ArtMuse

ArtMuse is re-releasing ArtMuse’s two part episode on the artist’s model, avant-garde performance artist, and political advocate, Lady Emma Hamilton. Emma Hamilton rose from rags to riches to become one of Europe’s first female celebrities. Born into poverty, Emma worked her way from maid, to courtesan, to artist model, and eventually to the wife of the British Ambassador to Naples. And perhaps most famously, Emma later became the lover of the famed Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. Emma was also the famed English painter, George Romney’s, most beloved model and muse, and he painted her over sixty times over the course of their working relationship. In addition, Emma invented a form of performance art which she called “Attitudes”. “Attitudes” was well ahead of its time, and is a testament to Emma’s genius as a performer. In ArtMuse’s two part episode, we honor Emma as the determined, ambitious, brave, open-minded and inspiring woman she was. Emma Hamilton fits in nicely with Season Three’s theme of artist models who were also performers in their own right.

In Part One we explored Sarah’s childhood, her early days as a performer, and her marriage to fellow actor William Siddons. We then explored Sarah’s discovery by David Garrick, her disastrous first season in London, and her eventual success in Bath. We left things in our story after Sarah’s triumphant return to London, which turned her into an overnight sensation and catapulted her into stardom. In Part Two, we honor Sarah as the immensely talented actress she was, as the brilliant marketer who carefully crafted her own public image by co-collaborating with artists on her portraits, as a fiercely protective mother who navigated unimaginable loss and heartbreak with her head held high, and as a bold and confident woman who never gave up on herself, even in the most trying of times.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse's episode on the famed English tragic actress and muse, Sarah Siddons. She was the most famous tragic actress of the Georgian age, with performances so powerful that several members of her audience fainted with fear. Over her forty-year long career she captured the hearts of all of England, including the King and Queen, who welcomed her into their Royal court. She was painted by some of the greatest masters of art history, including Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, and George Romney, using her portraits to promote her self-image. Though she was known for her tragic roles on the stage, she persevered through personal tragedies off the stage as well, outliving five of her seven children and suffering from multiple miscarriages. This episode honors Sarah as the remarkable woman she was; as the actress with performances so powerful that her audience sobbed, howled, and fainted, as the cultural icon who came to define the Georgian age, as the savvy publicist who carefully crafted her own self-image by collaborating with artists on her portraits, and as the fierce and protective mother who held her head high in the face of unimaginable loss and grief.

We will be releasing a two part episode on the famed tragic actress and muse Sarah Siddons On August 21, 2026. In the meantime, we are re-releasing ArtMuse’s episode on the performer, painter, artist’s model, and Queen of Montparnasse, Alice Prin, better known as Kiki de Montparnasse. In this episode, we aim to honor Kiki as the independent and free-spirited woman she was; a woman who was never afraid to live her life as she pleased and dance to the beat of her own drum, a woman who not only understood the power of her own image, but what it meant to take agency over it for herself. Though she modeled for countless artists, her participation was never passive, instead she imbued each of the works she posed for her with own creative force and visions.

In Part One we explored Sada’s childhood; how at the age of four she was sent to a geisha house, where she was later adopted by the proprietress and trained to be a geisha. We then explored Sada’s rise as one of the most famous geisha of Tokyo, her relationship with Prime Minister Ito, and her eventual marriage to kabuki star Otojiro Kawakami. In Part Two we finish Sada's story and honor Sada as the remarkable woman she was. From her days as a famous geisha who caught the attention of Japan’s most powerful men, to her breakout as a performer in America and later in Europe where she became a superstar, to her fight to open new avenues of opportunity for women in Japan, and finally, to her decision follow her heart and love the man she desired despite societal scorn, Sada chose to live her life both fiercely and freely and was unafraid to dance to the beat of her own drum.

This episode explores the life of the Japanese geisha, actress, dancer, and fashion icon Sada Yacco. When she first arrived in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century, she sent the entire city abuzz with excitement. Appearing like an apparition from a fantastical dream, she introduced Western audiences to Japanese theater and culture, eventually becoming Japan’s first international female celebrity. Picasso immortalized her on paper, Alfredo Müller printed her on poster, and Guerlain released a perfume inspired by her. Though her time abroad was short, she dazzled the entire western world, and left an indelible impression everywhere she went. When she eventually returned to Japan, she sought to open new avenues of opportunity for Japanese women, founding the country’s first school for female actresses. Over the course of her fruitful career, she transcended cultural boundaries, challenged societal norms, and captured the heart of both the East and West.

We are sharing a special episode from our friends at the podcast History Daily, which releases daily episodes on interesting historical events that happened on that day. In this episode, host Lindsay Graham discusses Betty Friedan’s seminal work "The Feminist Mystique", published on February 19th, 1963. "The Feminist Mystique", which spoke to widespread discontent amongst American women confined to the domestic sphere, kickstarted the second-wave feminist movement. After conducting her own extensive interviews and research, Friedan expressed the frustration and restlessness many American women were secretly harboring inside. In doing so, Friedan advocated for women’s inherent right to pursue a life and career of their own, and not be limited to domesticity. "The Feminist Mystique" inspired women across the country to go back to school, return to the work force, and find value in their lives outside of being wives and mothers. Friedan deserves to be honored as an important figure of American history, whose work continues to positively impact women today.

