Artcurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History

Move past the stodgily written museum labels to learn the quirky backstories of the art you visit at the galleries. Monet: not just a blotter of pretty paint, but a rebel badass! Norman Rockwell: painter of cheesy Americana, or really cool and socially conscious artist? ArtCurious is a fun and engaging look art history. No, really, it is! Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com

A wildly entertaining and surprisingly educational dive into art history as you've never seen it before, from an art curator and host of the beloved ArtCurious podcast

We're all familiar with the works of Claude Monet, thanks in no small part to the ubiquitous reproductions of his water lilies on umbrellas, handbags, scarves, and dorm-room posters. But did you also know Monet and his cohort were trailblazing rebels whose works were originally deemed unbelievably ugly and vulgar? And while you probably know the tale of Vincent van Gogh's suicide, you may not be aware that there's pretty compelling evidence that the artist didn't die from his own hand but was accidentally killed — or even murdered. Or how about the fact that one of Andy Warhol's most enduring legacies involves Caroline Kennedy's moldy birthday cake and a collection of toenail clippings?

ArtCurious is a colorful look at the world of art history, revealing some of the strangest, funniest, and most fascinating stories behind the world's great artists and masterpieces. Through these and other incredible, weird, and wonderful tales, ArtCurious presents an engaging look at why art history is, and continues to be, a riveting and relevant world to explore.

"Jennifer Dasal understands that it's the stories that make art interesting, not names and dates and movements. This book is bursting with useful and entertaining tales that will forever change the way you look at some of the world's best loved artworks." Sarah Urist Green, author of You Are an Artist

"Dasal reveals...the weird, wacky, and unbelievable backstories of some of the world's greatest artists and most famous works of art....Both art aficionados and novices will find something to appreciate in this offbeat and informative outing." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Lively, accessible, and engaging...As Dasal observes, '...Sometimes [art is] exactly what we need to make our lives more colorful.' This volume will certainly do that for casual museum-goers, art aficionados, and the just plain curious." Booklist

Jennifer Dasal is the curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the host of the independent podcast ArtCurious, which she started in 2016 and which was named one of the best podcasts by O, The Oprah Magazine and PC Magazine. She holds an MA in art history from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in art history from the University of California, Davis. She has also completed PhD coursework in art history at Pennsylvania State University. She lectures frequently on art both locally and nationally.