Shows
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 93 - the Secrets of San SeveroExploring the enigmatic chapel of the Princes of San Severo, Host Jason Arkles lifts the veil of secrecy surrounding the fabulous works therein, including Corradini's Modesty, Quierolo's Freedom from Illusion, and Sanmartino's Veiled Christ. Secret handshakes and initiation rituals optional.
2025-04-2952 min
The Unvarnished PodcastThe Unvarnished Podcast - Episode 34: Jason ArklesIn this episode I visit the studio of sculptor, author, and the host of The Sculptor's Funeral Podcast, Jason Arkles, in his studio in Florence, Italy
2025-02-042h 02
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 92 - There's Something About VinnieLavinia Ream (but call her Vinnie!) was, despite the odds, a sculptor. Born into a working class family and growing up in a nation at war, in a time and place which scarcely imagined the existence of 'lady-sculptors', she catapulted herself into the international spotlight and into artistic success while still a teenager. One might say her methods were unorthodox - scandalous, even! - but when playing a rigged game, you do what you need to do to win.
2024-12-2146 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 91 - Michelangelo's PietàsThe Sculptor's Funeral Podcast is back with a look into a group of Michelangelo's sculptures collectively known as the Pietàs. Your affable host Jason answrs your burning questions about these mother-son groupings: Why is Mary so big? Is there really a self-portrait of Michelangelo in one of these Pietàs? And - what is a Pietà?
2024-10-2241 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 90 - The Mystery of MesserschmidtMeet one of the most enigmatic and anachronistic sculptors in history - Franz Messerschmidt. His work looks modern, but that's a few centuries off the mark! He's not what you would expect from a sculptor from the Rococo period... So what gives? Why were these strange heads made? Learn the startling answer here.
2022-11-2236 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 89 - Anna Hyatt Huntington and Brookgreen GardenHuntington was a prolific American sculptor in the early 20th century, but her greatest legacy may be the extensive and unique sculpture park she built, the first of its kind in the United States. Listen here to learn about the past and future of Brookgreen Garden; with interviews with Bryan Rapp and Robin Salmon.
2022-07-2352 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 88 - Greco-Roman WrestlingThe Venus De Milo, the Torso Belvedere, The Winged Victory, The Laocoon - some of the most famous Antique sculpture in the world. Strange that we know so little about who made them and why! So what makes them so famous? Find out the unexpected reasons here.
2021-09-1952 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 87 - The Colossus of RhodesIt's often hyperbole to describe something as 'colossal' - but when you're talking about the statue for which the word 'colossal' was coined, you get a pass. Learn what there is to know about how and why the Colossus of Rhodes was built, and how it rightly earned its place as one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the original Bucket List.
2021-01-3044 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 86 - Quiz Show FinalsThe Sculptor's Funeral Podcast is finishing off this strange and terrible year with the final round of the quiz show! Listen to Lubov, David, and Liz test their knowledge of the history of sculpture, in their quest to attain the coveted Sculptor's Funeral coffee mug.
2020-12-2636 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 85 - Quiz Show, Round ThreeListen to CJ, Mark, and Lubov go head to head in Round Three of the Sculptor's Funeral Quiz Show!
2020-09-0636 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 84 - Quiz Show, Round TwoListen to Rony, Alison, and David go head to head in Round Two of the Sculptor's Funeral Quiz Show!
2020-06-0436 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 83 -Quiz Show! Round OneThree avid listeners of the Sculptor's Funeral Podcast match wits and test their knowledge of art history! Round one, with Bruce, Liz, and Ali.
2020-05-1638 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 82 - The Road to Hellenism, Part IIPraxiteles and Lysippos - the two giants of 4th century Greece, and they are both covered in this episode. Learn what happened to the first classical nude female statue! Learn why eight heads are better than seven! And does Alexander succeed in Making Attica Great Again? Find out here.
2020-03-2846 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 81 - The Road To Hellenism, Part OneIf 'Classic' derives from the Greek word for 'Best', then what comes after the time of Classical Athens? Something not as good for Athens, of course. But despite the fall of the world's first democracy, the arts in Athens and all of Greece continued and even flourished. In the first of this two-part episode, we'll cover the sculptors Alkamenes, Kresilas, and Skopas. In the second part, look out for Lysippos and Praxiteles.