In Part One we explored Charlotte’s childhood; her father’s abandonment, the family’s subsequent descent into poverty, and Charlotte’s early ambitions to become a singer. We then explored Charlotte’s breakout performance as Lady Macbeth, her subsequent success in New New York City, Albany, and Philadelphia, and her decision to move to London to further her career. In Part Two we finish Charlotte's story and aim to honor her as the incredible actress she was, who dazzled audiences across the Western world with her impeccable performances, mastered both female and male parts, and played such a convincing Romeo that women frequently fell in love with her, as a brazen and forward-thinking woman who managed her own career, advocating for herself to ensure that she was paid the same rate as her male counterparts, as a passionate lover who openly engaged in same sex relationships in a time when they were harshly condemned, as a fierce feminist who supported women’s rights and female artists, and as a lionhearted woman who faced adversity head on and dared to live her life with authenticity and fervor.

Listen to ArtMuse's episode on the revolutionary actress, proud lesbian, savvy business woman, staunch feminist, and force to be reckoned with, Charlotte Cushman. Though Charlotte Cushman was one of the most famous actresses of the 19th century and a household name during her lifetime, she has since been unfairly written out of history. Charlotte deserves to be recognized not only for her impressive career on the stage, but as a remarkable woman in her own right. In this episode, we aim to honor Charlotte as the talented performer she was who mastered both female and male roles, as a savvy business woman who managed her own career, as the ultimate ladies (wo)man unafraid to flaunt her latest female lover at a time when same-sex relationships were strictly condemned, as an early feminist who used her influence to promote the work of female artists, and as a fearless woman who went against the grain in nearly every facet of society, unafraid to break social convention to live her life with authenticity and freedom.

Today we are sharing a special episode from our friends at Vulgar History, a podcast that looks at history through a feminist lens. In this episode, host Ann Foster introduces us to Mary Queen of Scots, Queen of Scotland from 1542 to 1567. Mary became Queen when she was only six days old and had one of the most tumultuous political reins in history, and her life story is certainly a wild ride. She was married three times, briefly became the Queen of France, became the enemy of Queen Elizabeth I, forced to abdicate the throne in 1567, was imprisoned in England shortly after for nineteen years, and was eventually executed on February 8th, 1587 after being convicted of treason. As such a notorious figure of history, Mary Queen of Scots was portrayed across the mediums. In fact, it’s believed she sat for well over one hundred fifty portraits during her lifetime. We hope to have a full ArtMuse episode on Mary Queen of Scots one day.

ArtMuse shares a special episode from “The Stars of the Golden Age”, a podcast that dives into the lives of your favorite Old Hollywood stars. In this episode, host Erin Carlson shares the incredible life story of the actress, fashion icon, and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn. From Audrey’s beginnings in Belgium, to her work with the resistance in World War II, to her discovery by director William Wyler who cast her in Roman Holiday and catapulted her into stardom, and finally, to her incredible work as a humanitarian in her later age, Audrey’s life-story is nothing short of remarkable. Audrey Hepburn was photographed by some of the most iconic photographers of the 20th century, such as Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon, and Philippe Halsman. And of course, pop artist Andy Warhol created a series of portraits of Audrey, which reproduced her famous image from Breakfast at Tiffany’s onto various high contrast backgrounds. Audrey Hepburn fits in perfectly with Season Three of ArtMuse, which focuses on artist models who were performers in their own right.

In Part Two we shared the harrowing details of White’s assault on Evelyn, taking not only her virginity but also her childhood innocence and joy of life. We then explored Evelyn’s introduction to multi-millionaire Harry Thaw, how he slowly earned Evelyn’s trust, and then proceeded to violently both physically and sexually assault her. In Part Three we finish Evelyn's shocking story, including the murder of Stanford White and the subsequent trial that followed. Evelyn was so much more than the scandal that beset her life, and deserves to be remembered as the remarkably resilient woman she was. In this episode, we aim to honor Evelyn as the bewitching beauty who caught the attention of the best artists of both Philadelphia and New York, who at only sixteen years old took the Big Apple by storm and became the “it girl” of the Gilded Age, who translated her talent onto the stage and became an accomplished performer, who later became a loving and devoted mother, and a woman with an unbreakable vitality, despite White, Thaw, and the world’s best efforts to dim her light.

In Part One we explored Evelyn’s childhood, her chance discovery by an artist in Philadelphia, her rise in popularity as an artist’s model, her move to New York City, and how quickly she took the city by storm, becoming Gotham’s “it girl”. We then explored Evelyn’s beginnings on Broadway, how she caught the attention of famed architect Stanford White, and his ensuing calculated grooming of Evelyn. In Part two we continue Evelyn's shocking story; White's brutal assault on her, her romantic affair with actor John Barrymore, and meeting Pittsburgh millionaire Harry Thaw, whom she would eventually marry. Evelyn's story will keep you on the edge of your seat and is so important to share. We will finish Evelyn's story and honor her important legacy in Part Three of this episode.

