'Art History at Bedtime'
April 24 2020
Picture: BG
Posted by Bendor Grosvenor
There's not much a self-isolating art historian can do to help the world at the moment, but I think there is one tiny sliver of humanity I might be able to help right now; those of you who are both art history lovers and struggling to get to sleep in these anxious times. My new podcast series, Art History at Bedtime, is designed to get you nodding off to sleep in just minutes, while learning all about art history.
The idea grew out of my bedtime story voice, which I have developed over the years of trying to get the Deputy Editor off to sleep. It's soothing and soporific. So what I've done is read a series of art historical texts, and make them into podcasts. They're all free, and available on the usual podcast platforms; Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud and so on. I'm starting with Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists. Already recorded are Cimabue, Giotto, Leonardo, Fra Filippo Lippi, Giorgione, and Botticelli.
If you enjoy them, please consider making a donation to Art History Link Up, the UK charity which helps state school children study art history. They're carrying on all their classes online during the pandemic. Since we went live with the podcasts earlier this week, I'm pleased to say that kind listeners have already donated more than £3,000.