2020-01-2640 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 80 - PolykleitosIn this episode. Jason discusses the sculpture of Polykleitos and the ideas behind them. One of the most celebrated sculptors in history, Polykleitos devised a new formula for the creation of figurative sculpture, known as the Kanon, which set the standard for generations of Greek sculptors following in this giant's wake. Want to be a Classicist in sculpture? The Kanon of Polykleitos is Classicism 101.
2019-11-1047 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 79 - The ParthenonIn this follow-up on the episode concerning the Greek sculptor Phidias, we take a look at the sculptural program of Greece's most famous structure, the Parthenon: why they were made, what they meant then, and why they have remained relevant - and even controversial - right up to our own day.
2019-03-1042 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 78 - The Golden AgeVision, talent, will, and money - the perfect combination for a Golden Age in sculpture. It's only happened a small handful of times, and it happened first in 5th Century BC Greece. In the first of a series of episodes covering this period, Jason discusses well-known landmarks of Classical Greece such as the Riace Bronzes, the Discus Thrower, and the life and work of the greatest of Old Masters - Phidias.
2018-12-2952 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 77 - The Rise of AthensWhat did it take to move Greek culture forward into the Classical period from the Archaic? Just a few victorious battles against impossible odds, unexpected and fantastic wealth, military and political genius, and... - oh yeah, the complete destruction of Athens. Learn how luck, will, disasters, and mayhem strong enough to wipe the archaic smile off any Greek's face kickstarted the greatest era of Greek civilization.
2018-11-3045 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 76 - NaissanceRenaissance means 'Rebirth'. But we don't hear much about the original 'Naissance' in Ancient Greece that gave birth to what we call Classical sculpture. When were the first lifesized bronze figures cast? What were the first civic public monuments? Who invented Contrapposto? Find out here.
2018-11-0443 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 75 - Why Greece?In the first of a new series of Sculptor's Funeral episodes focusing on the ancient Greeks, Jason looks at the fundamental question underlying the nature of the entire Western European Tradition of sculpture - Why Greece? Why did it all start there, and why do artists throughout history keep returning there -and not Egypt or Persia or another artistic tradition? It's actually a question with a straightforward answer - Nature. But the origins and motives behind this simple answer are more complex.
2018-09-2950 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 74 - The Shrine of DemocracyGutzon Borglum's masterpiece, the Mount Rushmore National Monument... Overblown tourist attraction, or a sculpture for the Ages? Listen to the unlikely story of its creation, and you might decide that somehow it's both.
2018-06-0256 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 73 - Gutzon Borglum, The One Man WarWho is Gutzon Borglum, you ask? How strange that the sculptor of the Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota is practically unknown, even in the United States. In the first of this two-part episode, we look at the life and work of the man, before he met the mountain.
2018-02-191h 00
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 72 - Confederate Statues and the Power pf PropagandaThis episode of the Sculptor's Funeral examines the controversy surrounding the removal of statues from public spaces around the United States. Why are statues commemorating the losing side of a civil war more prevalent than those commemorating the victors of other wars? What is the message they were designed to send - and who sent the message? Jason examines this fascinating case study in public art as propaganda.
2018-01-1446 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 71 - The Lincoln MemorialDaniel Chester French's greatest work is arguably the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. but where does 'greatness' in art come from? Is it given to the artwork by its creator, or is it, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder?
2017-05-2348 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 70 - Daniel Chester FrenchDaniel Chester French is mostly remembered for sculpting the colossal Lincoln on the National Mall in Washington DC, but equally, he was America's master of memorials in the late 19th century. From the Minuteman to the Melvin Memorial, he produced works which helped promote the city beautiful movement far beyond the nation's capital.
2017-04-1948 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 69 - The World's Fair and the City BeautifulIs it Paris? Versailles? Venice? ...Chicago, actually! The stunning cityscape you see in the image was known as the White City, a dreamlike place which existed for a few short years before disappearing - but its legacy lives on in cities and towns all over the United States, part of a phenomenon known as the City Beautiful Movement.