Listen to ArtMuse’s Two Part Episode on the artist’s model, chorus girl, actress, and bewitching beauty, Evelyn Nesbit, who was caught up in one of the most notorious murders in American history.

In Part One, we explored Loïe's upbringing in Chicago, her devastating marriage to Colonel William Hayes, and her eventual rise to fame in the American theater world. We then explored the creation of Loïe’s Serpentine Dance, her move to Paris where she became a sensation, and her ingenious use of lighting and costume in her performances. In Part Two we finish Loïe's incredible life story and aim to honor her immense legacy as an avant-garde dancer, innovative inventor, champion of the arts, inspiring teacher, and political advocate, and as a woman who was unafraid to dance, quite literally, to the beat of her own drum.

Part One of ArtMuse's Two Part Episode on the dancer, innovator, and visionary, Loïe Fuller. Loïe’s pioneering performances paved the way for the creation of modern dance, and inspired celebrated dancers such as Isadora Duncan and Josephine Baker. Loïe’s enchanting performances also caught the attention of some of the greatest artists of her time. More than seventy different artists captured her likeness across the mediums, making Loïe one of the most frequently depicted women of her time. Though Loïe was once the most famous woman in all of Paris, today she has largely fallen into obscurity, and her immense contributions to both modern dance and stage design have been unfairly written out of history. In this episode, we aim to honor Loïe’s important legacy as a pioneering performer, genius innovator, brilliant teacher, fierce defender of the arts, political advocate, and as a fearless woman who was unafraid to defy societal norms and unapologetically be herself.

In Part Two of ArtMuse's Episode on the famed actress Sarah Bernhardt, we finish Sarah's incredible life story, and honor Sarah’s legacy as one of the greatest actresses to ever light up the stage, as an accomplished sculptor whose work received international acclaim, as a best-selling author of many books, as an entrepreneur who ran her own theater for over twenty-five years, as a die hard patriot for her country, as a devoted and loving mother, and as one of the fiercest spirits to ever walk this earth.

This episode explores the life story of the actress, artist, author, and superstar Sarah Bernhardt. She is today still considered one of the greatest performers to ever grace the stage. And her life off the stage was equally dramatic. She owned a menagerie of wild animals including lions and alligators, had love affairs with more men than one can count on two hands, and even slept in her own coffin. She kept the world entertained as both an actress and an eccentric and earned her place in history as one of the most iconic women of the 18th and 19th centuries.

ArtMuse shares Part Two of a special two part episode from our friends at The Art of Crime, a podcast that “explores the unlikely collisions between true crime and the arts”. In Part Two, host Gavin Whitehead tells us about Josephine Baker’s time fighting with the French resistance in World War II, a daring mission she took when she delivered top secret documents to the British Intelligence Service, and finally, how she earned the highest French medal of honor at the end of the war.

ArtMuse presents part one of a special two part episode from our friends at The Art of Crime, a podcast that “explores the unlikely collisions between true crime and the arts”. In this episode, host Gavin Whitehead shares the incredible life story of the famed performer Josephine Baker. In Part One, Gavin explores Josephine Baker’s humble beginnings in St Louis, how she transformed herself from a traveling vaudeville performer, to a chorus girl, and eventually to a popular dancer in Paris, where she moved in 1925 at the age of nineteen. While Baker is today celebrated as one of the greatest performers of Paris’s golden age, Gavin speaks to a lesser known aspect of her life; her role as a spy for the French resistance during World War II.

In Part One we explored Marian’s childhood in South Philadelphia, the beginnings of her musical career, and her transformative time in Europe, where she became a singing sensation. We left things off in our story just as Marian was returning to America in December of 1935, hoping to find the same success in her home country as she had in Europe. Part Two aims to further Marian Anderson’s immense legacy as one of the greatest American contraltos of all time, as an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and as a woman who by leading with love shed a light on one of the darkest periods of American history.

This two-part episode shares the life story of the famed contralto, Marian Anderson, who not only broke hearts but also racial barriers with her soulful singing. Throughout Marian’s long career as a singer, she went on to perform with some of the most renowned orchestras and musical talents of her time. She also became an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement. In her lifetime, Marian was captured across the mediums by some of the most renowned artists of the 20th century. She was photographed by both Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, painted by Beauford Delaney, William H. Johnson, and Betsy Graves Reyneau, and captured in mosaic by Faith Ringgold.

In Part One we explored Mary’s broody childhood in Bristol, her father’s abandonment of their family, and her eventual move to London. We then explored Mary’s unfortunate marriage to Thomas Robinson and Mary’s ascension to stardom as an actress of Covent Garden. We left things off in our story just after the rise and fall of Mary’s relationship with the Prince of Wales, and her vow to herself to enact her revenge upon him in any way she could. In Part Two we aim to further Mary’s legacy by honoring her as the brilliant, fearless, and forward-thinking woman she was. As an actress, society woman, fashion icon, and entertainer turned author, intellectual, feminist, and abolitionist. As a woman who not only overcame unimaginable tragedies but transformed them into her greatest strengths.

