her book Mona Lisa in Camelot: How Jacqueline Kennedy and Da Vinci's Masterpiece Charmed and Captivated a Nation, Davis weaves together the enchanting saga of America's first museum blockbuster show and how the first lady made it happen. In this Notable Lectures podcast, recorded on January 4, 2009, as part of the Gallery's winter lecture series, Davis discusses the details of the Mona Lisa's visit to the National Gallery of Art and the "Lisa Fever" that ensued. The book is available for purchase from the Gallery Shop.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (54:46 mins.)

December 2008
NGA NOTABLE LECTURES
Image: Dr. Strangelove or:How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) Directed by Stanley Kubrick Shown: Director Stanley Kubrick Credit: Columbia Pictures/Photofest ©Columbia Pictures

Stanley Kubrick: Two Views
Robert Kolker, professor, Film Studies & Digital Media, School of Literature, Communication, and Culture, Georgia Institute of Technology, and James Naremore, Chancellor's Professor of Speech Communication, Chancellor's Professor of Comparative Literature, Chancellor's Professor of English, professor of film studies, Indiana University
July 26, 2008, marked the 80th birthday of Stanley Kubrick. To celebrate the occasion, Robert Kolker and James Naremore reviewed the director’s contributions through a focused dialogue based on two of Kubrick’s landmark films: a new restoration of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and his last and most enigmatic work, Eyes Wide Shut. Robert Kolker edited Stanley Kubrick’s "2001: A Space Odyssey": New Essays (2006) and James Naremore is the author of On Kubrick (2007).


Listen | iTunes | RSS (77:22 mins.)

Image: Conrad Rudolph, professor of medieval art history, University of California at Riverside

Time, Space, and the Progress of History in the Medieval Map
Conrad Rudolph, professor of medieval art history, University of California at Riverside
Rudolph demonstrates how medieval maps informed their users not only of where they were at that moment, but of where they had been in the past and would be in the future, sometimes in relation to the entire human race. In this Notable Lectures podcast, recorded on December 14, 2008, as part of the Gallery's fall lecture series, particular attention is given to the world map in Hugh of Saint Victor's The Mystic Ark, c. 1125–1130.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (69:34 mins.)

Image: Conversations with Authors: Calvin Tomkins

Conversations with Authors: Calvin Tomkins
Calvin Tomkins, author and staff writer, New Yorker, and Harry Cooper, curator of modern and contemporary art, National Gallery of Art
In his latest book Lives of the Artists, Tomkins explores 10 major artists to demonstrate the direction that contemporary art is taking. In this Notable Lectures podcast, recorded on November 23, 2008, as part of the Gallery's fall lecture series, he and Harry Cooper discuss the book, touching on artists such as Marcel Duchamp and Jasper Johns. The book is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (54:50 mins.)

Image: To Live with Myths in Pompeii and Beyond

To Live with Myths in Pompeii and Beyond
Paul Zanker, professor of art history, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa
Paul Zanker is internationally renowned for his research on Roman, Hellenistic Greek, and late antique art. In this Notable Lectures podcast, recorded on November 9, 2008, as part of the Gallery's fall lecture series, he discusses ancient myth and how it was represented in Pompeii and at other sites in Italy. This is the 12th lecture offered by the National Gallery in an endowed series named after the great specialist of Italian art, Sydney J. Freedberg (1914–1997).


Listen | iTunes | RSS (62:57 mins.)

Image: Let's Talk: A Conversation with Peter Schjeldahl

Let's Talk: A Conversation with Peter Schjeldahl
Peter Schjeldahl, senior art critic, New Yorker
In his book Let's See: Writings on Art from the New Yorker, Schjeldahl covers large-scale exhibitions and private gallery shows and profiles leaders in the art world as well as the artists themselves. In this Notable Lectures podcast, recorded on November 2, 2008, as part of the Gallery's fall lecture series, he discusses his work as an art critic, reads excerpts from his book, and answers questions from the audience. The book is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (59:53 mins.)

November 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: Jan Lievens, Part 3: Return to the Netherlands (1644–1674)

Jan Lievens, Part 3: Return to the Netherlands (1644–1674)
Arthur Wheelock, curator of northern baroque painting, National Gallery of Art
In the third of this three-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Jan Lievens: A Dutch Master Rediscovered, Wheelock talks about Lievens' success and legacy.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:21 mins.)

Image: Jan Lievens, Part 2: London and Antwerp (1632–1644)

Jan Lievens, Part 2: London and Antwerp (1632–1644)
Arthur Wheelock, curator of northern baroque painting, National Gallery of Art
In the second of this three-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Jan Lievens: A Dutch Master Rediscovered, Wheelock talks about changes in Lievens' style and the influence of Anthony Van Dyck.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:07 mins.)

Image: Jan Lievens, Part 1: The Leiden Years (1620–1632)

Jan Lievens, Part 1: The Leiden Years (1620–1632)
Arthur Wheelock, curator of northern baroque painting, National Gallery of Art
Jan Lievens was a child prodigy, whose later career was marked by important civic and private commissions. Nevertheless, his name today barely registers in the public consciousness. In the first of this three-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Jan Lievens: A Dutch Master Rediscovered, Wheelock talks about Lievens' early career and his relationship with Rembrandt.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:27 mins.)

Image: Joseph Wright (British, 1734 - 1797) Vesuvius from Portici, c. 1774-1776 oil on canvas 101 x 127 cm (39 3/4 x 50 in.) The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens; Acquired with funds from the Frances Crandall Dyke Bequest

Pompeii and the Roman Villa, Part 5: Rediscovery and Reinvention
Carol Mattusch, guest curator and professor, George Mason University
In the fifth of this five-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, Mattusch talks to Tempchin about the impact the excavations of these ancient sites have had on the modern world.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:33 mins.)

October 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: Herculaneum, near the theater Alexander the Great on horseback, 1st century BC - 1st century AD bronze 50 cm (19 3/4 in.) Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli Photography © Luciano Pedicini

Pompeii and the Roman Villa, Part 4: The Greek Legacy
Carol Mattusch, guest curator and professor, George Mason University
In the fourth of this five-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, Mattusch talks to Tempchin about the Greek legacy in Roman culture.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:27 mins.)