2017-02-1548 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 68 - Mother of Exiles "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me..." ...The American ideals which the Statue of Liberty represents are hard to trump...
2017-01-1855 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 67 - Interview with Michael DefeoIn this interview, Jason talks with Michael Defeo, a sculptor who has developed dozens of characters for animated features like Ice Age and Despicable Me, using every tool at his disposal, from clay to Zbrush and beyond. But what is 'digital' sculpting? Is it 'really' sculpting? How does it work? Mike and Jason discuss these questions and more.
2016-12-161h 23
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 66 - Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Part TwoIn the second half of this two-part episode, we discuss several works by Saint-Gaudens; monuments that in the hands of lesser sculptors would have been standard, run-of-the-mill statues. But in the hands of a genius, commonplaces become masterpieces.
2016-12-0348 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 65 - Augustus Saint-Gaudens Part OneTo tell the story the story of the career of Augustus Saint-Gaudens is to tell the story of American sculpture in the late 19th century. In the first of this two-part biography, we discuss the beginnings of his remarkable career, his unique achievements in low relief, and more.
2016-11-1556 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 64 - Robert BodemOne of the most influential instructors in figurative sculpture today, Robert Bodem has been the Director of Sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art since FAA started to offer sculpture in the 1990's. If you have ever wondered just what it is they do at the Florence Academy sculpture department, this interview is for you. Rob talks about his teaching curriculum and methodology, as well as his own work and influences.
2016-11-011h 26
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 63 - Harriet HosmerHarriet Hosmer was known in her day as a 'Lady Sculptor', an 'Emancipated Woman', and as a leading member of 'The White Marmorean Flock'. What all the meant was that she was a successful, independent sculptor at a time when such a career path was hardly open to women. And today, she is barely known at all... In this episode, find out why her work and life is worth remembering.
2016-10-1653 min
The Sculptor's FuneralRomanticism ReduxHost Jason Arkles bids you all a Romantic Adieu (Don't worry,
it's just the Season Finale) with this rebroadcast of the
Romanticism podcast, as well as discusses the Sculptor's Funeral
podcast itself and how it's doing, and gives a big thanks to those
who have helped it become what it is.
2016-05-0146 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 61 - Hiram PowersThe first American sculptor to achieve international fame, Hiram Powers, did so with a statue which was as controversial for its anti-slavery sentiment as it was for its (gasp!) nudity. We know that America eventually overcame the scourge of slavery; but how did 19th century America deal with the scourge of the nude in art?
2016-04-2444 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 60 - 'MericaWhat New World? European settlers on the American continent brought Old World European tastes in sculpture with them from their earliest days, but it wasn't until 1825 that an American-born sculptor, Horatio Greenough, journeyed to Europe to learn how it was done.
2016-04-1744 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 59 - Brian Booth Craig Part Two - But I DigressBrian Booth Craig talks a lot. Usually this is not a problem, I can edit an interview into a snappy hour long episode - but what Brian says is so interesting and engaging, I can't help but make another episode from all the off-topic conversation I had with him. Listen in and find out why I think he's one of the most thoughtful and perceptive figurative sculptors we have around these days.
2016-04-101h 12
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 58 - Brian Booth CraigToday's interview on the Sculptor's Funeral has me talking with Brian Booth Craig, one of the leading figurative sculptors of the day. We discuss Craig's unique education and work experience, which led on the path toward producing some of the most original and thought-provoking work in a genre awash in repetitive banality - the female nude.
2016-04-031h 04
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 57 - Giovanni Duprè, Part TwoThe second part of the dramatic reading from The Autobiography of Giovanni Duprè, in which Duprè receives a crit from Lorenzo Bartolini, is accused of art fraud, and nearly causes the accidental death of his nude model. We've all been there, right?
2016-03-2746 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 56 - Giovanni Duprè, Part OneThe Sculptor's Funeral Theater is back with another dramatic reading! The Autobiography of Giovanni Duprè is the memoir of a man who had to fight every step of the way to achieve his dream of becoming a sculptor. Though written over a century ago, his struggles and his triumphs are familiar to many figurative sculptors and sculpture students today.