She was the most beautiful woman of her age, but she also had the brains to match. She used her beauty to rise the ranks of London’s society and become one of the earliest female celebrities of the 18th century. But this was not all done in vain. Once she had created a name for herself, she transformed herself into one of the most respected and prolific writers of her day, and used her writing to advocate for both women’s rights and the abolition of slavery. She was beautiful, but she was also brilliant, and she deserves to be remembered just as much for her mind as she is for her stunningly good-looks. This episode explores the life of Mary Robinson, an accomplished actress, poet, writer, activist, and intellectual, and one of the most fascinating women of her age. In her lifetime, Mary was painted by renowned portraitists Sir Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, George Romney, and John Hoppner. Be sure to also listen to Part Two of this episode, which finishes Mary's story and honors her immense legacy as the brilliant, talented, and brave woman she was; a woman who never let the tragedies of her life define her, a woman who became one of the most important writers of her day, a woman who used her writing to advocate for a better world, and a woman, as the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once described, of “undoubted genius”.

In this special episode from our ArtMuse ArtTalks series, host Grace Anna is joined by the renowned British author, Paula Bryne. Throughout the course of the interview Grace Anna ask Paula Byrne about her biographies on both Dido Elizabeth Belle and Mary Robinson, as well as her recently published historical fiction novel, Six Weeks By the Sea, based on the famed female author, Jane Austen.

In this special episode from our ArtMuse ArtTalks series, host Grace Anna is joined by Lori Zimmer, author of "I’m Not Your Muse: Uncovering the Overshadowed Brilliance of Women Artists & Visionaries", which shares the stories of thirty-one forgotten women of art history, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by illustrator Maria Krasinski. Though we hope to have full ArtMuse episodes on many of the women Lori Zimmer writes about in "I’m Not Your Muse", her collection offers stories of women not yet covered on ArtMuse, highlighting not only their individual lives, but just how many incredible women have been unfairly written out of art history. "I’m Not Your Muse" is an important contributor to bringing these women’s stories back into the spotlight they deserve. In this interview, host Grace Anna asks Lori Zimmer about what inspired her to write "I’m Not Your Muse", the important role each of these women played in the creation or preservation of works of art, and how we can honor these women’s legacies and undo their unjust erasure from the history of art.

In this special episode from our ArtMuse ArtTalk series, host Grace Anna interviews the author and podcaster Jennifer Dasal about Dasal's recently published book "The Club: Where American Women Artists Found Refuge in Belle Epoque Paris". In "The Club: Where American Women Artists Found Refuge in Belle Epoque Paris", Jennifer Dasal shares the never before told story of the American Girls’ Club in Paris. As the book end reads: “Opened in the 1890’s, the Club was a center of expatriate living and singularly harbored a generation of independent, talented, and driven American women dedicated to the fine arts…These women forged connections in the arts and letters with luminaries like Auguste Rodin and Gertrude Stein, or became activists through their relationships with the likes of Emmeline Pankhurst. But just as importantly, these women’s lives revealed the power of the Club itself, and the way that having a safe home of ambition allowed them to grow as teachers, artists, suffragists, and people”.

In this special episode from our ArtMuse ArtTalks series, host Grace Anna is joined by the author Mark Braude, who wrote "Kiki Man Ray: Art, Love and Rivalry in 1920’s Paris", a gorgeously written biography on the fabulous Kiki de Montparnasse. Throughout the course of the interview, Grace Anna asks Mark about Kiki’s life, what inspired him to write his biography on her, Kiki's relationship with Man Ray, Kiki’s success as an artist across many mediums, and finally, the importance of honoring Kiki’s legacy today. If you have not yet listened to ArtMuse’s Two Part Episode on Kiki de Montparnasse, which deep dives into Kiki’s life, we encourage you to listen as an accompanying episode to this interview.

In this special episode from our ArtMuse ArtTalks series, host Grace Anna is joined by the acclaimed author Francine Prose, who wrote "The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired", a groundbreaking collection of the life stories of nine female muses, including Elizabeth Siddall and Gala Dali, whom we have full ArtMuse episodes on, as well as Hester Thrale, Alice Liddell, Lou Andreas-Salome, Lee Miller, Chris Weston, Suzanne Farrell, and Yoko Ono. Throughout the course of the interview, Grace Anna asks Francine Prose about what inspired her to write "The Lives of the Muses", which women’s stories resonated with her the most, the integral role the muse plays in the the creation of works of art, and the importance of sharing these women’s stories with the world and honoring their immense legacies.

In this episode, ArtMuse collaborates with Art of History, a podcast that explores different historical events and figures through an examination of works of art. Host Amanda Matta releases new episodes every month on wide-ranging topics. Her episodes discuss subjects from women artists and the spirit world, to forgotten princesses of history, and to even the ghosts of Hampton Court Palace, to name a few. This episode of Art of History explores the life of Lucrezia Borgia, the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI, who briefly ruled the Vatican in the Pope’s absence in 1501. Lucrezia, who eventually became the Duchess of Ferrara, lived a fascinating and drama-filled life, and despite the many restrictions on women of her time, was groundbreaking in her ascension to power. She not only briefly ruled the Vatican, but played an active role in the political landscape of Ferrara. We hope to have a full episode of ArtMuse dedicated to Lucrezia Borgia in a future season. There have been a number of portraits of Lucrezia Borgia made throughout history. Most famously, she is depicted in Pre-Raphaelite painter Frank Cadogan Cowper’s "Lucretia Borgia Reigns in the Vatican in the Absence of Pope Alexander VI" painted in 1910 and currently at the Tate in London. In the words of host Amanda Matta, “How did she gain this rare position of power? And how does Frank Cadogan Cowper’s striking Pre-Raphaelite painting mirror our cultural perception of her? Unravel the myths surrounding Lucrezia Borgia, explore the evolution of women’s roles in the Catholic Church, and examine how history, scandal, and art collide in depicting one of the Renaissance’s most enigmatic women“.

