The Art Tourist is where art meets travel. Wherever we go, we tell the stories of extraordinary artists, artworks, and art destinations. Each episode is written and hosted by Rachel and produced by her husband, Jason. Whether you travel art-first like we do or you’re simply art-curious, we hope you’ll join us on our next adventure.
Thomas Cole’s (1801–1848) sublime paintings of the northeastern American landscape inspired the nation’s first art movement, known as the Hudson River School. Join us as we journey from New York City up north to the Hudson Valley and into Cole’s beloved Catskill Mountains, visiting natural wonders that he painted, places where he lived and worked, and institutions maintaining his legacy through continued scholarship and exhibition. Hear from Elizabeth Kornhauser, the Alice Pratt Brown Curator of American Painting and Sculpture at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Wendy Ikemoto, Senior Curator of American Art at the New-York Historical Society; and Elizabeth B. Jacks, Executive Director at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site.
Remedios Varo’s (1908–1963) human and hybrid figures embark on cosmic quests and coax wondrous revelations. Having weathered the despair of war and displacement, the Spanish-born, Mexico City-based exile crafted surreal worlds abounding with noble pursuits of creation, discovery, and enlightenment.
Cats have captivated creatives through the millennia with their curious characters and mesmerizing mannerisms. Their likenesses and temperaments have been painted, sculpted, and illustrated innumerable times over, which warrants a little compilation of artists inspired by these alluring animals.
The adventurous Albrecht Durer (1471–1528) was a man of many firsts. A pioneer of the self-portrait and the still-life, he so brilliantly broke boundaries throughout his career, and was duly celebrated as the German superstar of the Renaissance.
Francis Bacon’s (1909–1992) contorted and distorted figures magnify the trauma and treachery of living. The Irish-born painter treated his subjects with brutality and empathy alike, unearthing a strange beauty derived from the grim and the grotesque.