2016-03-2055 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 55 - Raffaello RomanelliWe talk with Florentine sculptor Raffaello Romanelli, sixth generation sculptor and proprietor of one of the most historic sculpture studios in Europe. Through his family's work we can trace the progression from Neoclassicism through Romanticism, Modernism, and right through to the present resurgence of figurative sculpture.
2016-03-131h 05
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 54 - Lorenzo BartoliniThis episode kicks of the exploration of the OTHER 19th century in sculpture - the one occurring outside the milieu of Paris. Lorenzo Bartolini shaped the sculpture of 19th century Italy, evolving the Neoclassicism of Canova into a ethos which sought to seek Beauty in Truth, and Truth in Beauty.
2016-03-0648 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 53.6 - Canova ReduxThe Three Graces. Cupid and Psyche. Napoleon. Everyone knows Antonio Canova, and you either love him or hate him. But - love him or hate him - do you understand him? The Sculptor's Funeral explores Canova's work in the context of the Enlightenment and French Revolution, and finds there is more to Canova than just a sculptor of ideal nudes.
2016-02-2846 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 53.5 - Neoclassicism ReduxThe idea of looking towards Greek art for inspiration wasn't exactly new in the late 18th Century with artists such as Canova and David. Artists had been doing it constantly, and for centuries. And yet, the name we give the dominant style of the late 18th century - Neoclassicism - seems to imply there was. What was so 'Neo' about Neoclassicism? Listen to the podcast and join the Enlightened.
2016-02-2135 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 53 - What is Plaster?Plaster - where would we sculptors be without it? As fundamental as this versatile material is to the basic processes of sculpture, how many of us know why plaster does what it does - or what it's even made of? This podcast sheds light on these and other mysteries, and includes an interview with unabashed plaster lover Alicia Ponzio.
2016-02-1458 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 52 - Sabin Howard InterviewFigurative sculptor Sabin Howard has just been selected to complete the sculptural components of the National World War One Memorial in Washington, DC. In this interview, Howard talks about how he arrived at the concepts behind the sculptures for the memorial (which will include a frieze in bronze over 80 feet long), and his approach towards his art.
2016-02-071h 12
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 51 - Michelangelo and the New Sacristy Michelangelo's path to immortality continues to twist and turn in this episode, detailing his time in Florence working on the New Sacristy, a commission for which he worked Day and Night, and from Dawn to Dusk...
2016-01-3142 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 50 - Michelangelo and the Tomb of Pope JuliusJust because you are the immortal genius Michelangelo doesn't mean you have it easy... This episode explored the trials and tribulations of the commission for the Tomb of Pope Julius II, the the lavishly extravagant commission of the century - that was never meant to be.
2016-01-2447 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 49 - Tools: If you want something done right....Today's podcast features interviews of three sculptors - Matt Kindy, Spencer Schubert, and Philippe Faraut - who have found that the best quality sculpture tools are the ones they make themselves. And luckily for us, these sculptors also handcraft their high quality tools in small amounts and make them available to others.
2016-01-171h 11
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 48 - "THE" David...You know which David. You know who created it. But do you know why it was created in the first place, or how it ended up becoming one of the most famous works of art on earth? And what's with the big head?? The Sculptor's Funeral Podcast digs into the David's origins to get a better understanding of Michelangelo's masterpiece, and debunks a few myths along the way.
2016-01-1048 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 47.6 - Michelangelo, Man and Myth ReduxHappy New Year from The Sculptor's Funeral, everyone! Here's the introduction to Michelangelo episode which aired a year ago - good prep for next week's all new episode about his David.
2016-01-0357 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 47.5 - From Apprentice to Academy ReduxHappy Holidays! - Enjoy this repeat episode which details the rise of academic institutions in the training of artists.
2015-12-2732 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 47 -v VerrocchioThe greatest sculptor in Florence between the time of Donatello and the rise of Michelangelo, Andrea del Verrocchio explored figurative composition like no sculptor before him - but his greatest contribution to art might be in the painters he taught - from Ghirlandaio and Signorelli, to Leonadro da Vinci himself.
