Reading the Art World

Join art advisor Megan Fox Kelly for a special holiday podcast episode.The holiday season, with its whirlwind of glittering lights and celebratory clamor, also offers moments of quiet reflection—a perfect time for gifting books that open doors to new worlds. For art lovers, history buffs, and anyone captivated by beauty, these books are more than just pages—they are journeys. Whether it's an artist’s compelling story or a deep dive into the mysteries of painting itself, these selections promise to educate, entertain, and inspire long after the decorations are packed away.To hear interviews with top authors of other great new art books, don’t miss an episode of “Reading the Art World."SHOW NOTESEpisode Timestamps:00:21 - Holiday Book Gift Guide01:09 - Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment02:00 - Surrealism02:42 - Manet: A Model Family03:22 - Amy Sherald: American Sublime04:00 - The Art Front: The Defense of French Collections 1939-194504:37 - Paris in Ruins05:10 - How Painting Happens (and why it matters)05:44 - Picasso: Endlessly DrawingPURCHASE THESE BOOKSParis 1874: The Impressionist Moment: https://bit.ly/4fpOIQhSurrealism: https://bit.ly/4i66E41 Manet: A Model Family: https://bit.ly/415vhaS Amy Sherald: American Sublime: https://bit.ly/4g7ARy0 The Art Front: The Defense of French Collections 1939-1945: https://bit.ly/3ZcmaTg Paris in Ruins: https://bit.ly/3ZqgGph How Painting Happens (and why it matters): https://bit.ly/3ZqHhCG Picasso: Endlessly Drawing: https://bit.ly/3B24Yb1 SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND HEAR INTERVIEWSFor more information, visit meganfoxkelly.com, hear our past interviews, and subscribe at the bottom of our Of Interest page for new posts.Follow us on Instagram: @meganfoxkelly"Reading the Art World" is a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors hosted by art advisor Megan Fox Kelly. The conversations explore timely subjects in the world of art, design, architecture, artists and the art market, and are an opportunity to engage further with the minds behind these insightful new publications. Megan Fox Kelly is an art advisor and past President of the Association of Professional Art Advisors who works with collectors, estates and foundations.Music composed by Bob Golden

For the 32nd episode of "Reading the Art World," host Megan Fox Kelly speaks with Mary Morton, Curator and Head of the Department of French Paintings, and Kimberly Jones, Curator of 19th Century French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Together, they discuss their work on the landmark exhibition, “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment,” and the accompanying exhibition catalogue.The conversation centers on the daring spirit of the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, a moment that saw artists defy the prestigious Paris Salon to showcase new ways of capturing modern life. Jones and Morton share insights into the forces behind Impressionism's revolutionary appeal, from the political and social upheavals in France to the transformation of Paris under Haussmannization. They explain how these changes inspired artists to redefine not only the subjects they painted but also how art itself was exhibited and experienced.This exhibition and catalog shine a light on lesser-known figures who were critical to the movement’s evolution, challenging visitors to unlearn what they think they know about Impressionism. With its juxtapositions of Salon and Impressionist works, “Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment” allows audiences to feel the radical nature of these pieces that once shocked critics but are now beloved worldwide.“Paris 1874: The Impressionist Moment”  is on view at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. through January 19, 2025. Learn more here: https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2024/paris-1874-impressionist-moment.htmlABOUT THE CURATORSMary Morton has been curator and head of French paintings at the National Gallery of Art since 2010. She previously served as associate curator of paintings at the J. Paul Getty Museum (2004–2010) and associate curator of European art at the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Houston (1998–2004). In 2018, Morton was awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by France's Ministry of Culture. Morton received her PhD from Brown University (1998), concentrating on 19th- and early 20th-century European painting. She also holds a BA in history from Stanford University (1987).Kimberly A. Jones has been curator of nineteenth-century French paintings at the National Gallery of Art since 2016. A former museum fellow at the Musée national du château de Pau (1990–1991) and the Musée d'Orsay, Paris (1993–1994), she joined the curatorial staff of the National Gallery of Art in 1995 as assistant curator of French paintings. Jones holds a PhD and MA from the University of Maryland with specialization in 19th-century European and American art, as well as a dual degree in art history and studio art from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College).PURCHASE THE BOOK: https://shop.nga.gov/paris-1874-the-impressionist-moment SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND HEAR INTERVIEWS:For more information, visit meganfoxkelly.com, hear our past interviews, and subscribe at the bottom of our Of Interest page for new posts.Follow us on Instagram: @meganfoxkelly"Reading the Art World" is a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors hosted by art advisor Megan Fox Kelly. The conversations explore timely subjects in the world of art, design, architecture, artists and the art market, and are an opportunity to engage further with the minds behind these insightful new pub

