Art of History

Feb 28 2025 48 ep. 54 mins 394
Art of History Podcast artwork

Episodes from history, viewed through great works of art. No pre-reqs required! New episodes every month. Hosted by Amanda Matta, art historian and TikTok's favorite royal commentator.

  Arts  History
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Lucrezia Borgia: Art, Power, and Legacy

Feb 28 2025 84 mins  
In 1501, Lucrezia Borgia—daughter of the infamous Pope Alexander VI—briefly ruled the Vatican in his absence, a moment as shocking then as it is now. But how did she gain this rare position of power? And how does Frank Cadogan Cowper’s striking Pre-Raphaelite painting mirror our cultural perception of her? Unravel the myths surrounding Lucrezia Borgia, explore the evolution

The Fall of Icarus: A Myth Reframed

Jan 30 2025 75 mins  
Pieter Bruegel the Elder's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus reimagines Ovid's Metamorphoses, transforming the myth of Icarus into a meditation on human indifference and folly. This episode unpacks how Bruegel intertwines visual storytelling with contemporary Dutch and Flemish proverbs, reframing Icarus’ tragic fall as a subtle commentary on the world’s disregard for individual

Art Bite: Queen or Cake?

Nov 28 2024 31 mins  
Inspired by The Rainbow Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I at Hatfield Park, an extravagant cake was recently unveiled by Emma Jayne Cake Design, for Cake International 2024. Learn the secrets of this enthralling portrait and its cake twin on today's art bite! Today's works: Emma Jayne Cake Design, "Elizabeth I" and Unknown Artist, Rainbow Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (c. 1600-1603). H

Darkness and Desire: Witchcraft in Art

Oct 30 2024 56 mins  
Witchcraft has captivated the imagination of society for centuries, and is today viewed as an enigmatic symbol of limitless power and feminine agency. But this wasn’t always the case. Through art, we can track how witches, once considered monstrous agents of the devil, have been recast as complex figures of mystery, strength, and even allure. Today's Images: Martin Schongauer, �

Madame X, Unveiled

Sep 19 2024 99 mins  
The story behind John Singer Sargent’s iconic painting, Portrait of Madame X, rarely focuses on on the life of its subject, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. A prominent Parisian socialite known for her striking beauty, Amélie's story before and after Sargent's portrait speaks volumes about attitudes towards women in the elite circles of Belle Époque Paris. Today's artwork: Joh

In the Margins of History: Washington & Slavery

Aug 14 2024 103 mins  
George Washington was many things: general, president, family man, and slaveholder. This giant of American history had a complex relationship with the enslaved—and often invisible—laborers who made his achievements possible. But through the art historical record, we can catch glimpses of these individuals and discover how they impacted Washington's life...and legacy. Today's im

J.C. Leyendecker: The Making of American Manhood

Jul 03 2024 52 mins  
Artist and illustrator J.C. Leyendecker (1874-1951) helped shape modern American visual culture as the mind behind advertising campaigns like the legendary “Arrow Collar Man.” He was also responsible for countless covers for the Saturday Evening Post—one more, in fact, than Norman Rockwell. Modern biographers also hold that Leyendecker was a gay man. Critics are now asking t

History Daily: The Discovery of China’s Terracotta Army & The Execution of King Louis XVI

Jun 15 2024 36 mins  
I'm on vacation, and I hope you'll get some time away soon, too! Our featured podcast today is one that you'll 100% want to listen to on your summer travels: History Daily. Each weekday on History Daily, host Lindsay Graham (not the senator) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history. History Daily is there to tell you the true s

Art Bite: King Charles' New Royal Portrait

May 17 2024 16 mins  
The internet has been ablaze with hot takes on King Charles III's brand-new royal portrait by British artist Jonathan Yeo. Does it depict a strong, capable monarch? Or one who is overshadowed by the chaotic state of his institution and modern world? ______ New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch! Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator. Email: [email protected] Pat

Portrait of a Woman: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (with Bridget Quinn)

May 02 2024 52 mins  
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (1749–1803) rose from shopkeeper’s daughter to an official portraitist of the French royal court—only to have her achievements reduced to ash by the Revolution. While she defied societal barriers to build a remarkable artistic career, Adélaïde's legacy was long overshadowed by celebrated portraitist and memoirist Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun. Today, we