PODCAST · arts
A Long Look Podcast
by Karen Jackson
Ever feel overwhelmed when you visit a museum? Discover a better way to connect with art! Join lifelong art lover and museum fan Karen Jackson as she shares in vivid detail what she sees and discovers when she slows down to look at a work of art for minutes instead of seconds. Then you'll find out the history, mystery or controversy behind the work or the artist! Monthly episodes are only about 10 minutes. The show is for all art lovers—from beginners to longtime fans and the visually impaired. No jargon, just an easy-going, sometimes irreverent look at works in Washington DC's world-class museums. Slow down, see more, avoid the overwhelm!
Episodes
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The Bedroom by Pieter de Hooch
Well, here we are my friends, the 100th and final episode! We go back to where it all started, the National Gallery of Art, for a look at one of Pieter de Hooch's idealized depictions of what a Dutch household was supposed to be. This cozy home may have been more wishful thinking than reality,...
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Beach at St. Malo by Maurice Prendergast
When critics hinted Maurice Prendergast was getting a little repetitive as he approached 50, he could've hung up his brushes. After all, he'd been pretty successful. Instead, he headed back to where it all began--Paris--and came away reinvigorated with "a new impulse," as he called it. Today's...
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Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir
So much better than Instagram! Pierre-Auguste Renoir invited 14 friends to lunch one summer--several lunches actually--and ended up creating this spectacular work of art. In today's episode we find out about this happy group and that beautiful riverside restaurant they're clearly enjoying. And…
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Callers by Walter Ufer
No bows and arrows, no hunting buffalo on horseback. Walter Ufer saw first-hand that Native Americans in the 1920s weren't the romanticized caricatures from the old Wild West shows. In today's episode we're looking at "Callers" and find out how a city boy from Chicago ended up in Taos, NM and…
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Encore-Woman Holding a Balance by Vermeer
While I'm taking a break, I thought you might enjoy this encore presentation of a popular episode from 2019—the gorgeous Woman Holding a Balance at the National Gallery of Art. If you want to follow along, you can find it at alonglookpodcast.com/vermeer. And make sure to stick around to the end…
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Adoration of the Magi by Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi
And you thought YOU were gonna have a lot of holiday company! Poor Mary, who's only given birth a week or so ago, now faces this onslaught of unexpected visitors in today's episode. We'll find out who exactly all those folks are, their connection to one of the most powerful families in Europe…
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On the Coast of New Jersey by William Trost Richards
Today's episode is all about relaxing, taking a little break after a long year and before the holidays hit. So I offer you a quiet beach at the Jersey Shore in this serene painting by William Trost Richards. We'll find out how this Philadelphia-born artist embraced the idea of nature and art as...
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Symphony in White, No. 1: The White Girl by James Whistler
Welcome back! I hope you all had a great summer. We'll be spending the rest of 2024 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, starting off with a stunning portrait of a red-headed Irish beauty that shocked London society. We'll find out who she is and how she was much more than a pretty...
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Encore-Still Life with Peacock Pie by Pieter Claesz
Oops. It's 2026 and after all my hoopla about ending the show with the 100th episode last year I discovered there are actually only 99… Since it was driving me nuts (and because I don't want to look like a big liar!) I created this encore episode and tucked it in before the last season. Think of…
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What's Ahead for A Long Look?
"A Long Look" returns with new episodes soon! Meanwhile, I've been looking down the road trying to figure out the future of the show and realized I've been doing all the talking for the past 7 years! So now, I'd like to hear from you. I've put together a short audience survey to find out your...
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American Art Finale
Well, we've reached the end of our brief tour of the Smithsonian American Art Museum! I hope you've enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun getting to share this unique place with you and introduce you to some artists you might not have heard of. I'll tell you about the two-for-one experience of visiting...
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Floating Clouds by Hisako Hibi
In today's episode we look at "Floating Clouds" by Hisako Hibi, one of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans incarcerated in prison camps on the West Coast during WWII. Paintings like this served as the only visual record of life in the camps as well as a way for prisoners to deal with the harsh...
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Extended Ep: Happy Anniversary, Impressionism!
