Art of History Amanda Matta
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- Arts
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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.
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Portrait of a Woman: Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (with Bridget Quinn)
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’re joined by Bridget Quinn, author of the first (!!) full biography of the trailblazing artist: Portrait of a Woman: Art, Rivalry, and Revolution in the Life of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard. Quinn offers a fascinating new perspective on the layers of Adélaïde’s life—and her work. We discuss her life, her feminism, her sexuality, and her alleged “feud” with Vigée-Lebrun.
Pick up a copy of Portrait of a Woman here.
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Listen to me on Lady Audaci-TEA: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator.
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/matta_of_fact
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
TikTok: @artofhistorypod | @matta_of_fact
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Double Agent: Chevalier d'Éon
The Chevalier d'Éon (1728–1810) is known as a transgender icon, living the first half of their life as a man, and the second as a woman. Theirs is also a life that is remarkably documented in contemporary artwork. But how much can we conclusively determine about how the Chevalier viewed themselves from their portraits?
Today's Image(s): Alexandre-Auguste Robineau, The Fencing-Match between the Chevalier de Saint-George and the Chevalier d'Éon (c. 1787-9). Oil on canvas. Royal Collection Trust.
And: Thomas Stewart, Chevalier d'Éon, after Jean-Laurent Mosnier (1792). National Portrait Gallery.
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/matta_of_fact
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
TikTok: @artofhistorypod // @matta_of_fact
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Aina: The Forgotten Princess
How did the daughter of an African ruler become goddaughter to Queen Victoria? A young black girl named Aina, later called Sarah Forbes Bonetta (1843–1880), began life in West Africa. But she would grow up to become a popular member of Victorian royal circles.
Today's Image: Hannah Uzor, Aina, Sarah Forbes Bonetta Davies (2020). Acrylic & fabric on canvas, 120x80 cm. Osborne House, United Kingdom.
Hannah Uzor on the English Heritage Podcast
Tour Scotland with me! | Tour Germany & Austria with me!
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Listen to me on Lady Audaci-TEA: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator.
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
TikTok: @artofhistorypod | @matta_of_fact
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Death of Lady Jane
With the tragic demise of Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554) serving as inspiration for countless works of art, it was hard to select just one to focus our attention on. But I did it, and in this episode, we dive into the short life of England’s Nine Days Queen.
Today's Image: Paul Delaroche, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey (1833). Oil on Canvas. National Gallery, London.
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Join me in traveling this year! Scotland Trip | Germany + Austria Trip
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator.
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/matta_of_fact
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
TikTok: @artofhistorypod | @matta_of_fact
Listen to me on Lady Audaci-TEA: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Other Side: Women Artists and the Spirit World
Amanda is joined on the podcast for this special episode by Jennifer Higgie, author of The Other Side: A Story of Women in Art and the Spirit World.
Uncover the role that spiritualism has played in art, particularly since the dawn of modernism, and delve into the biographies of some trailblazing female artists who were all influenced by the occult.
The first major work of art history to focus on women artists and their engagement with the spirit world, The Other Side is so much more than a retelling of art history. It is an exploration of the ways that the otherworldly has shaped mankind’s (and womankind’s) creative expression.
The Other Side by Jennifer Higgie is available right now, from Pegasus Books.
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator.
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
Listen to me on Lady Audaci-TEA: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
TikTok: @artofhistorypod | @matta_of_fact
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Unheard Melodies: Hildegard von Bingen
At age 42, a nun named Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) decided to heed the command—which she believed came from God—to write down that which she saw and heard. It just so happened that what she saw and heard were visions from Heaven, containing extraordinary sights and sounds that would capture the attention of Popes and Emperors alike for centuries to come.
Today's artwork: Hildegard von Bingen, Self-Portrait frontispiece from Scivias (1142-1152). Ink on parchment. Wiesbaden State Library.
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New episodes every month. Let's keep in touch!
Listen to me on Lady Audaci-TEA: Spotify | Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to my newsletter, The Fascinator.
Email: artofhistorypod@gmail.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/matta_of_fact
Instagram: @artofhistorypodcast
TikTok: @artofhistorypod | @matta_of_fact
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Customer Reviews
Art History Degree Put to Good Use!
Love, Love, Love. Made me wish I had looked at the Primavera longer instead of being put off by the crowds. Was there to see Artemisia’s work on that trip anyways. Ooooo do Judith Slaying Holefernese (I know that isn’t spelt correctly, sorry).
Great pacing…
This isn’t my normal podcast material but it’s really grown on me. A great break from my typical listening choices. Thanks Amanda!
A solid and thoughtful art history podcast
I love podcasts that have a vision. This one is always a feast for the ears and gives so much food for thought. The episodes are written beautifully and the insights provided about the featured artworks are always informative. Always looking forward to new episodes!