Image: Moregine, Triclinium A, central wall Apollo with muses Clio and Euterpe, 1st century AD fresco, 250 x 500 cm (98 1/2 x 196 7/8 in.) Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei, Ufficio Scavi, Pompei Fotografica Foglia, Alfredo and Pio Foglia

Pompeii and the Roman Villa, Part 3: Triclinium of Moregine
Carol Mattusch, guest curator and professor, George Mason University
In the third of this five-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, Mattusch talks to Tempchin about the role of the dining room in a Roman villa.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (3:04 mins.)

Image: Pompeii, House of the Golden Bracelet Garden Scene, 1st century BC - 1st century AD fresco, 200 x 357 cm (78 3/4 x 140 5/8 in.) Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei, Ufficio Scavi, Pompei Photography © Luciano Pedicini

Pompeii and the Roman Villa, Part 2: Courtyards and Gardens
Carol Mattusch, guest curator and professor, George Mason University
In the second of this five-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, Mattusch talks to Tempchin about the sculptures and designs of the villas' gardens.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (4:55 mins.)

Image: Rione Terra at Puteoli (Pozzuoli) Portrait of Gaius/Caligula, AD 37-41 white Parian (?) marble Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Napoli e Pompei, Museo Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei, Baia © Mimmo Jodice/Contrasto

Pompeii and the Roman Villa, Part 1: Patrons at Home
Carol Mattusch, guest curator and professor, George Mason University
In the second century BC, Roman aristocrats began to build lavish seaside villas on the picturesque Bay of Naples—in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius. In the first of this five-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples, Mattusch talks to Tempchin about the vacationing Roman elite who inhabited this region.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (4:25 mins.)

September 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: George de Forest Brush (American, 1854/1855–1941) The Silence Broken, 1886 oil on canvas Collection of David H. Koch

George de Forest Brush, Part 2: Tradition and Modernity
Nancy Anderson, curator of American and British paintings, National Gallery of Art
In the second of this two-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the exhibition George de Forest Brush: The Indian Paintings, Anderson talks to Tempchin about the social and historical contexts of Brush's Indian paintings.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:52 mins.)

Image: George de Forest Brush (American, 1855–1941) The White Swan, 1885 oil on panel Russell and Michelle Ball Collection

George de Forest Brush, Part 1: The Advent of the Indian Paintings
Nancy Anderson, curator of American and British paintings, National Gallery of Art
George de Forest Brush (1854/1855–1941) combined extraordinary technical skills acquired during several years of studio training in Paris with firsthand experience living among the Arapahoe, Shoshone, and Crow Indians in Wyoming and Montana. In the first of this two-part Backstory podcast, produced on the occasion of the exhibition George de Forest Brush: The Indian Paintings, Anderson talks to Tempchin about Brush's life and his legacy.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:06 mins.)

NGA Arttalk
Image: Martin Puryear, American (born 1941) Sharp and Flat, 1987 pine Collection Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson © 2008 Martin Puryear. Image courtesy McKee Gallery, New York Martin Puryear, Part 2: Defining the Object
Ruth Fine, curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, and John Elderfield, exhibition curator and chief curator emeritus of painting and sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art
In the second of this two-part podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Martin Puryear, the two curators converse about Elderfield's own interpretation of the artist's sculptures.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:53 mins.)

Image: Martin Puryear, American (born 1941) C.F.A.O., 2006-2007 painted and unpainted pine and found wheelbarrow Courtesy the artist and Donald Young Gallery, Chicago © 2008 Martin Puryear. Photo Richard P. Goodbody Martin Puryear, Part 1: Evolution of an Exhibition
Ruth Fine, curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, and John Elderfield, exhibition curator and chief curator emeritus of painting and sculpture, The Museum of Modern Art
Internationally acclaimed artist and native Washingtonian Martin Puryear creates monumental sculptures that recall architecture, craft traditions, and organic forms. In the first of this two-part podcast, produced on the occasion of the Gallery exhibition Martin Puryear, Elderfield talks to Fine about working with the artist to develop this landmark show.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:58 mins.)

August 2008
NGA Arttalk
Image: Richard Misrach (born 1949) Untitled 1139-03, 2003 chromogenic print Collection of the Artist. Courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Marc Selwyn Fine Arts, Los Angeles

Richard Misrach, Part 3: On the Beach
Photographer Richard Misrach and Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art
In the third of this three-part podcast, produced on the occasion of the exhibition Richard Misrach: On the Beach, Misrach and Greenough delve into the impact of new photographic technology on his art and the inspiration for his series.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (10:32 mins.)

Image: Richard Misrach (born 1949) Untitled 696-05, 2005 chromogenic print Collection of the Artist. Courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Marc Selwyn Fine Arts, Los Angeles Richard Misrach, Part 2: Color and Scale
Photographer Richard Misrach and Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art
In the second of this three-part podcast, produced on the occasion of the exhibition Richard Misrach: On the Beach, Misrach discusses the process by which he reached his current photographic style.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (11:08 mins.)

Image: Richard Misrach (born 1949) Untitled 1132-04, 2004 chromogenic print Collection of the Artist. Courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco; Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Marc Selwyn Fine Arts, Los Angeles Richard Misrach, Part 1: Origins and Influences
Photographer Richard Misrach and Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art
Employing an aerial perspective, Richard Misrach instilled his monumental beach series with a sense of disquiet: with references to the horizon and sky eliminated, figures appear isolated and vulnerable. In the first of this three-part podcast, produced on the occasion of the exhibition Richard Misrach: On the Beach, he talks to Sarah Greenough about the influences and origins of his photographic career.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:43 mins.)

NGA Backstory
Image: Headdress ornament in the form of a ram (Tillya Tepe, Tomb IV), 1st century BC-1st century AD gold National Museum of Afghanistan ©Thierry Ollivier / Musée Guimet

Afghan Treasures: Rescuing Tillya Tepe's Gold, Part 4
Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic Archaeology Fellow and exhibition curator
In the last of this four-part podcast Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, talks to host Barbara Tempchin about the luxurious gold ornaments and jewelry found at Tillya Tepe on the eve of the Soviet invasion. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:30 mins.)

July 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: Goblet depicting figures harvesting dates (Begram, Room 10), 1st-2nd centuries AD glass and paint National Museum of Afghanistan ©Thierry Ollivier / Musée Guimet

Afghan Treasures: The Silk Road Revealed at Begram, Part 3
Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic Archaeology Fellow and exhibition curator
In the third of this four-part podcast Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, talks to host Barbara Tempchin about the incredible discovery from Begram, a Silk Road merchant's warehouse with the contents found completely intact. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:25 mins.)