2015-12-2046 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 46 - Desiderio Da SettignanoIn a career cut short by an early death, Desiderio Da Settignano nevertheless managed to rival Donatello in relief work, and re-invent the genre of child portraiture in sculpture, bringing the Age of Ugly Renaissance Babies to a thankful end.
2015-12-1345 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 45 - From Terra Cruda to Terracotta"I tried to fire my sculpture once, and it blew up in the kiln." -And thus endeth the exploration of terracotta sculpture for many a clay modeller. But it doesn't have to be that way! In this Shop Talk episode, Jason discusses tips and tricks, principles and practices of modelling figurative work for firing into terracotta.
2015-12-0652 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 44 - Luca Della RobbiaNew kid on the Florentine block Luca Della Robbia didn't have to reinvent the wheel in sculpture, like the sculptors of the generation before him had to; instead, he started with those new wheels and invented the bicycle. Learning lessons from not just sculptors, but from painters and even potters, Luca developed a style, and a genre, all his own. And he did it with Dolcezza.
2015-11-2943 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 43 - Donatello among the MediciCosimo de' Medici - Cosimo Pater Patriae, Father of the Country -was one of the wealthiest, most powerful and most intelligent men in Europe, and had a cantankerous, stick-in-the-mud sculptor as a best friend. This episode explores what made the Medici the Medici, and how a collaboration between secular power and the Renaissance Avant-Garde led to Donatello's striking and controversial David.
2015-11-2252 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 42 - TRAC 2015The Representational Art Conference was the largest event of the year for the world of figurative art. Host Jason Arkles speaks with Michael Pearce, Alicia Ponzio, and Poppy Field, all participants in this year's TRAC in different ways.
2015-11-151h 11
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 41 - OrsanmicheleOrsanmichele is the unique name of a unique church in Florence, a site many consider to be the most significant in Florence for early Renaissance sculpture. In this episode, we explore the changes in sculpture that took place when sculptors began working not for the glory of God, but for the glory of Guild...
2015-11-0848 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 40 - Heidi WastweetThe Sculptor's Funeral interviews medallic artist Heidi Wastweet, a sculptor who has devoted her career to the art of relief sculpture, coins, and medals. Wastweet offers us all a fascinating glimpse into a branch of the sculpture arts that few of us explore.
2015-11-0155 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 39.5- Donatello ReduxDonatello - the greatest sculptor of the the really Florentine Renaissance. But why? And how is it that so few of us today know anything about him? The Sculptor's Funeral explores the nature of his genius to show how Donatello practically invented the aesthetic of early renaissance sculpture.
2015-10-2554 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 39 - Lorenzo Ghiberti and the Gates of Paradise"They are so beautiful that they would do well for the gates of Paradise." That's a pretty high compliment, just for a set of decorative bronze doors - but when we find that the doors took 27 years to make, and the compliment is from the mouth of Michelangelo, perhaps there's something to it...
2015-10-1848 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 38 - The Baptistery CompetitionContests and competitions between artists have been around for as long as art has. But the most famous competition of all time was between sculptors - two giants of the early 15th Century - and heralded the start of the Florentine Reniassance. But who won? Ghiberti or Brunelleschi? Decide for yourself who is the better sculptor...
2015-10-111h 01
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 37 - Renaissance Sculpture's False Start
The Sculptor's Funeral Podcast Returns for the Second Season!
Episode 37 - Renaissance Sculpture's False Start: Ask an art historian for the date of sculpture's official kick-off in the Florentine Renaissance, they might tell you 1401. Or, they might tell you 1260. Both answers are correct. How can this be? It turns out that early advances in sculptural traditions away from the Gothic idiom had a good early start - which was then abruptly killed off, by a destructive force you'd want to avoid like the Plague...
2015-10-0455 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 36 - Malvina Hoffman - Yesterday is TomorrowMalvina Hoffman straddles the line between old and new sculptural traditions - She studied under Rodin and became a champion of Modernism, but is most remembered for her naturalistic portraiture which documented native peoples from all over the planet. In this Season Finale of the Sculptor's Funeral, Jason explores Hoffman's magnificent and problematic Magnum Opus, the Hall of the Races of Mankind.
