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Art & Design NPR explores the visual arts including design, photography, sculpture, and architecture. Interviews, commentary, and audio. Subscribe to the RSS feed.

Art & Design

Thursday

Get A Glimpse Of Labor, Leisure And Everyday Life In Paris' Belle Époque

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's 1896 lithograph Woman Reclining — Waking Up from the portfolio Elles Norton Simon Museum hide caption

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Norton Simon Museum

Fine Art

Get A Glimpse Of Labor, Leisure And Everyday Life In Paris' Belle Époque

In the decades before World War I, French artists began painting scenes of ordinary life — on the street, at work, at home, in clubs and cafes. Their work elevated common acts into fine art.

Get A Glimpse Of Labor, Leisure And Everyday Life In Paris' Belle Époque

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Wednesday

Saturday

'Unseen Artist' Eric Tucker Spent Decades Painting — But Nobody Knew

Eric Tucker painted the everyday people in his hometown of Warrington, England — like this smoker in a pub. Tony Longmore hide caption

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Tony Longmore

Fine Art

'Unseen Artist' Eric Tucker Spent Decades Painting — But Nobody Knew

Boxer and laborer Eric Tucker created hundreds of paintings of his home town — and kept them secret, stashed around his house. Now, almost two years after his death, he has a museum exhibition.

'Unseen Artist' Eric Tucker Spent Decades Painting — But Nobody Knew

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Friday

Thursday

Human Connections Light Up 'This Brilliant Darkness'

"Spice pet" Jared Miller, photographed on Skid Row in Los Angeles. Jeff Sharlet/Jeff Sharlet hide caption

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Jeff Sharlet/Jeff Sharlet

Author Interviews

Human Connections Light Up 'This Brilliant Darkness'

Journalist Jeff Sharlet's new book is a memoir told through images and stories of other people; it grew out of a series of Instagram posts about night shift workers he met and photographed.

Human Connections Light Up 'This Brilliant Darkness'

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Monday

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology — known as The Penn Museum — has hired refugees and immigrants from the Middle East, Africa and Central America as part of their

The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology — known as The Penn Museum — has hired refugees and immigrants from the Middle East, Africa and Central America as part of their "Global Guides" program. Moumena Saradar, who is originally from Syria, stands next to the wedding jewelry and headdress of Queen Puabi, her favorite part of the Middle East gallery. Cameron Pollack for NPR hide caption

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Cameron Pollack for NPR

Refugee Docents Help Bring A Museum's Global Collection To Life

Attendance at Philadelphia's Penn Museum has shot up since the Global Guides first tours in 2018. The refugee and immigrant docents receive training in archaeology, ancient history and story-telling.

Refugee Docents Help Bring A Museum's Global Collection To Life

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Sunday

Tuesday

'Priceless' Bonsai Trees Stolen From Museum In Washington State

This Japanese black pine was stolen on Sunday from a museum in Washington state. It was grown from a seed in a tin can by Japanese American Juzaburo Furuzawa while he was incarcerated in an internment camp during World War II. Courtesy of Pacific Bonsai Museum hide caption

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Courtesy of Pacific Bonsai Museum

National

'Priceless' Bonsai Trees Stolen From Museum In Washington State

The Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Wash., is asking for help in locating two stolen bonsai. Both "priceless treasures" have a rich history going back to the World War II era.

'Priceless' Bonsai Trees Stolen From Museum In Washington State

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His Work Is Set In Stone All Over Washington, D.C.

WAMU

Nick Benson upholds the ancient craft of stone-carving letters. His work has been recognized with a MacArthur "genius" grant. Now he's working on the new Eisenhower Monument in Washington, D.C.

His Work Is Set In Stone All Over Washington, D.C.

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Monday

Saturday

These Head-To-Toe Fashions Were Inspired By Grandma's Sunday Best

Models walk the runway for Christopher John Rogers during New York Fashion Week in September 2019. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows hide caption

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Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows

These Head-To-Toe Fashions Were Inspired By Grandma's Sunday Best

WNYC

Attending church on Sundays as a kid, Christopher John Rogers learned the power of monochrome. Lizzo, Michelle Obama and Rihanna have all worn outfits made by the 26-year-old designer.

These Head-To-Toe Fashions Were Inspired By Grandma's Sunday Best

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Friday

Obamas' Portraits Going On Tour Next Year

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama stand next to their newly unveiled portraits during a ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 12, 2018. The portraits are set to go on a yearlong tour to five cities in June of 2021. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption

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Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Fine Art

Obamas' Portraits Going On Tour Next Year

The National Portrait Gallery unveiled the official portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama two years ago this month. Now it is sending them on a yearlong tour to five cities.

Obamas' Portraits Going On Tour Next Year

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Tuesday

Meet The Designer Who Makes 'Mrs. Maisel' Look So Marvelous

In the second season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) visits the Catskills. Costume designer Donna Zakowska says this outfit "in the boat with a funny lampshade hat" was among her favorites. Amazon Studios hide caption

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Amazon Studios

Meet The Designer Who Makes 'Mrs. Maisel' Look So Marvelous

Donna Zakowska has already won two Emmys for her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — and two of her costumes are in the Smithsonian. Now she's up for an award from the Costume Designers Guild.

Meet The Designer Who Makes 'Mrs. Maisel' Look So Marvelous

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Sunday

Tracing 500 Years Of Pregnancy Portraits, From The Tudors To Today

Portrait of a Woman in Red, 1620, by Marcus Gheeraerts II Tate hide caption

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Tate

Fine Art

Tracing 500 Years Of Pregnancy Portraits, From The Tudors To Today

A new exhibition in London explores the way pregnancy was depicted — and not depicted — in British artworks. Curator Karen Hearn says these portraits reveal evolving attitudes about pregnant women.

Tracing 500 Years Of Pregnancy Portraits, From The Tudors To Today

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Friday

Sketch Artist Captures 'Something Unusual' At Senate Trial

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr with Georgia Republican Kelly Loeffler. "He caught my attention because he wasn't wearing socks. And he has very expensive loafers, or they seem that way. And so I did a sketch of him. And the next day, he had it as his profile picture on Twitter." Kisha Ravi/NPR hide caption

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Kisha Ravi/NPR

Politics

Sketch Artist Captures 'Something Unusual' At Senate Trial

Art Lien, a courtroom artist who normally covers the Supreme Court, has been sketching the Senate proceedings. "I'm looking for color," he says — such as sleeping senators and fidget spinners.

Sketch Artist Captures 'Something Unusual' At Senate Trial

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