ArtMuse teams up with Ladies Who Lore, a podcast that deep dives into urban legends while diving into bottles of wine, sharing their episode on Lilith. Lilith is an important female figure from Jewish lore, traditionally known as Adam’s first wife, before Eve. Unlike Eve, Lilith refused to play a subordinate role and demanded that she and Adam be treated equally. Lilith eventually departed from Eden and went to the Red Sea. While many today celebrate Lilith as a feminist icon, she was for many centuries depicted as a nefarious and in some cases, demonic character. The history of her lore is fascinating, especially the many meanings Lilith has taken on throughout time. Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti is one of many artists who have captured the figure of Lilith on canvas. In Rossetti's version, Lilith is modeled by Fanny Cornforth, a prominent artist’s model for the Pre-Raphaelite group and one of Rossetti’s mistresses. She modeled for a number of different works by Rossetti, and we plan to have a full episode on Fanny Cornforth in a future season of ArtMuse. Until then, we hope you enjoy this special collaboration with Ladies Who Lore.

Enjoy our official trailer for Season Three of ArtMuse, which will focus on artist's models who were also performers in their own right. Season Three will begin its release in October of 2025. We are so excited to share these amazing women's stories with you!

In between seasons we are launching "ArtMuse ArtTalks", in which we share interviews and discussions on subjects relevant to ArtMuse. In this special episode, host Grace Anna interviews author B.A. Shapiro about her upcoming historical fiction novel, "The Lost Masterpiece", based on the artist's model, and painter in her own right, Berthe Morisot. Throughout the course of the interview, Grace Anna asks B.A. Shapiro about the importance of sharing Berthe Morisot's immense life story, the unjust erasure of female artists like Berthe Morisot from art history, and how we can begin to give Berthe Morisot, and female artists alike, the recognition they deserve.

In this special episode, host Grace Anna teams up with the Etymoleon Word History podcast, a podcast that uncovers the origins of words and names. In this episode, which was custom-made for ArtMuse's community, host Leon Bailey-Green shares the etymology of art related terms and name origins of the subjects of ArtMuse. It’s fascinating to learn the origins of these names and common art history terms, allowing us to appreciate these words in new ways. You can learn more about the Etymoleon Word History podcast at www.etymoleon.buzzsprout.com/ and you can stream their episodes on all listening platforms. We hope you enjoy and look forward to sharing season three of ArtMuse with you soon.

Today, instead of sharing the stories of the women behind famous works of art, this episode shares a little more about the women behind ArtMuse. In this special bonus episode, ArtMuse’s editor Erin Greenhouse interviews host Grace Anna. Throughout the course of the interview, Erin asks Grace Anna about the origins of ArtMuse, the mission behind the project, and plans for future seasons. Together they give listeners an inside look at how each of ArtMuse's episodes are made, from research, to writing, to production. They reflect on all that they've learned over the course of producing two full seasons of ArtMuse, and end by sharing some advice to other podcasters, especially those who may just be starting their own projects.

In Part One we explored Juliette’s childhood, her eventual move to Paris, and her mother’s careful grooming of her, helping Juliette blossom into an impressive young woman. We then explored Juliette’s marriage to Jacques Récamier, her rise as Paris’s most beloved society woman, Lucien and Napoleon Bonaparte’s attempts to win Juliette’s heart over, and finally, her magical first encounter with Madame Germaine de Staël. In Part Two we finish Juliette's story and honor her immense legacy as a forward-thinking woman who took ownership of her own beauty and used it as a means of power, who drove some of the most powerful men in European history wild with desire, who dared to love not only another woman but one of the greatest feminists of her day, who influenced some of the biggest artists, writers, philosophers, and politicians of the 19th century, and who inspired all with the goodness of her heart.

Her portrait by David is one of the most iconic paintings in the Louvre’s entire collection, and attracts millions of viewers each year. As she reclines on her sofa, a sofa she popularized so much that it now bears her name, she teases us with her curly hair, rosy cheeks, and inscrutable smile. Though her image has been reproduced in countless mediums across the globe, few know that she was one of the most remarkable women of the nineteenth century, and inspired the greatest artists, writers, intellects, and politicians of her day, with not only her unrivaled beauty but with the goodness of her heart. In this episode of ArtMuse, we share the immense life story of Madame Juliette Récamier, a French socialite and famed beauty, affectionately dubbed the “darling of Europe”. In fact, her looks were so enchanting, that she drove some of the most powerful men of all of history wild with desire, including Napoleon Bonaparte, his brother Lucien, and the Prince of Prussia.