2015-06-1443 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 35 - Sargeant JaggerIn this episode, we trace the short career of Sargeant Jagger - British figurative sculptor and decorated World War One Veteran - the artist who brought Realism to the genre of war memorials, and thereby changed the way nations remember their fallen.
2015-06-0743 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 34 - Lanteri and ToftEdouard Lanteri and Albert Toft wrote sculpture manuals in the early years of the 20th century, preserving a great deal of what we know know about 19th Century clay modeling techniques. At first glance these two books appear fairly similar, but dig a little deeper and we find two very different approaches, which may well illuminate the differences in methodology between older Academic and younger 'Beaux-Arts' styles.
2015-05-3146 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 33 - Public Monuments 2.0What do NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden, The stock market, and Satan's minion Baphomet have in common? Well, besides the obvious, they have all been subjects of a new form of public monument that has arisen in recent decades- one whose creators know that sometimes, it's easier to be forgiven than to get permission.
2015-05-2442 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 32 - interview with Mark JacksonDon't call him a military sculptor - Mark Jackson's career is more than that. But the British Army Major-turned-sculptor brings to his monumental military commissions an insight into his subject few artists can claim to possess. In fact, several of Jackson's public works are a direct reflection of his personal experience, and the various paths his life has followed so far. Jason discusses with Jackson his life and work in this interview, recorded in London in April 2015.
2015-05-1740 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 31 - Rodin Part Two: Off the PedestalThe Burghers of Calais, and the monument to Balzac - two highly controversial monuments commissioned from August Rodin at the height of his powers. Why were they controversial? What did they mean? And how did they forever change how we create and value public art? The exploration of Rodin's work and powerful legacy continues in the second of a two part podcast.
2015-05-1046 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 30 - Rodin Part One - The Force of NatureThe Last of the Old Masters, or the first Modern Sculptor? Yes, indeed. Auguste Rodin retains more influence over figurative sculpture today than any other sculptor in history. This first of a two-part discussion on the life and Work of Rodin wonders if figurative sculpture today is under the spell of Rodin, the way the Mannerist Era sculptors were held captive by the mighty Michelangelo.
2015-05-0344 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 29 - Charlie Langton, Equestrian SculptorAn interview with one of the UK's leading equestrian sculptors. Langton is known for energetic portraits of thoroughbred champions, in works ranging from small trophies to monumental scale figures. We also have a conversation with sculptor Mark Jackson, who collaborated with Langton on the stunning Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces National Memorial in England.
2015-04-2657 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 28 - Alfred GilbertOne of the greatest English sculptors in history, Alfred Gilbert isn't a household name, but he should be. A champion of the Arts and Crafts Movement whose personal style strongly inflenced the look of Art Nouveau, Gilbert's work stands out for its originality in an Age of Originals that was the late 19th century sculptural scene.
2015-04-1950 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 27.5 - Cellini ReduxJason's on vacation this week! Enjoy this rebroadcast of the Benvenuto Cellini episode of The Sculptor's Funeral.
2015-04-121h 00
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 27 - The New Sculpture MovementThe Free Style. The New Sculpture. The French Manner. Call it what you want - one thing is certain, the marriage of Victorian English sensibilities and French modelling technique conspired to produce sculpture of a variety and style that England had never seen.
2015-04-0532 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 26 - The 19th Century Sculptural RenaissanceA new Renaissance, a Golden Age - Whatever you call it, Paris in the second half of the 19th century saw a greater number of master sculptors doing work in more unprecedented ways than the world had seen since the early Florentine Renaissance. This episode takes a look as several sculptors and highlights their individual originalities as well as their relation to each other.
2015-03-2937 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 25 - Carpeaux and the Second Empire"Those who have seen it have not forgotten the magnificent tipsy laugh of the figures in the dancing group on the front of the Opera; you seem to hear it, as you pass, above the uproar of the street." Is this remark from Henry James praising Carpeaux's masterpiece The Dance, or damning it? Yes. But whether a person loved or hated the sensual rhythms of The Dance, it and its creator could not be ignored.
2015-03-2237 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 24 - Young CarpeauxThe crude and arrogant son of a mason, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux became the exuberant sculptural voice of the Second Empire and is the greatest sculptor of the period between Canova and Rodin. Funny how 20 years of art school can change a person... This episode charts the education of Carpeaux in all its twists and turns, revealing that the greatest influence on Carpeaux's work was his own stubborn ambition.
