Michael Lobel
@mlobelart.bsky.social
Professor of Art History, Hunter College & CUNY Graduate Center. I look at things and then write about them.
Author of Van Gogh and the End of Nature, from Yale University Press: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300274363/van-g
Author of Van Gogh and the End of Nature, from Yale University Press: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300274363/van-g
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Michael Lobel
@mlobelart.bsky.social
· Jun 25
I'm excited to share that today is the official publication date for my new book, Van Gogh and the End of Nature, from Yale University Press, which more firmly grounds Van Gogh within the industrial era in which he lived & worked (thread)
yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
Reposted by Michael Lobel
Taking a cue from @onceatrophic.bsky.social to let you know this would be a great time to purchase my Van Gogh book, now 30% off. Beautiful full-color reproductions of Van Gogh's art & a completely new view of this iconic modern artist. Use code GIFT30 thru Dec. 5: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
November 24, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Taking a cue from @onceatrophic.bsky.social to let you know this would be a great time to purchase my Van Gogh book, now 30% off. Beautiful full-color reproductions of Van Gogh's art & a completely new view of this iconic modern artist. Use code GIFT30 thru Dec. 5: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
Reposted by Michael Lobel
"What Is the Mysterious New Group Behind Trump’s Venice Biennale Pick?" Some observations about the American Arts Conservancy news.artnet.com/art-world/am...
What Is the Mysterious New Group Behind Trump's Venice Biennale Pick? | Artnet News
What is the American Arts Conservancy? Who are its advisors? Why is a pet foods entrepreneur in charge of the U.S. Venice Biennale pavilion?
news.artnet.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:36 PM
"What Is the Mysterious New Group Behind Trump’s Venice Biennale Pick?" Some observations about the American Arts Conservancy news.artnet.com/art-world/am...
Sonia Delaunay-Terk's designs for pajamas for Dadaist poet Tristan Tzara, 1923
November 24, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Sonia Delaunay-Terk's designs for pajamas for Dadaist poet Tristan Tzara, 1923
"Udo Kier as the image-conscious Dracula"
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"Udo Kier as the image-conscious Dracula"
Taking a cue from @onceatrophic.bsky.social to let you know this would be a great time to purchase my Van Gogh book, now 30% off. Beautiful full-color reproductions of Van Gogh's art & a completely new view of this iconic modern artist. Use code GIFT30 thru Dec. 5: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
November 24, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Taking a cue from @onceatrophic.bsky.social to let you know this would be a great time to purchase my Van Gogh book, now 30% off. Beautiful full-color reproductions of Van Gogh's art & a completely new view of this iconic modern artist. Use code GIFT30 thru Dec. 5: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300...
Reposted by Michael Lobel
Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, La Brioche, 1763, Oil on canvas, 47 x 56 cm (Musée du Louvre, Paris)
November 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin, La Brioche, 1763, Oil on canvas, 47 x 56 cm (Musée du Louvre, Paris)
What's tragically ironic about this photo of a museum auctioning off works from its collection is that it is taking place in a landmarked building once seen as iconic home of yet another museum—the Whitney—that was itself sold off in recent years to a private auction house (Sotheby's)
i really can't tell if it's funny or not that they made it feel like a ~branded sale~
November 24, 2025 at 3:06 PM
What's tragically ironic about this photo of a museum auctioning off works from its collection is that it is taking place in a landmarked building once seen as iconic home of yet another museum—the Whitney—that was itself sold off in recent years to a private auction house (Sotheby's)
Reposted by Michael Lobel
American artist Walter Quirt was born on this day in 1902 and was an enthusiastic early adopter of artistic trends such as cubism and surrealism. Conflict, 1935, from the Smithsonian American Art collection, shows him really swinging from the surrealist chandeliers:
November 24, 2025 at 2:03 PM
American artist Walter Quirt was born on this day in 1902 and was an enthusiastic early adopter of artistic trends such as cubism and surrealism. Conflict, 1935, from the Smithsonian American Art collection, shows him really swinging from the surrealist chandeliers:
Do me a favor, in memory of the great Jimmy Cliff (RIP). Next time you need your mood lifted—and who doesn't these days? —just listen to this song. Pure, unadulterated joy
November 24, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Do me a favor, in memory of the great Jimmy Cliff (RIP). Next time you need your mood lifted—and who doesn't these days? —just listen to this song. Pure, unadulterated joy
Reposted by Michael Lobel
Andy Warhol, Udo Kier, 1973 #RIP😢 whitney.org/collection/w...
November 24, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Andy Warhol, Udo Kier, 1973 #RIP😢 whitney.org/collection/w...
How is it that college administrators get paid high salaries to come up with such dumb ideas, over & over again...? Is there someone who will pay me for dumb ideas? If you really want I can come up with plenty (and even some good ones as well) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/n...
November 23, 2025 at 7:54 PM
How is it that college administrators get paid high salaries to come up with such dumb ideas, over & over again...? Is there someone who will pay me for dumb ideas? If you really want I can come up with plenty (and even some good ones as well) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/n...