For the 31st episode of "Reading the Art World," host Megan Fox Kelly speaks with Diana Seave Greenwald, curator of the exhibition “Manet: A Model Family” at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and editor of the associated catalogue, published by Princeton University Press.The exhibition and book offer a fascinating look at the personal life and family relationships that shaped one of art history's most influential painters. Greenwald, Curator of the Collection at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, reveals how Édouard Manet's complex family dynamics — including his relationship with his mother, his marriage to his brothers' piano teacher, and his role as godfather to her son — influenced his artistic development and provided him with willing models for his groundbreaking works.Through contributions from multiple scholars, the book challenges traditional narratives about the artist, exploring how family support, both emotional and financial, enabled his artistic innovations. This thoughtful conversation coincides with the Gardner Museum's exhibition of the same name, offering listeners insight into how biographical research can deepen our understanding of great artists and their work. Whether you're an art history enthusiast or simply curious about the intersection of family life and artistic creation, this episode provides a fresh perspective on one of modernism's pivotal figures.“Manet: A Model Family” is on view at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum through January 20, 2025. Learn more here: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/calendar/manet-model-family.ABOUT DIANA SEAVE GREENWALDDiana Seave Greenwald is an art historian and economic historian. An expert in 19th century American and French art, she is currently William & Lia Poorvu curator of the collection of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Prior to joining the Gardner, Diana was an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Curatorial Fellow at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., working in the departments of American and British Paintings and Modern Prints and Drawings. She received a D.Phil. in History from the University of Oxford. Before doctoral study, Diana earned an M.Phil. in Economic and Social History from Oxford and a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Columbia University.PURCHASE THE BOOK:https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691260662/manetSUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND HEAR INTERVIEWS:For more information, visit meganfoxkelly.com, hear our past interviews, and subscribe at the bottom of our Of Interest page for new posts.Follow us on Instagram: @meganfoxkellyMusic by Bob Golden

For the 30th episode of "Reading the Art World," host Megan Fox Kelly speaks with Gary Garrels, curator of the exhibition “Willem de Kooning and Italy” and editor of the associated catalogue, published by Marsilio Arte and distributed internationally by Artbook D.A.P..In the interview, Gary provides insight into Willem de Kooning’s engagement with Italy in the 1950s and early 1960s, sharing how the artist was “steeped in the history” of the place. The book and the conversation between Gary and Megan zero in on a crucial, but unexplored, period in de Kooning's career.“Willem de Kooning and Italy” is a beautifully illustrated accompaniment to the exhibition at Gallerie dell’Accademia di Venezia (closes September 15, 2024). The exhibition is curated by art historian Gary Garrels and Anish Kapoor Foundation director Mario Codognato, and is the first to analyze the impact of de Kooning’s Italian sojourns on his later production. Bringing together 75 works belonging to the period from the late 1950s to the 1980s, such as the famous “Door to the River,” “A Tree in Naples,” and “Villa Borghese,” painted in 1960 in New York, it is the largest de Kooning retrospective ever organized in Italy.Gary Garrels is a highly respected and influential curator for more than thirty-five years at major museums in the United States, including: Dia Art Foundation, New York, Director of Programmes, 1987-1991; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Senior Curator, 1991-1993; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Chief Curator of Painting and Sculpture, 1993-2000; Museum of Modern Art, New York, Chief Curator, Department of Drawings and Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture, 2000-2005; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Public Programmes, 2005-2008; and again at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, as Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture, 2008- 2020. He is currently an independent curator living and working in New York, focused on projects of special interest.PURCHASE THE BOOK: In Italy: Marsilio Arte. Internationally: Artbook D.A.P.SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW AND HEAR INTERVIEWS:For more information, visit meganfoxkelly.com, hear our past interviews, and subscribe at the bottom of our Of Interest page for new posts.Follow us on Instagram: @meganfoxkelly"Reading the Art World" is a live interview and podcast series with leading art world authors hosted by art advisor Megan Fox Kelly. The conversations explore timely subjects in the world of art, design, architecture, artists and the art market, and are an opportunity to engage further with the minds behind these insightful new publications. Megan Fox Kelly is an art advisor and past President of the Association of Professional Art Advisors who works with collectors, estates and foundations.Music composed by Bob Golden