2015-03-1543 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 23 - Inside the Ecole Des Beaux-ArtsWhat was life like for a sculpture student of the Ecole Des Beaux-Arts in the 19th century? What did it take to win the coveted Prix de Rome? Jason examines some firsthand accounts of students and critics of the Ecole, highlighting the similarities with - and differences from - contemporary art training in academies and ateliers.
2015-03-0842 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 22 - Rude AwakeningFrancois Rude is likely the most important sculptor you've never heard of... Known today as 'the father of naturalism is sculpture', during his own lifetime he was exiled, denied official recognition, and relegated to a corner of the Parisian sculptural scene - and despite everyone's best efforts, changed the course of art history anyway. Find out what debt we all owe to Francois Rude in this episode of The Sculptor's Funeral.
2015-03-0159 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 21 - Isn't it Romantic?Frankenstein's Monster, scenes of disaster and shipwreck, Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven'... what could be more Romantic? in this episode, Jason explores the Romantic movement in art, a direct competitor to Neoclassicism, and answers your burning questions as to what flowers and chocolates on St. Valentine's Day have to do with 1st century Greek literature.
2015-02-2231 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 20 - CanovaThe Three Graces. Cupid and Psyche. Napoleon. Everyone knows Antonio Canova, and you either love him or hate him. But - love him or hate him - do you understand him? The Sculptor's Funeral explores Canova's work in the context of the Enlightenment and French Revolution, and finds there is more to Canova than just a sculptor of ideal nudes.
2015-02-1546 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 19 - Michelangelo Bronzes?!?News Flash! Art historians claim to have identified two bronze statuettes as by the hand of Michelangelo! in this current events episode, Jason attempts to examine the hard evidence for this claim, but discovers there isn't any...
2015-02-0834 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 18 - HoudonJean Antoine Houdon was the greatest portrait sculptor in European history. The fidelity to nature he maintained in his work was an inspiration for the Realists of the 19th century and each generation which came after - all the more amazing when we consider that Houdon was a product of the Rococo and the Old Regime!
2015-02-0138 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 17 - What's So Neo about Neoclassicism?The idea of looking towards Greek art for inspiration wasn't exactly new in the late 18th Century with artists such as Canova and David. Artists had been doing it constantly, and for centuries. And yet, the name we give the dominant style of that period - Neoclassicism - seems to imply there was. What was so 'Neo' about Neoclassicism? Listen to the podcast and join the Enlightened.
2015-01-2531 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 16 - The French ConnectionExactly how and when did the focus of European art move from Florence and Rome, to Paris? This episode explores the rise of the French academic system and the forerunners of the Ecole Des Beaux-Arts and the Paris Salon under the absolute monarchy of Louis XIV.
2015-01-1829 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 15 - Bernini and the Total Work of ArtBernini Part Two! We discuss how Bernini sought to combine color, sculpture light and architecture into a single, unified, and total work of art. But Bernini went beyond even that, by creating what can be described as 'layered realities' within several of his works resulting in some of the richest and most complex sculptures ever created.
2015-01-1134 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 14 - Bernini, Part OneApollo and Daphne, Pluto and Persephone, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa... Never has a single sculptor produced as many absolute masterpieces as Gianlorenzo Bernini. In this first of a two-part episode, Jason discusses Bernini's biography and his important early works which initiated the Baroque Era of sculpture.
2015-01-0555 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 13 - Can Art Die?Following up on the Elgin Marbles debate, Jason explores the nature of public art, and whether or if a work of art can cease to be. How fragmented, altered, abused, displaced, and appropriated can a sculpture be before it is a relic, rather than a sculpture?
2014-12-2822 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 12 - Christmas Special - Oscar Wilde's The Happy PrinceTaking a break over the holidays, Jason gives a reading of Oscar Wilde's classic short story. Happy Holidays Everyone!
2014-12-2122 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 11 - News and Notes December 2014News and Notes! Current events covered in this episode include the lastest chapter in the 2 century old controversy surrounding the elgin marbles, a group of statuary taken from the Parthenon in Greece and brought to England. Also, information on TRAC, or The Representaional Art Conference, taking place in 2015.