June 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: Crown (Tillya Tepe, Tomb VI), 1st century BC-1st century AD gold and imitation turquoise National Museum of Afghanistan ©Thierry Ollivier / Musée Guimet

Afghan Treasures: In Search of "Lady Moon"-Aï Khanum, Part 2
Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic Archaeology Fellow and exhibition curator
In the second of this four-part podcast Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, talks to host Barbara Tempchin about the Aï Khanum archaeological site and the impact of Alexander the Great on the region. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:20 mins.)

Image: One of a pair of pendants showing the Dragon Master, Tillya Tepe, Tomb II Second quarter of the 1st century AD Gold, turquoise, garnet, lapis lazuli, carnelian and pearls National Museum of Afghanistan Photo © Thierry Ollivier/Musée Guimet

Afghan Treasures: The Bactrian Hoard and Tepe Fullol, Part 1
Fredrik Hiebert, National Geographic Archaeology Fellow and exhibition curator
Afghanistan was in ancient times the heart of the Silk Road, linking cultures from Asia to the Mediterranean. Many thought the country's extraordinary archaeological treasures had been stolen or destroyed during recent decades of conflict in the region, but in 2003 they were recovered intact. Some 230 of these artifacts are now on view in the exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.

In the first of this four-part podcast Fredrik Hiebert, exhibition curator and National Geographic Archaeology Fellow, talks to host Barbara Tempchin about the heroism displayed by the Afghan people who kept these treasures hidden for decades. They also discuss one of the oldest archaeological sites, Tepe Fullol.


Listen | iTunes | RSS (8:33 mins.)

May 2008
NGA Arttalk
Image: Robert Marshall Watts, American, 1923–1988 Untitled (Assorted Eggs from American Supermarket), 1964 chrome-plated and flocked eggs, each: 2 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection The Vogel Collection Story: Part 3, The Fifty Works for Fifty States Project
Ruth Fine, curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, and collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel have amassed one of the greatest collections of minimal, conceptual, and post-minimal art in the world, acquiring works by some of the most important contemporary artists of our time, including Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Sol LeWitt, Richard Tuttle, and Pat Steir. Curator of special projects in modern art, Ruth Fine, spoke with the Vogels shortly after they announced The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States project, which will distribute their vast collection across the country for all to enjoy. In the final part of this three-part podcast, the Vogels discuss the impact they hope their project will have on the arts nationwide.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (13:22 mins.)

Image: Pat Steir, American, born 1940 Red Cascade, 1996–97 oil on canvas, 30 1/8 x 30 1/8 in. Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection The Vogel Collection Story: Part 2, Working with the National Gallery of Art
Ruth Fine, curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, and collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel have amassed one of the greatest collections of minimal, conceptual, and post-minimal art in the world, acquiring works by some of the most important contemporary artists of our time, including Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Sol LeWitt, Richard Tuttle, and Pat Steir. Curator of special projects in modern art, Ruth Fine, spoke with the Vogels shortly after they announced The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States project, which will distribute their vast collection across the country for all to enjoy. In the second part of this three-part podcast, the Vogels discuss their choice of the National Gallery of Art for their collection.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:59 mins.)

April 2008
NGA Arttalk
Image: Stephen Antonakos, American, born 1926 Nov #2 1986, 1986 colored pencil on vellum, sheet: 23 5/8 x 20 in. Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection The Vogel Collection Story: Part 1, Meeting and Collecting
Ruth Fine, curator of special projects in modern art, National Gallery of Art, and collectors Dorothy and Herbert Vogel
Dorothy and Herbert Vogel have amassed one of the greatest collections of minimal, conceptual, and post-minimal art in the world, acquiring works by some of the most important contemporary artists of our time, including Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Sol LeWitt, Richard Tuttle, and Pat Steir. Curator of special projects in modern art, Ruth Fine, spoke with the Vogels shortly after they announced The Dorothy and Herbert Vogel Collection: Fifty Works for Fifty States project, which will distribute their vast collection across the country for all to enjoy. In part one of this three-part podcast, the Vogels discuss how they met, and how they started collecting art.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (11:27 mins.)

Image: Edward King Tenison, Irish (1805 - 1878) Segovia, 1852 salted paper print Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris The Paper Tiger: Calotypes in Great Britain, Part 2
Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art, and Roger Taylor, professor of photographic history at De Montfort University, Leicester
Two methods of fixing an image dominated the early days of photography: the one-of-a-kind daguerreotype and the replicable calotype, which was made using paper negatives. In the second of this two-part episode, Gallery curator Sarah Greenough and Professor Roger Taylor of De Montfort University discuss some of the best calotypists, the subjects that fascinated them, and the slow death of the medium as it was supplanted by more popular photographic processes. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Impressed by Light: British Photographs from Paper Negatives, 1840–1860.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:40 mins.)

Image: 	 Talbot, William Henry Fox British, 1800 - 1877 [Wild Fennel], 1841-1842, salted paper print, image: 18.7 x 22.7 cm (7 3/8 x 8 15/16 in.) mat: 35.66 x 43.2 cm (14 1/16 x 17 in.) framed: 43.2 x 50.8 cm (17 x 20 in.), Lent by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gilman Collection, Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew W. Saul Gift, 2005 The Paper Tiger: Calotypes in Great Britain, Part 1
Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art, and Roger Taylor, professor of photographic history at De Montfort University, Leicester
Two methods of fixing an image dominated the early days of photography: the one-of-a-kind daguerreotype and the replicable calotype, which was made using paper negatives. In the first of this two-part episode, Gallery curator Sarah Greenough, and Professor Roger Taylor of De Montfort University discuss the emergence of the calotype and how it competed with the emergence of glass negatives. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Impressed by Light: British Photographs from Paper Negatives, 1840–1860.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:40 mins.)

NGA Backstory
Image: Gaston Tissandier La photographie, 1882 National Gallery of Art Library David K. E. Bruce Fund Tools of the Trade
Neal Turtell, executive librarian, National Gallery of Art
Artists in the 19th and early 20th century had access to more up-to-date information about art technique and technology than any generation before. Tools of the Trade—in the National Gallery of Art library—offers a fascinating look back in time. The display complements In the Forest of Fontainebleau: Painters and Photographers from Corot to Monet, a showcase of 19th-century landscapes created in the famous forest south of Paris. Executive librarian Neal Turtell talks with NGA Backstory host, Barbara Tempchin, about Tools of the Trade. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition In the Forest of Fontainebleau: Painters and Photographers from Corot to Monet.



Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:04 mins.)

March 2008
NGA Backstory
Image: The Italian Legacy in Washington, D.C. The Italian Legacy in Washington, DC
Maygene Daniels, chief of Gallery Archives, National Gallery of Art
From its inception, the design of the West Building of the National Gallery of Art was inspired by Italian tradition in art and architecture. The Gallery's collection of Italian paintings is considered to be among the finest in the world, and John Russell Pope's neoclassical design is reminiscent of ancient Rome's Pantheon. In this podcast, host Barbara Tempchin and Gallery chief archivist Maygene Daniels talk about the enduring link between Italian traditions and the National Gallery of Art.
Download the Program Flyer (PDF 136k) (Download Acrobat Reader)

Listen | iTunes | RSS (5:23 mins.)

Image: Augustin Enfantin (1793–1827) An Artist Painting in the Forest of Fontainebleau, c. 1825 oil on paper mounted on canvas Private Collection The Magic of Fontainebleau
Kimberly Jones, associate curator of French paintings, National Gallery of Art
At one time it was a royal hunting ground for kings and emperors, but in the 19th century, the Forest of Fontainebleau became a magnet for artists and tourists. It was the birthplace of impressionism, and its rugged features and old-growth forests provided artists with endless visually compelling scenes to paint and photograph. In this Backstory episode, curator Kimberly Jones and host Barbara Tempchin discuss the Forest of Fontainebleau and the important place it holds in the history of open-air painting. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition In the Forest of Fontainebleau: Painters and Photographers from Corot to Monet.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:33 mins.)

February 2008
NGA Arttalk
Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist Robert Rauschenberg, Part 1: Printmaking, Collaboration, and Language
Charles Ritchie, associate curator of modern prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art, and Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg biographer
Robert Rauschenberg has consistently created vital art for more than 50 years. In the first episode of this four-part series, Gallery curator Charles Ritchie and Rauschenberg biographer Mary Lynn Kotz discuss why the artist chose printmaking as a favorite medium and why collaboration has been central to his creative process. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:00 mins.)

Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist Robert Rauschenberg, Part 2: The Personal and the Global
Charles Ritchie, associate curator of modern prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art, and Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg biographer
Robert Rauschenberg has consistently created vital art for more than 50 years. Everything from newspaper clippings to family images is crucial to his work. In the second episode of this four-part series, Gallery curator Charles Ritchie and Rauschenberg biographer May Lynn Kotz discuss how Rauschenberg's art has always incorporated both personal and global references. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:07 mins.)

Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist Robert Rauschenberg, Part 3: Family Matters
Charles Ritchie, associate curator of modern prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art, and Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg biographer
Robert Rauschenberg has consistently created vital art for more than 50 years and family relationships have been influential. In the third episode of this four-part series, Gallery curator Charles Ritchie and Rauschenberg biographer Mary Lynn Kotz discuss the role that the artist's parents played in his becoming an artist, and how his strained relationship with his father affected his art. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:34 mins.)

Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist Robert Rauschenberg, Part 4: Today's Work
Charles Ritchie, associate curator of modern prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art, and Mary Lynn Kotz, Rauschenberg biographer
Robert Rauschenberg has consistently created vital art for more than 50 years. Now working from a wheelchair after a series of strokes, Rauschenberg continues to produce new art. In the last episode of this four-part series, Gallery curator Charles Ritchie and Rauschenberg biographer Mary Lynn Kotz discuss his current work—the Lotus series—and reveal how his ROCI series got its name. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (4:09 mins.)

NGA Backstory
Image: Salomon van Ruysdael, Ferry on a River, 1649 Going Dutch: Exploring Paintings from the Netherlands, Part 2
Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., curator of northern baroque paintings, National Gallery of Art
Why do so many people love Dutch paintings? Whether it is the stunning landscapes, the seemingly familiar portraits, or the lush still lifes, these centuries-old paintings still resonate today. In the second part of this Backstory episode, curator Arthur Wheelock and host Barbara Tempchin discuss the National Gallery of Art Dutch paintings collection, how it grew, and the recent acquisition of a Salomon van Ruysdael masterpiece.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:44 mins.)

January 2008
NGA Arttalk
Image: Pier Jacopo Alari-Bonacolsi, called Antico Mantuan, c. 1460–1528 Seated Nymph, 1503 bronze with mercury gilding on the drapery and hair and silver foil in the eyes

Bronze and Boxwood: Sculpting the Robert H. Smith Collection
Nicholas Penny, senior curator of sculpture and decorative arts, National Gallery of Art, and Dylan Smith, Robert H. Smith Research Conservator, National Gallery of Art
Robert H. Smith has amassed one of the most important private collections of Renaissance sculptures in the world. The Smith collection includes bronzes by masters such as Antico, Giovanni Bologna, and Antonio Susini, as well as eye-catching works in ivory and boxwood. Nicholas Penny—in his last podcast as National Gallery of Art curator of sculpture and decorative arts before he assumes directorship of the National Gallery, London—talks to Robert H. Smith Research Conservator Dylan Smith about these beautiful works of art, their composition, and how they were made. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Bronze and Boxwood: Renaissance Masterpieces from the Robert H. Smith Collection.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:43 mins.)

NGA Backstory
Image: Salomon van Ruysdael, Ferry on a River, 1649 Going Dutch: Exploring Paintings from the Netherlands, Part 1
Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., curator of northern baroque paintings, National Gallery of Art
Why do so many people love Dutch paintings? Whether it is the stunning landscapes, the seemingly familiar portraits, or the lush still lifes, these centuries-old paintings still resonate today. In the first part of this Backstory episode, curator Arthur Wheelock and host Barbara Tempchin discuss these masterpieces and why they continue to fascinate us.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:27 mins.)