Today we are sharing a special episode from our friends at the podcast History Daily, which releases daily episodes on interesting historical events that happened on that day. These episodes discuss all sorts of different histories; from famous war battles, to groundbreaking fashion, to important medical discoveries, and even to significant moments in sports. We chose to share their episode on the death of Queen Elizabeth I, which occurred on March 24th, 1603. Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of the notorious King Henry the 8th and Anne Boleyn, reigned over England for forty-five years. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the house of tutor. Queen Elizabeth I was not only an extremely well-liked Queen, but the subject of over a hundred different breathtaking portraits, making her one of the most painted women in all of Western history. We hope to share Queen Elizabeth’s full life story in a future ArtMuse episode. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this special collaboration with History Daily.

In Part One we explored Kiki's beginnings her childhood in the countryside, her move to Paris, and her introduction to the creative circles of Monparnasse. We then explored her early days as an artist’s model, some of the many portraits of Kiki from this time, her relationship with Maurice Mendjisky, and of course the start of her relationship with Man Ray. In Part Two, we finish Kiki's incredulous life story and honor her legacy as the talented, forward-thinking, endlessly creative, and spirited woman she was. A woman who was never afraid to live her life as she pleased and dance to the beat of her own drum. A woman who rose from impoverished beginnings and created her own story. A woman who not only understood the power of her own image, but what it meant to take agency over it for herself.

Today we wanted to share an episode from our friends at Stars of the Golden Age Podcast, a show that highlights the lives of legends from film, music, and the birth of television during Hollywood’s Golden Age. In this episode host Erin Carlson shares the tragic life-story of jazz goddess, Billie Holiday, an iconic performer active in Harlem's Jazz Age. We hope you find this episode an enriching supplement to ArtMuse's two part episode on Alice Prin, as the New York and Parisian Jazz scenes were very much in conversation with one another.

In this episode, host Grace Anna shares the story of the model, performer, painter, and memoirist, Alice Prin, better known as Kiki de Montparnasse. Kiki not only blossomed in, but helped define the bohemian subculture burgeoning in Paris in the 1920’s. More specifically, Kiki moved amongst the circles of the Montparnasse district, the neighborhood in which some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century, like Picasso and Modigliani, worked and lived. She was so beloved amongst her community, that she was eventually crowned the Queen of Montparnasse, and became a local celebrity. And Kiki was not only a social icon, over her lifetime she became one of the most prolific art models in the history of western art, modeling for prominent artists such as Francis Picabia, Alexander Calder, and Man Ray, with whom she shared an eight year heated relationship with.

In Part One we explored Dido’s beginnings, her mother’s enslavement and her father’s capture of the slave ship that held her, the many mysteries surrounding Dido’s birth, and her father’s radical decision to bring Dido and her mother back with him to England. We then explored Dido’s upbringing at Kenwood House, Lord Mansfield’s important presiding over the Somerset case, and how Dido may have influenced his revolutionary decision. In Part Two, we finish Dido's immense life story and honor her lasting impact on English history. But Dido's story cannot be removed from the dark history of slavery itself. As much as Dido’s story attests to what was possible against all odds, we have to equally remember all that wasn’t possible for so many others like her. As we honor Dido’s life, we honor all of the lives of the people who were not as fortunate and were subject to the cruel and inhuman system of slavery.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse's episode on Dido Elizabeth Belle, England’s first female aristocrat of color. Dido was born at the height of the transatlantic slave trade, to an enslaved mother and white father.  Dido’s life story is undeniably remarkable. That a woman born into slavery could later be raised as a member of an important aristocratic family at the height of the transatlantic slave trade was virtually unheard of. But though Dido was in many ways the exception, her story cannot be removed from the dark history of slavery itself. It’s essential that Dido’s life is understood within the context of the time she lived. And while we honor Dido and her incredible life, we also honor the lives of the innumerable black men and women whose stories have been unfairly lost to history.

In Part One we explored Edie’s childhood at the ranch, her father’s abusive behavior towards her and her siblings, how two of her brothers met their tragic end, her eventual move to Cambridge and later New York, and of course the beginnings of her time with Andy Warhol. In this episode, we finish Edie's story and honor her as the brilliant woman she was, a woman who lived her life fiercely despite unabating challenges, who continued to dance through her heartbreak, and who changed the world simply by being herself.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse's episode on Edie Sedgwick. She inspired some of the greatest American artists and musicians of the 20th century, from Andy Warhol, to Bob Dylan, to Patti Smith, and the Velvet Underground. In this episode we share the story of the actress, model, and cultural icon Edie Sedgwick. Her innovative style and daring personality left a lasting impression on an entire generation, her participation in Andy Warhol’s films propelled his career as a filmmaker, and her brief relationship with Dylan inspired some of his greatest songs. Over half a century after her death, Edie remains a cultural icon who continues to inspire both art and fashion today.

