Art History | Penn Today

Is this painting of a fox one of the greatest works of American art?

Jonathan Katz of the School of Arts & Sciences explains why he’s excited about Harriet Hosmer’s marble sculpture, Puck on a Toadstool, featured at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Regional roundup: September 12, 2022

On a “Radio Times” segment, Simcha Gross of the School of Arts and Sciences discusses his project at the Penn Museum to make incantation bowls more understood and accessible.

Illustration resembling a cosmic square with stars.

‘In These Times’ explores the intricate riddles of life through art

Episodes 6 and 7 of the latest season of the OMNIA podcast explore how art like music and dance have been the pulse of social movements, and how individual artistic experiences impact mental health and well-being.

Hey Mural Arts, graffiti is art, too. It always was

In an op-ed, doctoral candidate Razan Idris of the School of Arts & Sciences writes that Mural Arts Philadelphia’s legacy is mired by a legacy of urban racism, including discrimination against local graffiti artists.

What makes the world’s first bar joke funny? No one knows

Phillip Jones of the Penn Museum explains the history behind a Penn Museum collection of Sumerian tablets, including the world’s first documented bar joke.

Claes Oldenburg, 93, created giant sculptures that became icons of Philly

University Curator Lynn Marsden-Atlass comments on the Split Button sculpture that dominates the entrance to the Van Pelt Library.

two adults and one child look at prints hanging on a very pink wall

New Arthur Ross Gallery exhibit ‘From Studio to Doorstep’

Prints from 1934 to 2000 are featured in the current Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition, “From Studio to Doorstep,” through Aug. 21. The 37 Associated American Artists prints are part of the Penn Art Collection.

Fantasy drawing of a human overcoming inner demons.

More intricate riddles of life on ‘In These Times’

Episodes 4 and 5 of the OMNIA podcast’s fourth season cover how to confront trauma, using words as a coping mechanism, and music and meaning.

A woman wearing a visor and backpack holds a notebook in front of a stone wall with mountain views in the background

Princess Rahman on ancient history, studying abroad, and her senior-year pivot

Princess Rahman, a May graduate in the School of Arts & Sciences, pivoted from a pre-med track to become an ancient history major. After a semester abroad in Rome, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Egyptology.

Penn researchers find mental health benefits in visiting museums, including reduced anxiety

Katherine Cotter and James Pawelski of the School of Arts & Sciences are quoted on their work showing that visiting a museum can have measurable mental health benefits.

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