Image: Pisanello Lion Being Taught by Cupid to Sing, 1444, Samuel H. Kress Collection 1957.14.602.b Why Medals Matter: The Story of the Renaissance Medal
Eleonora Luciano, associate curator of sculpture, National Gallery of Art
Medals, like those given out at the Olympics, are typically associated with feats of athleticism. However, during the Renaissance, medals were used for purposes of propaganda. The National Gallery of Art has released a two-volume, 1,200-page catalogue of its Renaissance medals collection, one of the world's most outstanding. In this podcast, one of the authors, Gallery associate curator Eleonora Luciano, talks to host Barbara Tempchin about these intriguing works of art.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:36 mins.)
December 2007
NGA Backstory
Image: Hans Baldung Grien and Unidentified block cutter (1484/1485–1545) Madonna and Child, 1515/1517, woodcut Patrons' Permanent Fund, 1999 The Baroque Woodcut: Carving a Niche
Peter Parshall, curator and head of old master prints, National Gallery of Art
Centuries before photography was invented, artists used woodcuts to reproduce their works for the public. The idea behind the woodcut is simple—an image is carved onto a wood block, dipped into ink, and pressed onto a surface. But creating a quality woodcut takes enormous skill. Peter Parshall, curator of old master prints, and host Barbara Tempchin talk about the baroque woodcut. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition The Baroque Woodcut.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:13 mins.)
Image: William Cosmo Monkhouse (1840-1901) "The Turner Gallery: A Series of One Hundred and Twenty Engravings from the Works of the Late J.M.W. Turner" London, 1878 National Gallery of Art, Washington Gift of Joseph E. Widener Opening the Covers of the Rare Book Collection
Neal Turtell, executive librarian, National Gallery of Art
Most people think that rare books are stashed away in the corners of museums, untouched and collecting dust. At the National Gallery of Art, not only are they given a special climate-controlled environment, but they're often on public display. In this podcast, executive librarian Neal Turtell talks to host Barbara Tempchin about the Gallery's rare books collection, in particular about those featured in the exhibition British Picturesque Landscapes, on view in the Gallery's West Building through February 24, 2008. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:01 mins.)
November 2007
NGA Arttalk
Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner British, 1775–1851 The Burning of the Houses of Parliament, 1834 watercolor on paper Tate, London, Bequeathed by the Artist, 1856 © Tate, London Exploring Turner, Part 1: Process
Ian Warrell, curator of 18th- and 19th-century British art, Tate Britain, London, and Franklin Kelly, senior curator, National Gallery of Art
In this two-part podcast, Franklin Kelly, National Gallery of Art senior curator, and Tate Museum curator Ian Warrell discuss the life and work of J.M.W. Turner. Here, focusing on Turner's process, they talk about the artist's use of sketchbooks and observation, his dramatic series of works depicting the burning of the Houses of Parliament, and his modernist aesthetic. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (10:11 mins.)
Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner British, 1775–1851 Europa and the Bull, c. 1845 oil on canvas Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, Bequest of Charles Phelps and Anna Sinton Taft Exploring Turner, Part 2: Invention
Ian Warrell, curator of 18th- and 19th-century British art, Tate Britain, London, and Franklin Kelly, senior curator, National Gallery of Art
In this two-part podcast, Franklin Kelly, National Gallery of Art senior curator, and Tate Museum curator Ian Warrell discuss the life and work of J.M.W. Turner. Here, focusing on Turner's inventiveness, they talk about how the artist positioned himself within the history of art, the range of his subjects, and his open-ended process of discovery. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:29 mins.)
NGA Backstory
Image: Robert Rauschenberg, American, born 1925 Soviet/American Array III, 1988 photogravure on wove paper National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Universal Limited Art Editions and the Artist Rauschenberg's Experiments in Printmaking
Charles Ritchie, associate curator of modern prints and drawings, National Gallery of Art, and Barbara Tempchin
Robert Rauschenberg has been at the forefront of American art for more than 50 years. His bold, innovative experiments in printmaking are the focus of an exhibition called Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections. In this Backstory, host Barbara Tempchin and Charles Ritchie, exhibition curator, discuss the impact Rauschenberg's prints have had on artists worldwide. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Let the World In: Prints by Robert Rauschenberg from the National Gallery of Art and Related Collections.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (9:41 mins.)
Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner, British, 1775–1851 Snow Storm: Hannibal and His Army Crossing the Alps, 1812 oil on canvas Tate, Bequeathed by the Artist, 1856 © Tate, London J.M.W. Turner and America
Franklin Kelly, senior curator of American and British paintings, National Gallery of Art, and Barbara Tempchin
J.M.W. Turner's innovative paintings and watercolors have fascinated collectors and artists for almost two centuries. In the United States, the British master's works were received with a sense of amazement, and eventually, with widespread admiration. Curator Franklin Kelly chats with host Barbara Tempchin about the impact that Turner had on American art. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:50 mins.)
October 2007
NGA Arttalk
Image: Unknown American Photographer American "Mary Girow's Cadillac", September 9, 1956 chromogenic print image: 7.6 x 11.4 cm (3 x 4 1/2 in.) sheet: 8.9 x 12.7 cm (3 1/2 x 5 in.) Gift of Robert E. Jackson Snapshot Collecting
Robert E. Jackson, collector, and Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, National Gallery of Art
Robert E. Jackson has been collecting other people's snapshots for more than a decade. Some of the best works in his collection are on display in The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888–1978. In this podcast Jackson and Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, talk about why he collects snapshots and what makes an image capture his attention.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (9:46 mins.)
Image: Edward Hopper (1882–1967) Early Sunday Morning, 1930 oil on canvas Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, Purchase, with funds from Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney Photography by Steven Sloman The Mystique of Edward Hopper
Carol Troyen, curator emerita, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Edward Hopper's depictions of 20th-century America continue to engage and fascinate the public. Shortly after the opening of the Edward Hopper exhibition at the National Gallery of Art, Alan Shestack spoke with Carol Troyen, curator emerita at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, about Hopper's captivating paintings and etchings. They also discuss the theme of solitude prevalent in his works. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (11:46 mins.)
NGA Backstory
Image: Holiday Stamps: Bernardino Luini’s The Madonna of the Carnation Holiday Stamps: Bernardino Luini's The Madonna of the Carnation
David Brown, curator of Italian paintings, National Gallery of Art
Since 1965 the National Gallery of Art and the United States Postal Service have collaborated to select a national Christmas stamp. In 2007 Bernardino Luini's The Madonna of the Carnation (c. 1515) will grace envelopes across the country. National Gallery of Art curator David Brown joins host Barbara Tempchin to talk about Luini and this beautiful painting.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:05 mins.)