ArtMuse shares a special episode "Shooting Andy Warhol: Valerie Solanas" from the Art of Crime Podcast. Solanas's story is a powerful counterpart to ArtMuse's Two Part Episode on Andy Warhol's superstar Edie Sedgwick. As host of Art of Crime Podcast Gavin Whitehead describes: "When Valerie Solanas moved to New York in the early-to-mid 1960s, she wanted nothing more than to become a writer. Within a few years, she approached perhaps the most admired—and reviled—artist in the United States, Andy Warhol, proposing that he produce her pipe-bomb of a play, Up Your Ass. Though promising at first, their relationship went south, and in 1968, Solanas walked into Warhol’s studio with the intention of shooting him dead".

Listen to Part Two of ArtMuse's episode on Luisa Casati. In this episode, we honor Luisa's immense life and give her the recognition she deserves. There are few other figures in history who lived as authentically, inspired as much genius, and had such avant-garde visions of fashion, design, and self-image as Luisa Casati. She set trends and elicited awe everywhere she went. As author Scot Ryersson wrote, “The Marchesa Luisa Casati was more than just an eccentric flame from another age. In spite of her many follies, she was a genuine innovator of the arts and an inspiration to creative genius”. Luisa was an undeniable force of nature, and her name and story deserve its place in history.

In this episode we share the incredible life story of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, an Italian heiress who used her fortune to create a life of her wildest imagination. She was also one of the most important patrons of her time. She was painted by Giovanni Boldini, photographed by Man Ray, and sculpted by Jacob Epstein. It’s believed that Luisa commissioned over two hundred separate portraits of herself, with the aim to “commission her immortality”.

In Part One we explored Emma’s impoverished beginnings, how she became the mistress to Charles Greville, and her successful partnership with the painter George Romney. In Part Two we continue Emma's incredible story. In it we are taken from Marie Antoinette's prison cell, to the heart of the Napoleonic war, and finally back to England. We explore her steamy relationship with famed war general Horatio Nelson, and finally, her tragic end.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse’s episode on Lady Emma Hamilton. Born into severe poverty, Emma Hamilton worked her way to eventually become England’s first female celebrity. Her life story is so unfathomable, that it almost sounds like a riveting work of fiction. In it, we are taken from the filthy streets of London’s back alleys, to England’s fashionable countryside, to the dazzling royal courts of Naples. Emma’s path crossed with some of the greatest names of eighteenth century history, from George Romney and Joshua Reynolds, to General Horatio Nelson, to even Marie Antoinette. Her story is a tale of hope, grandeur, everlasting love, and devastating heartbreak.

In Part Two we explore Madame de Pompadour's patronage of the arts, the many wondrous portraits of her by Boucher, and her eventual rise from mistress to political advisor, taking charge of France's domestic and foreign affairs. In this episode, we honor Madame de Pompadour's immense legacy. She not only fulfilled her impossible destiny by becoming the first woman of middle class origins to become the King’s mistress, she then worked her way up the royal court until she was the most powerful woman in all of France.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse's episode on Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of King Louis XV, who became the first woman of Bourgeoisie origins to ever become the King’s mistress in the French Royal Court. And she was much more than just a mistress. As the years went on, Madame de Pompadour eventually graduated to the King’s political advisor and became involved with domestic and foreign affairs. She was also an important patron of the arts. She was Boucher’s favorite model and can be found in nine separate portraits by him.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Virginie Amélie Gautreau, an American-born socialite who sent shock waves through Paris with her avant-garde outfits and experimental make-up. Her story traverses the Atlantic, taking us from the French Quarter of New Orleans to Paris at the height of its golden age. In this episode, we explore her rise to celebrity status and the infamous painting that led to it all crashing down.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Simonetta Vespucci, a Genoese noblewoman living in Florence during the 15th century. Deemed the most beautiful woman in all of Florence, Simonetta captured the heart of Florence’s greatest leaders, artists, poets, and intellectuals of her time.

Listen to Part Two of ArtMuse’s episode on Audrey Munson, America’s first supermodel, who not only modeled for countless important sculptures in New York City, but all across the United States.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse’s episode on Audrey Munson, America’s first supermodel, who not only modeled for countless important sculptures in New York City, but all across the United States. Sadly, Audrey Munson is perhaps America’s first example of the cruel rise and fall of celebrity status. Today her face, forever immortalized in bronze, stone, and copper throughout New York City, stares back at us, like a ghost from a haunted past. In this episode, we bring her life and legacy the justice she deserves.

ArtMuse will be returning for a second season on July, 12th 2024. Season Two continues to share the life stories of the women pictured in famous works of art, this time with a theme of society women and social sensations. Season Two honors the legacies of ten different women, plus a secret bonus episode.

In Episode Ten we shared Sue Tilley’s fun-filled life story, and now it’s time for you to hear from Sue herself! Host Grace Anna speaks with the lovely Sue Tilley about her time modeling for Lucian Freud, her portrait’s record breaking sale, and her adventure packed life at large. We are so excited to be able to share Sue’s own words with you.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Sue Tilley, of Lucian Freud’s Benefits Supervisor Sleeping.

Part Two picks back up on Gala’s story and honors Gala’s complex legacy. Whether critical of Gala’s behavior or not, one cannot deny that she was a force to be reckoned with. Gala knew the life she wanted to live, and was unwilling to let her size, gender, two world wars, and any force opposing her, get in her way.

