Episode 92 - There's Something About Vinnie

It's been ten years in the making, but Drawing in Space is finally out. Joining me in conversation about the latest figurative sculpture manual to hit the streets are Robert Bodem, Director of the Athens Sculpture Atelier, along with sculptor and Co-Author Poppy Field. If you have ever wondered about the Florence Academy of Art Sculpture Program's secret sauce, this book is for you. While supplies last!

Vincenzo Gemito's charming sculpture of a Neapolitan Fisherboy is one of the highlights of the Bargello National Sculpture Museum here in Florence - but who was Gemito? Another 19th century French-trained Romantic sculptor cashing in on the popular fisherboy genre? Far from it: the Fisherboy in the Bargello isn't merely depicting a Neapolitan, the sculpture was made by one. And it isn't Romantic, it's Veristic. Learn all about that, and it, and him, by listening to this.

Jason's historical novel about François Rude is finally out! But what lies behind his obsession for this little-known French sculptor from the 19th century? The answers might surprise you; Jason devotes this episode to the history of his fascination about Rude - which led directly to the creation of the Sculptor's Funeral Podcast.

Today we explore the work of the Renaissance masters Niccolo dell'Arca, Guido Mazzoni, and Antonio Begarelli. Never heard of them? You're not alone. Although their work deserves to be ranked alongside their contemporaries Donatello and Verrocchio and yes, even Michelangelo, these sculptors had the misfortune of living on the other side of the mountains from Florence, in Bologna and Modena, far from the marble quarries, far from the Medici. But sculpture finds a way: beyond the influence of Florence, a rich tradition of large scale terracotta figure sculpture developed over several generations, culminating in some of the most elaborate and daring sculpture you've never seen.

Exploring 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.

Lavinia 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.

The 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?

Meet 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.

Huntington 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.

The 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.