Image: Unknown photographer 1950s gelatin silver print Collection of Robert E. Jackson Amateur Photography and the Decisive Moment
Sarah Greenough, curator and head of the department of photographs, National Gallery of Art
Since the first Kodak camera was sold in 1888, American amateur photographers have taken billions of snapshots. In this Backstory episode, curator Sarah Greenough and host Barbara Tempchin discuss how anonymous photographers experimented with the medium, creating artfully crafted images. They also talk about the exhibition The Art of the American Snapshot, 1888–1978: From the Collection of Robert E. Jackson.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (8:07 mins.)

September 2007
NGA Arttalk
Image: Paul Strand Rebecca, 1922 Southwestern Bell Corporation Paul Strand Collection 1991.216.6 Exploring Photography at the National Gallery of Art
Sarah Greenough, curator and head of the department of photographs, National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art has presented memorable exhibitions of photographs through the years, ranging from monographic shows on the work of such well-known photographers as Ansel Adams and Robert Frank to historically based exhibitions such as Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918–1945. The Gallery's deputy director Alan Shestack speaks with curator Sarah Greenough about the history of the photography collection and the gallery space devoted to the medium.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:58 mins.)
NGA Conversations
Listen to engaging conversations between Gallery staff and top cultural figures.
Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner British, 1775–1851 Venice: The Dogana and San Giorgio Maggiore, 1834 oil on canvas, 91.5 x 122 cm (36 x 48 in.) Widener Collection 1942.9.85 A Shakespearean Connection
Michael Kahn, artistic director, Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Franklin Kelly, senior curator, National Gallery of Art
Although separated in life by 150 years, the playwright William Shakespeare and artist Joseph William Mallord Turner share more than just a name, and possibly a birthday (April 23). Michael Kahn, artistic director of the world-renowned Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, and Gallery senior curator Franklin Kelly take time out from their busy schedules to discuss how the Bard influenced the one of Britain's most celebrated artists. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (13:15 mins.)
NGA Backstory
Image: Telling the Edward Hopper Story Telling the Edward Hopper Story
Carroll Moore, film and video producer, National Gallery of Art
The iconic paintings and artistic impact of Edward Hopper are the subject of a new documentary film that accompanies the exhibition Edward Hopper on its Boston-Washington-Chicago tour. Award-winning producer Carroll Moore speaks with Tempchin about the making of this illuminating film. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:37 mins.)
Image: Edward Hopper (1882-1967) Hotel Room, 1931 oil on canvas Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid Hopper Meets Opera in Later the Same Evening
Leon Major, professor of music, University of Maryland
The world of music merges with the visual arts in Later the Same Evening: an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper. The performance is a joint project of the National Gallery of Art, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, and the University of Maryland School of Music. Music professor Leon Major talks about the opera and artist Edward Hopper with Tempchin. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:04 mins.)
August 2007
NGA Arttalk
Image: Desiderio da Settignano (c. 1429-1464), Julius Caesar, c. 1460, marble Musee du Louvre, Departement des Sculptures, Paris Desiderio da Settignano
Nicholas Penny, senior curator of sculpture and decorative arts
The work of 15th-century sculptor Desiderio da Settignano inspired contemporaries to declare that he "brought cold marble to life." On the occasion of the exhibition Desiderio da Settignano: Sculptor of Renaissance Florence, Alan Shestack, deputy director of the National Gallery of Art, talks with senior curator Nicholas Penny about Desiderio—the sculptor and the exhibition.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (9:18 mins.)
NGA Conversations
Listen to engaging conversations between Gallery staff and top cultural figures.
Image: Still from Miss Universe of 1929, Peter Forgacs Modernity and Tradition: Film in Interwar Central Europe
Margaret Parsons, head of the film programs and Sonja Simonyi, curator of the Modernity and Tradition film series
In Europe during the period between the two world wars, artistic motion pictures were as popular a medium of expression as photography. The National Gallery of Art film series Modernity and Tradition: Film in Interwar Central Europe, which accompanies the Gallery's exhibition on tour, Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918–1945, includes more than 30 documentaries, features, and experimental films.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (7:13 mins.)
NGA Backstory
Image: Marianne Brandt (German, 1893-1983), Untitled, c. 1930 Modernity in Central Europe, 1918–1945
Matthew S. Witkovsky, assistant curator of photographs
Against a background of tremendous social and political upheaval, photography scaled new heights in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary, and Poland between the two world wars. Host Barbara Tempchin and Matthew S. Witkovsky, curator of Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918–1945, discuss the landmark exhibition, which had its world premiere here at the National Gallery of Art in June 2007.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (8:21 mins.)
Image: Italian, late 19th or early 20th century Tabernacle-style frame with, blue decorations on a gold background, gilt wood and paint, Samuel H. Kress Collection, National Gallery of Art Tabernacle Frames from the Samuel H. Kress Collection
Karen Serres, A. W. Mellon Curatorial Fellow
Going to a museum typically means looking at works of art inside picture frames. But have you ever taken the time to look at the frames themselves? Karen Serres, Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellow, helped organize the installation Tabernacle Frames from the Samuel H. Kress Collection. Host Barbara Tempchin talks with her about the space just outside the picture.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (6:33 mins.)
July 2007
NGA Arttalk
Image: Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) Portrait of a Boy in Fancy Dress, a.k.a. the Artist’s Son, Titus, c. 1655 oil on canvas, 65 x 56 cm (25 1/2 x 22 in.) The Norton Simon Foundation, Pasadena, California Who Is That Boy in Fancy Dress?
Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., curator of northern baroque paintings
More than 40 years after Rembrandt's painting Portrait of a Boy in Fancy Dress (c. 1655), or "Titus," made its first Washington appearance, it has returned to the National Gallery of Art for several months through September 2007 as part of a new series of loan exchanges between the Gallery and the Norton Simon Foundations in Pasadena, CA. Installed in the Rembrandt galleries next to the artist's Self-Portrait (1659), it sparks intriguing questions: Who is this young boy? Is it Rembrandt's son? What is the mysterious animal on his shoulder? How does the portrait relate to a nearby painting by Hans Holbein? Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Rembrandt's "Titus" from the Norton Simon Museum.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (12:05 mins.)
NGA Conversations
Listen to engaging conversations between Gallery staff and top cultural figures.
Image: Jindrich Štyrský (1899-1942) Cover for The Dead Man Who Kills Marcel Allain (French, 1885-1969) and Pierre Souvestre (French, 1874-1914), 1929 photolithograph of photomontage June and Bob Leibowits Photography between the Wars
Robert Leibowits, collector
For years Robert and June Leibowits have been collecting photographs and books. A portion of their impressive collection of eastern European photographs from between the two world wars is featured in the National Gallery of Art exhibition Foto: Modernity in Central Europe, 1918–1945. Exhibition curator Matthew S. Witkovsky chats with Robert Leibowits to find out what drives him to collect in this medium and subject area.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (8:48 mins.)
NGA Backstory
Image: The Making of a DVD Paul Mellon: In His Own Words The Making of a DVD Paul Mellon: In His Own Words
Joe Krakora, development and external affairs officer
The centenary of the birth of National Gallery of Art founder Paul Mellon provides the theme for the first Backstory. Joe Krakora, director of the new documentary Paul Mellon: In His Own Words, and host Barbara Tempchin discuss the film, which airs on public television nationwide in fall 2007 and is available now for free download from Apple iTunes®. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Celebrating the Legacy of Paul Mellon at the National Gallery of Art.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (10:37 mins.)
Image: Andrew W. Mellon and his son Paul, July 27, 1927. Photograph courtesy of the Washington Star Collection, DC Public Library The Mellon Legacy: Andrew and Paul Mellon
Maygene Daniels, chief of Gallery archives
In our second Backstory we look at the Mellon legacy. Gallery archivist Maygene Daniels and Barbara Tempchin discuss Andrew Mellon's founding of the National Gallery of Art and how this legacy was carried on through his son Paul Mellon. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Celebrating the Legacy of Paul Mellon at the National Gallery of Art.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (10:09 mins.)
National Gallery of Art Video
Image: Vermeer: Master of Light Vermeer: Master of Light
Vermeer: Master of Light is a visual pilgrimage in search of what makes a Vermeer a Vermeer. It is a journey of discovery, guiding the viewer through an examination of three of Johannes Vermeer's paintings and exploring the "secrets" of his technique. Utilizing the potential of x-ray analysis and infrared reflectography as well as the power of computer technology, the program delves beneath the surface of the paintings to unveil fascinating insights into Vermeer's work. This film celebrates one of the most extraordinary painters in the history of art. Narrated by Meryl Streep, with commentary by Arthur Wheelock, curator of northern baroque paintings, National Gallery of Art, and David Bull, conservator.