Behind every great man, is an even greater woman, and this sentiment couldn’t be more true than in the case of Salvador Dali. Hidden in the shadows of Dali’s massive legacy, is the woman who can be credited with making Dali a household name and one of the strongest forces of nature to ever walk this earth.  Gala was the the wife and companion of Salvador Dali for over 50 years, who not only inspired Dali’s greatest works (many of which feature her image), but managed Dali’s entire career, brokering his biggest deals and elevating him from an unknown and impoverished young artist to celebrity status.  Listen to Part One of Gala's story.  ArtMuse is produced by Kula Production Company. Please FOLLOW and RATE ArtMuse on Spotify and SUBSCRIBE and REVIEW our show on Apple Podcasts. Instagram/ Website/BuyMeACoffee

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Anna McNeill Whistler, not only the mother of James McNeill Whistler, but also his artistic manager and agent.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Fillide Melandroni. Fillide was the most consistent model that Caravaggio ever used and became an important figure in his life. She could pose as Saint Catherine one day and Judith the next, but Fillide herself was just as fierce as the biblical heroines she modeled as; a fearlessly confident prostitute with a crooked hand and gaze that could pierce as sharply as a sword.Fillide’s appearance in Caravaggio’s works coincided with the launch of the style he is best known for: the dark and violent scenes painted with such bravado that they continue to shock viewers today. Fillide’s spirited presence in these works was just as responsible for the development of Caravaggio’s matured artistic voice as Caravaggio himself and her role in informing his artistic practice deserves recognition. Her story includes romance, violence, murder, and exile, but most of all, it is the story of an independent woman who was able to climb the ranks of Rome’s social world and work her way from poverty to luxury, through her own hard work and personal drive.  ArtMuse is produced by Kula Production Company. Please FOLLOW and RATE ArtMuse on Spotify and SUBSCRIBE and REVIEW our show on Apple Podcasts. Instagram/ Website/BuyMeACoffee

Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World is one of the most iconic paintings in the history of American art. It was Christina’s World that turned Andrew Wyeth into a household name and claimed him one of the best American realist painters. But who was Christina? And what kind of world did she live in? Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Anna Christina Olson and the world she lived out her noble life in; the small coastal town of Cushing, Maine. As a young child, Christina showed signs of an undiagnosed degenerative disease that slowly took away her mobility. While this presented unimaginable challenges, Christina never let her disability stop her from living a robust life nor compromise her unparalleled dignity and strength. Christina’s story deserves to be honored in its entirety, beyond Wyeth and the painting that turned her into an icon. Christina was a remarkable woman in her own right, who showed extraordinary resilience in the face of continued challenges. ArtMuse is produced by Kula Production Company. Please FOLLOW and RATE ArtMuse on Spotify and SUBSCRIBE and REVIEW our show on Apple Podcasts. Instagram/ Website/BuyMeACoffee

If I were to ask you who the world’s most famous modern artist is, chances are that you would answer Pablo Picasso. But if I were to ask you who was the mastermind behind Picasso’s most revered works, how many of you would know her name? Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Dora Maar. Known as the woman with a thousand faces, Picasso painted Dora Maar countless times, most famously as his Weeping Woman. What is lesser known is that many of Picasso’s greatest works, like Guernica, would have never existed without Dora’s creative genius.Dora Maar was a Surrealist photographer and painter in her own right, whose story in its entirety deserves to be shared with the world. It's time for Picasso's Weeping Woman to have the last laugh. ArtMuse is produced by Kula Production Company.Please FOLLOW and RATE ArtMuse on Spotify and SUBSCRIBE and REVIEW our show on Apple Podcasts. Instagram/ Website/BuyMeACoffee

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Elizabeth Siddall, a 19th century English artist, poet, model, and the heart and soul of the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Emilie Flöge, a Vienese fashion designer, independent business woman, forward thinking creative, and the most important person in Gustav Klimt’s life.

Listen to ArtMuse’s episode on Victorine Meurent and Laure; the two superstars of Olympia. Victorine was not just an artist’s model, she was also a musician, and an established painter herself, who showed her work at the Salon six times. Painted just 15 years after the abolition of territorial slavery, Laure represented a pioneering age of Paris, in which newly freed black members of society were becoming an integral part of the working class.

Listen to Part Two of ArtMuse’s Two Part episode on Lisa Gheradini, a tried and true Florentine noblewoman living through the peak of the Italian Renaissance. Her life’s story includes romance, painful loss, scandal, mystery, and political upheaval. But more than anything else, it is the story of a convivial, courageous and independent woman, who mothered children, weathered immense losses, and lived her life out with nobility and honor.

Listen to Part One of ArtMuse’s Two Part episode on Lisa Gheradini, a tried and true Florentine noblewoman living through the peak of the Italian Renaissance. Her life’s story includes romance, painful loss, scandal, mystery, and political upheaval. But more than anything else, it is the story of a convivial, courageous and independent woman, who mothered children, weathered immense losses, and lived her life out with nobility and honor.

Check out our trailer for Season 01 of ArtMuse. ArtMuse aims to reshape the ways in which we interpret well-known works of art by paying dues to the women whose images have been immortalized but whose names and stories have been wrongfully overlooked. Each episode will focus our attention on the female muse, sharing their important lives and legacy.