Just in time for your Memorial Day travels, here's an extended episode celebrating the anniversary of Impressionism! We take another look at three of the originals: Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Berthe Morisot. Her painting "The Mother and Sister of the Artist" is featured in the upcoming...
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The South Ledges, Appledore by Childe Hassam
It's starting to get warm out so the seaside's on my mind! In the latest episode we visit Appledore on the Isles of Shoals with American painter Childe Hassam. This group of islands off the coast of New Hampshire and Maine was a long-time vacation fave for this Boston artist. We'll find out how…
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Man With the Cat by Cecilia Beaux
Henry Sturgis Drinker and Cecilia Beaux had a complicated history but that didn't get in the way of Cecilia making him the subject of one of her best portraits. In today's episode, we'll find out how Henry was just one example of the lengths this renowned Gilded Age artist went to pursue her…
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Confrontation by Hughie Lee-Smith
Putting ordinary people in odd, unsettling surroundings was the specialty of Hughie Lee-Smith. In today's episode we look at his "Confrontation" from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. We''ll find out how an encounter with Italian Surrealism and a forbidden childhood carnival forged a visual...
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The Nativity by Petrus Christus
Merry Christmas! For this year's holiday episode we're looking at this kind of unusual Nativity scene jammed packed with the detail those Northern European Renaissance artists just loved! We'll find out how the birth of Christ went from early spring to late December, the story of the arch, and…
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Still Life with Peacock Pie by Pieter Claesz
Just in time for Thanksgiving, we take a look at this sumptuous feast by one of the stars of still-life painting, Pieter Claesz. We'll find out three hints that tell us who might have owned this fabulous artwork and the amazing connection between the Dutch and one of your favorite ballpark…
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Childhood by Thomas Cole
In today's episode we're looking at "Childhood" by Thomas Cole. It's the first of a series of enormous paintings he did called "The Voyage of Life." We'll find out how Cole used this series to push the boundaries of landscape painting from just pretty pictures to something much more meaningful.…
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Changes in the Air!
Autumn is a season of change, so it seemed like the perfect time to announce a few changes happening with the show! First, I've got new music! The current theme did the job when I started way back in 2017, but it's time for a refresh so I went with a couple tunes that are welcoming and relaxed…
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Two Women Drinking Coffee by Edouard Vuillard
This work by Edouard Vuillard reminds me of the old Magic Eye images that ran in the Sunday comics back in the '90s. You'd be presented with a dense, colorful pattern and have to figure out what the hidden image was. I could never do it. In today's episode we'll find out how he and a group of…
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Ceres (Summer) by Antoine Watteau
Today's episode takes us back to the reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV, whose court was every bit as frothy as the clouds the harvest goddess Ceres is lounging on. We find out crabs are sometimes lobsters and how a penniless young man from the outskirts of Paris named Antoine Watteau ended up...
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St. Francis at the Frick Collection
Meet St. Francis, who's in the middle of receiving a…um…complicated divine visitation. This wealthy young party lover and man about town gave it all up to live a more meaningful life and lead others to embrace self-sacrifice, love nature, and encourage peace. In today's episode we find out how…
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River Landscape by Annibale Carracci
In today's episode, we get to picture ourselves in a dreamy landscape on a sunny afternoon courtesy of Annibale Carracci and the National Gallery of Art in DC. Annibale was a painter in Bologna, Italy from the 1580s to early 1600s and one of his big innovations was making landscapes like this a...
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Portrait of a Noblewoman by Lavinia Fontana
In honor of Women's History Month, we find out about trailblazer Lavinia Fontana, a celebrity artist in Renaissance Italy. Her portraits were all the rage among the nobility of Bologna and with the help of a supportive (and broad-minded) husband/business manager, she became the first professional...
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Vittore Carpaccio: So Many Mysteries
Our final episode in our long look at Vittore Carpaccio examines the mysteries raised by a reunited panel painting and how a good cleaning can make all the difference. SHOW NOTES "A Long Look" theme is "Ascension" by Ron Gelinas https://youtu.be/jGEdNSNkZoo Episode music is "La Verde Primavera,"...