The Music Lesson, Part 1
This segment uses computer technology to deconstruct The Music Lesson and demonstrate to the viewer how Vermeer has painstakingly placed every object in the painting to achieve his desired result.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (8:42 mins.)



Image: "Multiverse," Leo Villareal Installation "Multiverse," Leo Villareal Installation
Multiverse (2008), a site-specific LED sculpture by Leo Villareal, is currently on view in the Concourse walkway connecting the East and West Buildings of the National Gallery of Art. The sculpture, which includes approximately 41,000 LED (light-emitting diode) nodes controlled by custom-designed software, is Villareal's largest and most ambitious work to date. Learn more about the artist's programming method as well as his conceptual and technological inspiration in this studio interview. The sculpture, which will be on view until November 2009, was generously funded by Victoria P. and Roger Sant, and Sharon P. and Jay Rockefeller.

Background, Part 1

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Processing, Part 2

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (3:12 mins.)

Image: Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples
Narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi and produced by the National Gallery, this excerpt is from a new documentary film that examines the explosion of artistic activity around the Bay of Naples beginning in the first century BC. The film includes original footage of houses in Pompeii and of the seaside villas that dotted the coastline of the Bay of Naples. The 30-minute version of the film is on view and for sale at the National Gallery of Art. The film is made possible by the HRH Foundation. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture around the Bay of Naples. The video is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (2:28 mins.)

Empire of the Eye: Magic of Illusion Empire of the Eye: The Magic of Illusion
The Magic of Illusion—presented here in a seven-part podcast series—is a film about how we see, what we see, or what it is we think we see. Al Roker guides us on a journey into the secrets of illusion, utilizing special effects to illustrate the artistic and visionary discoveries of the Renaissance. While Copernicus and Columbus were changing our understanding of the world, the Renaissance masters were dramatically changing the way we see that world. The film uses recent technology to look at old works in new ways. Each segment of this podcast presentation unlocks new secrets of illusion and perspective as seen in the works of old masters. This program made possible by The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.

Introduction, Part 1

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The Trinity—Masaccio, Part 2
In 1427 inside Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Masaccio created the masterpiece The Trinity using linear perspective for the first time. This segment explains how he was able to make the wall behind the work seem to disappear so that the painting becomes an extension of the room the viewer is in.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (7:57 mins.)

The Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro, Part 3
Using forced perspective in the apse of the small Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro in Milan, Bramante created the illusion of a much larger space.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (1:15 mins.)

Sant'Ignazio's Ceiling, Part 4
Sant'Ignazio's Ceiling in Rome is an amazing demonstration of illusionism on a monumental scale. This segment demonstrates that when the viewpoint of the fresco changes, the illusion is destroyed.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (3:17 mins.)

Palazzo Spada's Corridor, Part 5
Palazzo Spada's Corridor in Rome demonstrates the use of forced perspective. Special effects reveal how Borromini used an optical trick to create the illusion of depth.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (2:17 mins.)

St. Francis of Paola, Performer of Miracles, Part 6
St. Francis of Paola, Performer of Miracles, one of the largest anamorphic paintings in existence today, is located in Santa Maria dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome. Computer animation illustrates how this extraordinary use of foreshortening creates an image that fools the eye.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (1:46 mins.)

Teatro Olimpico—Andrea Palladio, Part 7
The set design by Vincenzo Scamozzi for Palladio's covered theater draws us in. This segment shows how perspective is used to create space that isn't really there.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (6:37 mins.)


Image: Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul
This two-minute trailer of the new documentary produced by Blue Bear Films for the National Geographic Society on the occasion of the traveling exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul features footage of the 2003 rediscovery of the collections from the National Museum, Kabul, which had been hidden in the vaults of the Central Bank in the Presidential Palace in 1988. National Geographic archaeologist Fredrik T. Hiebert and museum director Omara Massoudi give their personal accounts of this dramatic story. A 10-minute version will be shown in the exhibition and the full-length 28-minute film will be available in the Gallery Shops this summer. The exhibition begins a 17-month tour of the United States at the National Gallery of Art, on view May 25–September 7, 2008. The video is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.