The vibrancy of Southern California flora
November 23, 2025 at 6:58 PM
The vibrancy of Southern California flora
Reposted by Michael Lobel
🧵 We are, in fact, doing the thing again for @onesimplewish.bsky.social. In 2024, the kind people of this community put the money cannon on blast to help grant $75K in wishes for children in foster care. Toys, tech, a suit for job interviews. Here we go again! 👇
www.onesimplewish.org/giving/megwa...
www.onesimplewish.org/giving/megwa...
November 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🧵 We are, in fact, doing the thing again for @onesimplewish.bsky.social. In 2024, the kind people of this community put the money cannon on blast to help grant $75K in wishes for children in foster care. Toys, tech, a suit for job interviews. Here we go again! 👇
www.onesimplewish.org/giving/megwa...
www.onesimplewish.org/giving/megwa...
Reposted by Michael Lobel
I try to be as measured as possible on social media, but everyone in the art world—including art historians!—who in recent years has focused incessantly on "the contemporary" is at fault for developments like this. This is what happens when you fail to value history hyperallergic.com/1058320/why-...
Why Is DC’s Phillips Collection Selling Off Its Masterpieces?
The museum’s decision to deaccession works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, and more has come under public scrutiny.
hyperallergic.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I try to be as measured as possible on social media, but everyone in the art world—including art historians!—who in recent years has focused incessantly on "the contemporary" is at fault for developments like this. This is what happens when you fail to value history hyperallergic.com/1058320/why-...
Reposted by Michael Lobel
lololol - Zohran getting him to pose in front of FDR is just <chef's kiss> - truly a god-tier level troll
November 22, 2025 at 12:22 AM
lololol - Zohran getting him to pose in front of FDR is just <chef's kiss> - truly a god-tier level troll
lololol - Zohran getting him to pose in front of FDR is just <chef's kiss> - truly a god-tier level troll
November 22, 2025 at 12:22 AM
lololol - Zohran getting him to pose in front of FDR is just <chef's kiss> - truly a god-tier level troll
Robert Mapplethorpe, Brian Ridley & Lyle Heeter, 1979
November 22, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Robert Mapplethorpe, Brian Ridley & Lyle Heeter, 1979
The Mayor of NYC and a Baby Exchange Smiles, 1938 www.moma.org/collection/w...
November 21, 2025 at 11:11 PM
The Mayor of NYC and a Baby Exchange Smiles, 1938 www.moma.org/collection/w...
"Memory Training," a picture Jacob Lawrence painted in 1944 while serving as a war artist in the US Coast Guard. This black-and-white photo is the only image we have of the painting because it, along with others, was apparently lost sometime after WWII
November 21, 2025 at 5:59 PM
"Memory Training," a picture Jacob Lawrence painted in 1944 while serving as a war artist in the US Coast Guard. This black-and-white photo is the only image we have of the painting because it, along with others, was apparently lost sometime after WWII
Tune in now for a calm & soothing start to your weekend👇
Good morning! It's now time for First Light! I'll be threading some thoughts here about today's show.
If you don't want to keep seeing this thread just tap the three dots and 'mute this thread for me'. eastvillageradio.com/first-light-...
If you don't want to keep seeing this thread just tap the three dots and 'mute this thread for me'. eastvillageradio.com/first-light-...
East Village Radio (EVR)
East Village Radio (EVR) Internet radio station
eastvillageradio.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Tune in now for a calm & soothing start to your weekend👇
Read this to learn about so-called architectural "delineators"—a term, and occupation, I hadn't heard of before—and for an introduction to a horticultural designer with the perfectly fitting name M. Betty Sprout...!
My latest, on famed landscape architects/planners Clarke and Rapuano and the delineators that helped to “make” them, now in the 12/25 issue of #TheNewCriterion. #Urbanism+ #planning #art #illustration #landscapearchitecture #parks #highways #RobertMoses #drawing newcriterion.com/article/behi...
“Behind the scenes,” by Michele H. Bogart
Michele H. Bogart on “Designing the American Century: The Public Landscapes of Clarke and Rapuano, 1915–1965,” by Thomas J. Campanella.
newcriterion.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Read this to learn about so-called architectural "delineators"—a term, and occupation, I hadn't heard of before—and for an introduction to a horticultural designer with the perfectly fitting name M. Betty Sprout...!
Probably a good time to point out that during WWII Jacob Lawrence served in the coast guard on the first racially integrated ship in the US military, where as an official war artist he painted scenes of racially diverse crew members working & at play together. But that was a different time I guess
November 20, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Probably a good time to point out that during WWII Jacob Lawrence served in the coast guard on the first racially integrated ship in the US military, where as an official war artist he painted scenes of racially diverse crew members working & at play together. But that was a different time I guess
I try to be as measured as possible on social media, but everyone in the art world—including art historians!—who in recent years has focused incessantly on "the contemporary" is at fault for developments like this. This is what happens when you fail to value history hyperallergic.com/1058320/why-...
Why Is DC’s Phillips Collection Selling Off Its Masterpieces?
The museum’s decision to deaccession works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, and more has come under public scrutiny.
hyperallergic.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
I try to be as measured as possible on social media, but everyone in the art world—including art historians!—who in recent years has focused incessantly on "the contemporary" is at fault for developments like this. This is what happens when you fail to value history hyperallergic.com/1058320/why-...