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Vittore Carpaccio: Virgin Reading
Our next stop is Carpaccio's "Virgin Reading." We discover a hidden Jesus, a still-unsolved art mystery, and how Carpaccio broke the rules in his unusual depiction of the Virgin Mary. Check out the episode at alonglookpodcast.com to see the images mentioned. Click to view artwork SHOW NOTES "A…
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Vittore Carpaccio: St. Augustine in His Study
Next up in our tour of Vittore Carpaccio is "Saint Augustine in His Study." Carpaccio was a specialist in creating series of huge paintings designed to hang in sequence to tell the story of a saint or other Biblical story and "St. Augustine" is one of these. We'll find out how an unexpected…
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Vittore Carpaccio: Lion of St. Mark
We kick off Season 7's spotlight on Renaissance artist Vittore Carpaccio with his majestic, "Lion of St. Mark." This enormous painting announces Venice's return to power after a run-in with the League of Cambrai. We'll find out how a winged lion became the symbol of Venice, what happens when a...
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Vittore Carpaccio: Renaissance Storyteller
Meet Vittore Carpaccio, a famous Renaissance artist you might never have heard of. He's the star of the National Gallery of Art's exhibition, "Vittore Carpaccio: Master Storyteller of Renaissance Venice" which introduces this Venetian favorite to us for the first time! In Season 7, we'll look at...
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Madonna and Child by Giotto
We're going old school in this Christmas episode as we look at "Madonna and Child" by Giotto di Bondone, a guy who got so famous he goes by one name, Giotto! Kind of like Cher! We'll find out how he revolutionized religious art in Florence at the end of the Middle Ages. Like so many of the…
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The Autumn Episode 2021
Well, it's fall, my favorite time of year! I decided to celebrate by pulling together three past episodes related to this beautiful season. We'll revisit a stunning view of the Hudson River by Jasper Cropsey and see how Charles Sheeler turned a country stove into a modern image. Last but not…
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Extended Ep: Woman with a Sunflower by Mary Cassatt
Woman with a Sunflower looks like one of Mary Cassatt's charming domestic scenes. But when she painted this in 1905, times were changing and this is actually a bold statement of women's rights! In this episode, art historian Nikki Georgopulos joins us to share the secret of the sunflower, and how...
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End of Season 6
Well, I've wrapped up our virtual road trip! I hope you enjoyed exploring works at other fantastic museums around the country. They all have great online resources if you want to check do a deeper dive into their collections. The show is mostly on hiatus for the summer, although I will be doing...
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Vale of Kashmir
This final episode of our virtual museum road trip takes us to the Cleveland Museum of Art to see the dreamy Vale of Kashmir by Robert S. Duncanson. We'll find out how a self-taught American artist made it big and his connection to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Click to see artwork SHOW NOTES "A…
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Grainstack: Sun in the Mist
Today's episode takes us to the Minneapolis Institute of Art for a long look at Claude Monet. We'll find out how the morning light on a neighbor's haystacks inspired one of his most famous painting series and the hectic practice he developed to paint them! Click here to view artwork "A Long Look"...
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Allegory of Fortune
Isabella d'Este knew a thing or two about bad luck. A philandering husband who was out of town most of the time, the loss of three children, and oh yeah, running the government of Mantua while protecting it from invading armies while hubby was away! But she also knew Fortune can swing both ways....
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The Great Wave
In today's episode, we travel to the Art Institute of Chicago for a long look at this iconic print by Japanese artist, Hokusai. You might remember from the Van Gogh episode that when French artists discovered colorful Japanese woodblock prints like this, it started the enormously popular…
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Adam and Eve
In today's A Long Look, we'll find out how German artist Albrecht Dürer pushed the limits of engraving by experimenting with tools used by armorers and goldsmiths. And we'll discover how his love of Italian art and fascination with the human body led to this work. Plus, we'll find out the meaning...
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The Apostle Judas Thaddeus
Talk about a bad rep. Poor Judas Thaddeus has had to contend with the shame of being confused with Judas Iscariot, the traitor who sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. But somewhere along the line he was rebranded as St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes. He's so popular, he's even the...