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Image: Joseph Mallord William Turner British, 1775–1851 The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, 16th October, 1834, 1835 oil on canvas Philadelphia Museum of Art, The John Howard McFadden Collection, 1928 J.M.W. Turner Film
This excerpt is from a new documentary chronicling the rise of one of the greatest landscape painters of all time, Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), who rendered the subtle effects of light and atmosphere in revolutionary ways. A barber's son, he entered the Royal Academy art school at age 14 and became, over the course of six decades, the leading British artist of his era. This overview of Turner's career and influences includes footage of locations important to him in Wales, Switzerland, and England, and readings from writers and artists of the era, including John Ruskin and Lord Byron. A 30-minute version of the film may be purchased at the National Gallery of Art. Narrated by Jeremy Irons and produced by the Gallery in conjunction with the exhibition J.M.W. Turner, the film is made possible by the HRH Foundation.

The video is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop


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Image: Edward Hopper (1882–1967) Ground Swell, 1939 oil on canvas The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; Museum Purchase, William A. Clark Fund Wyeth Lecture in American Art: Ground Swell: Edward Hopper in 1939
Edward Hopper's paintings often show people and places in states of enigmatic isolation, loneliness, and contemplation. These are among the fabled Hopper themes—so fabled it would hardly seem possible to go beyond them to give another account of his art. Focusing on one Hopper painting, Ground Swell of 1939, this lecture by Alexander Nemerov tries to provide a thicker, denser, more surprising story of what it meant for Hopper to make a painting, especially in the year 1939. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (52:13 mins.)
Image: Edward Hopper Cape Cod Evening, 1939 John Hay Whitney Collection 1982.76.6 Edward Hopper's New York
The National Gallery of Art has released a new video podcast about the artist and his work and influence. In the podcast, which features more than 50 of Hopper's paintings and watercolors, senior curator Franklin Kelly discusses New York City, New England, and the cinema as Hopper saw and portrayed them—and as we view them today through his work. The filming of the podcast was made possible by Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. Music composed and performed by Scott Silbert of the US Navy Band. Music engineered by David Morse of the US Navy Band. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper.

Hi-Res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (8:47 mins.) | Transcript
Image: Edward Hopper (1882 - 1967) Chop Suey, 1929 oil on canvas Collection of Barney A. Ebsworth Edward Hopper Film
This excerpt is from a new documentary produced by the National Gallery of Art that includes archival footage of Edward Hopper (1882–1967), new footage of places that inspired him in New York and New England, including his boyhood home in Nyack and his studio on Washington Square, where he lived and worked for more than 50 years. Narrated by actor and art collector Steve Martin, this film traces Hopper's varied influences, from French impressionism to the gangster films of the 1930s. Artists Red Grooms and Eric Fischl discuss Hopper's influence on their careers. Curators discuss recent and diverse perspectives on Hopper's art. The 30-minute version of the film is on view and for sale at the National Gallery of Art. The film is made possible by the HRH Foundation. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Edward Hopper. The video is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.

Hi-res | Lo-Res | iTunes | RSS (3:26 mins.)
Image: Mel Bochner Theory of Boundaries, 1969-1970 The Nancy Lee and Perry Bass Fund 2004.123.1 Mel Bochner Installation: Theory of Boundaries (1969–1970)
Over the course of three days, from February 14 to 16, 2007, Mel Bochner and his assistant Nicholas Knight installed Theory of Boundaries at the National Gallery of Art. The work, whose size is determined by the length of the wall on which it is installed, consists of four squares of equal size, each separated by a space equal to one-third of the width of a single square. Following the principles determined by the "language fraction" of each square (hence the work's title, Theory of Boundaries), dry pigment is applied directly to the wall, with each of the four squares demonstrating a different relationship of the color surface to its border and state of enclosure. Produced in conjunction with the installation Mel Bochner: Theory of Boundaries (1969–1970).

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Image: NGA - Podcasts The Making of a DVD Paul Mellon: In His Own Words Paul Mellon: in His Own Words
This film celebrates the spirit and philosophy of Paul Mellon. The narration is comprised of his own words drawn from interviews, speeches and a variety of writings. He takes us on a gentle journey into his passions and interests in life including family, art, collecting, horses, and racing. The film captures the gentle nature and wisdom of an extraordinary man. Produced in conjunction with the exhibition Celebrating the Legacy of Paul Mellon at the National Gallery of Art. The video is available for purchase in the Gallery Shop.

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National Gallery of Art Music
Image: Concert in Honor of African American History Month by Celeste Headlee and Danielle DeSwert Concert in Honor of African American History Month by Celeste Headlee and Danielle DeSwert
Listen to music by William Grant Still, known as the dean of African American composers, and one of the country's most celebrated figures in music. A prolific composer, Still wrote more than 150 works, including symphonies, ballets, operas, chamber pieces, and vocal works. The concert features performances by Celeste Headlee, W. G. Still's granddaughter, and Danielle DeSwert.
Concert Notes (PDF 88k)

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Image: St. George's Chapel Choir of Windsor Castle Live Performance at the National Gallery of Art The Choir of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle
Live Performance at the National Gallery of Art

Introduction: Joseph Krakora, executive officer of development and external affairs, National Gallery of Art
Program: Locus iste (Bruckner), Prevent us, O Lord in all our doings (Byrd), Ave maris stella (Grieg), Psalm 121, Above all praise and majesty (Mendelssohn)

One of the most renowned choirs in the world, the Choir of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, presented a brief concert at the National Gallery of Art on October 25, 2007, in honor of the centenary of the birth of Paul Mellon (1907–1999), founding benefactor of the Gallery and an ardent Anglophile. In his memoir, Reflections in a Silver Spoon, Mellon suggested that his love of Great Britain was foreshadowed during his first visit with his parents, when he was baptized in St. George's Chapel on December 22, 1907. The performance took place in the Gallery's East Garden Court.

Listen (14:03 mins.)
Image: Hopper Meets Opera in Later the Same Evening "Out my one window," an Aria from Later the Same Evening: an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper
Listen to the premiere performance of "Out my one window," an aria recorded on June 19, 2007 at a National Gallery of Art press conference announcing the new opera Later the Same Evening: an opera inspired by five paintings of Edward Hopper, commissioned to coincide with the Edward Hopper exhibition at the Gallery. "Out my one window," music by John Musto and lyrics by Mark Campbell, is used by kind permission of Peermusic Classical, New York.

Listen | iTunes | RSS (9:07 mins.)