2014-12-1434 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 10 - From Apprentice to AcademyWhether it's at a university degree program or in a small private atelier, most figurative sculptors today train at schools, rather than as apprentices to professional sculptors. But what was the first art school in Europe? why was it created? Your host Jason Arkles details the history of the rise of the academy as a way to train artists in a more varied, eclectic, and intellectually challenging program than traditional apprenticeships allowed.
2014-12-0731 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 09 - GiambolognaGiambologna's remarkable and prolific career is the missing link between the Renaissance and the Baroque, between Michelangelo and Bernini, and between medieval and modern conceptions of how a sculptor's career is conducted. So many elements which Giambologna pioneered in his work - casting works in editions, jobbing out technical aspects of sculpture to specialists, and the decorative, small scale female nude for popular consumption - are still with us today.
2014-11-3042 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 08 - Cellini, in his own wordsThe sculptor of the famous Perseus and Medusa, Benvenuto Cellini, might have been a one-hit wonder if it were not for his other masterpiece, his Autobiography - the first from an artist. In his book, Cellini details the construction and casting of his Perseus - a precious firsthand account of a Renaissance sculptor at work - as well as his exploits as a nasty, brutish, jealous, pandering thug who murdered and raped his way through life. Your shameless host Jason Arkles brings the Autobiography to life in a dramatic reading, complete with cheap sound effects and silly voices.
2014-11-231h 00
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 07 - News and Notes November 2014In this Episode, Jason provides a forum for current events in the world of figurative sculpture. Notable exhibitions in museums around the world, exhibition opportunities for sculptors, and listener mail.
2014-11-1633 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 06 - Michelangelo, man and MythThe Divine Michelangelo - The man could do no wrong. ...At least, according to Michelangelo. One of his lasting legacies, apart from his art, is the mythology about his life and work that he himself perpetuated through the commissioning of a biography. But legends aside, Michelangelo still is one of the gresatest artists ever to have lived. This episode discusses his early years as an artist, his training and his influences, his early successes and even his (gasp!) mistakes. he was only human, after all (despite rumors to the contrary).
2014-11-0956 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 05 - Canons of proportionThe history of canons of proportions and their use by sculptors is discussed in this week's episode. From the Egyptians up to the present day, artists have sought the key to caputring an ideal, or a norm, in human form. As it happens, notions of ideals - and of what we consider normal - change over time, which has given rise to dozens of canons practiced by different artists at different times. Host Jason Arkles discusses several, and how artists have always sought to tie the measurements of the human form to other notions of perfection- be it the sacred...
2014-11-0252 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 04 - Alberti and De StatuaIf you sculpt, you probably have a small library of how-to sculpture manuals. Sculptors writing about sculpture goes way back - but how far back? In this episode, Host Jason Arkles discusses the f sculpture manual that was written during the early renaissance by the original Renaissance Man, Leon Battista Alberti. A personal friend of Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Ghiberti, Alberti's treatise on the science and practice of sculpture during the early Renaissance show us just how much in common we have with the past masters- and how much we might be able to learn from them.
2014-10-2659 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 03 - What is Clay?Have you heard the old studio saying that clay gets better the more you use it? how and why does that work? In this shop talk eposide, Jason discusses more than you ever wanted to know about clay - its composition, its properties, and how we can alter our own clay to get it to do what we want. be sure to check out the episode's image gallery over at www.thesculptorsfuneral.com, were there are plenty of images and even a few videos detailing how to recycle your clay and change its workability for the better.
2014-10-191h 01
The Sculptor's FuneralEp.02 - Donatello, an IntroductionIn this episode, The life and work of Donatello are discussed, in relation to his influence for all European sculpture which followed. Host Jason Arkles makes a case for Donatello as being the single most influential sculptor in the last 700 years.
2014-10-1255 min
The Sculptor's FuneralEpisode 01 - Introduction, and The EndJason introduces himself, explains what this podcast is all about, and why he calls it The Sculptor's Funeral; and then, discusses the near-death experience of figurative sculpture during the 20th century.
2014-10-0554 min