ArtCurious, Jennifer Dasal
ArtCurious, Jennifer Dasal
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ArtCurious
Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History

Author: Jennifer Dasal

Narrator: Jennifer Dasal

Unabridged: 9 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 09/15/2020

Categories: Nonfiction, Reference, Humor, Art


Synopsis

A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast

We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know that Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die by his own hand but was accidentally killed--or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings?

ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

About The Author

Jennifer Dasal is the curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the host of the independent podcast ArtCurious, which she started in 2016 and which was named one of the best podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine. She holds an MA in art history from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in art history from the University of California, Davis. She has also completed PhD coursework in art history at Pennsylvania State University. She lectures frequently on art both locally and nationally.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Christina on November 16, 2020

If you're an art history fan, this collection of quirky stories is pretty delightful. I especially enjoyed the chapters on Norman Rockwell, the Mona Lisa, van Gogh, and Hieronymous Bosch. Less interesting were the folks I'd never heard of and whose art didn't personally appeal to me. You have to stay......more

Goodreads review by James on December 31, 2020

Although I enjoyed the writer’s take on the subject matter, I found myself getting impatient with this book. Part of my response, I guess, is due to the few chapters in the middle of the book titled The Slightly Odd. I’m not a big fan of stories about sleuthing that are too complicated. Plus, if all......more

Goodreads review by Horatio on August 16, 2021

This is a compilation of several episodes of Jennifer Dasal's podcast, Artcurious, and as such, wasn't really a book about art, but more a compilation of interesting stories of various artists and artworks. It didn't actually touch much on the technical aspects of these artworks, which I guess would......more

Goodreads review by Alicia on October 10, 2021

I was psyched for this seeing others' reviews of it and because I'm not "artsy" like that which is what Dasal talks about but I had put off sitting down to read it a few times and then when I started, I realized it still was not for me. I think her voice might work for her podcast and how she approa......more

Goodreads review by Maggie on October 31, 2021

You don’t have to love art to love this book, the stories and theories are fascinating on their own! Artists moonlighting as murderers and painters who claim that ghosts are possessing them, just all around fun read!......more


Quotes

Praise for ArtCurious

“Awfully fun to read . . . written with well-researched precision but also a prominent sense of humor.”
The News & Observer 

“Jennifer Dasal understands that it's the stories that make art interesting, not names and dates and movements. This book is bursting with useful and entertaining tales that will forever change the way you look at some of the world's best loved artworks.”
—Sarah Urist Green, author of You Are an Artist

“The term ‘art history’ is often equated with a good cure for insomnia—well, this book won’t let that happen! Jennifer Dasal has transformed ‘art history’ into ‘you will not believe this,’ one crazy, artsy story at a time.”
—Danielle Krysa, The Jealous Curator 

“For all those who remember—yawning—the tedium of art history lectures in dark classrooms, Jennifer Dasal’s Artcurious is here to shake you awake, open your eyes, and get your heart racing. This is art history as adventure, mystery, whodunnit, and even comedy. In short, a passionate pursuit of the innately interesting. You’ll never look at art—or art history—the same way again.”
—Bridget Quinn, author of She Votes

ArtCurious unspools like a juicy novel, detailing the backstories of several art history notables, their families, mentors, fellow artists, lovers and more . . . Dasal writes with humor and honesty, offering truth mixed with speculation . . . All this adds up to a fascinating, lively take on a topic that is too often reduced to dry facts. Art history buffs or anyone who likes a good thriller will find ArtCurious a welcome escape.”
—BookPage

“Lively, accessible, and engaging . . . As Dasal observes, ‘art isn’t (always) boring. Sometimes it’s exactly what we need to make our lives more colorful.’ This volume will certainly do that for casual museum-goers, art aficionados, and the just plain curious.”
—Booklist

“A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from the host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast.”
—Shelf Awareness

“Dasal reveals in this entertaining survey the weird, wacky, and unbelievable backstories of some of the world’s greatest artists and most famous works of art. . . . Both art aficionados and novices will find something to appreciate in this offbeat and informative outing.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)