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Season 6 Hits the Road
Season 6 is finally here but with a twist! We'll start at the Gallery but then travel virtually to other museums with fantastic online offerings. The new episodes will roll out on the show's new website alonglookpodcast.com! Of course, you'll still be able to listen on your favorite app or...
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Exciting Changes Coming!
It's been a busy 2021 at A Long Look! I'll be launching a new site at its new home, alonglookpodcast.com. The new home page features a grid of the latest episodes that's a lot easier to navigate. No more constant scrolling looking for past episodes! You'll now find the entire back catalog under…
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The Christmas Episode
I wasn't sure I wanted to celebrate Christmas after this dumpster fire of a year. But we're starting to have some good news, so I've become cautiously optimistic. But did I feel optimistic enough to do a holiday episode? Would anyone want to hear one? I put the question to you in Instagram...
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The Thanksgiving Episode
I've been trying to practice gratitude this year to fight against the fear and toxicity that's felt overwhelming at times. So, I decided to make a special, extended Thanksgiving episode to share this idea with you. I chose works from former episodes by Richard Norris Brooke, Bartolomé Esteban...
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End of Season 5
We've reached the end of Season 5 and as this unbelievable year comes to a close, I'll be taking some time off to figure out what's next for the show. It's been a huge pleasure bringing you all the great stories I found and sharing the incredible variety of works in the Gallery. And talking to…
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Quarry by Edward Loper
Did you know the US government once actually paid artists to work? During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration helped launch the career of Edward L. Loper, a prominent artist from Wilmington, Delaware. We'll find out how his lifelong curiosity, study, and teaching built a...
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Still Life by Margaret Burroughs
Margaret Taylor Burroughs was an author, painter, sculptor, printmaker, curator, museum director, activist, and teacher who left an amazing artistic and historic legacy in Chicago. In today's episode we'll find out how she helped launch the Chicago Renaissance in the '40s and how she combined her...
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The Good Shepherd by Henry Ossawa Tanner
Henry Ossawa Tanner became one of America's most famous Black artists by depicting dream-like Bible scenes like this one. Click here to see it on the Gallery's site. Clicking the image on their page will open a viewer that allows you to zoom in and pan around. In today's episode we'll find out…
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Autumn Drama by Alma Thomas
Click here to view "Autumn Drama" on the Gallery's site. Clicking the image on their page will open a viewer that allows you to zoom in and pan around. Talk about a second act! Alma Thomas was a longtime art teacher in Washington DC, who began her art career after 35 years of teaching. She took...
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Correcting the Canon: The Evans-Tibbs Collection
Welcome back to "A Long Look!" For the rest of the season, I'll be presenting paintings from the Evans-Tibbs Collection, one of the most important collections of works by Black artists in America. It was the mission of Thurlow Evans Tibbs Jr. to raise the profile of Black artists by collecting…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Ever feel overwhelmed when you visit a museum? Discover a better way to connect with art! Join lifelong art lover and museum fan Karen Jackson as she shares in vivid detail what she sees and discovers when she slows down to look at a work of art for minutes instead of seconds. Then you'll find out the history, mystery or controversy behind the work or the artist! Monthly episodes are only about 10 minutes. The show is for all art lovers—from beginners to longtime fans and the visually impaired. No jargon, just an easy-going, sometimes irreverent look at works in Washington DC's world-class museums. Slow down, see more, avoid the overwhelm!
HOSTED BY
Karen Jackson
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does A Long Look Podcast have?
A Long Look Podcast currently has 99 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is A Long Look Podcast about?
Ever feel overwhelmed when you visit a museum? Discover a better way to connect with art! Join lifelong art lover and museum fan Karen Jackson as she shares in vivid detail what she sees and discovers when she slows down to look at a work of art for minutes instead of seconds. Then you'll find out...
How often does A Long Look Podcast release new episodes?
A Long Look Podcast has 99 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to A Long Look Podcast?
You can listen to A Long Look Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts A Long Look Podcast?
A Long Look Podcast is created and hosted by Karen Jackson.
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