Discover this podcast and so much more

Podcasts are free to enjoy without a subscription. We also offer ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more for just $11.99/month.

People of Progress

People of Progress

FromPORTRAITS


People of Progress

FromPORTRAITS

ratings:
Length:
27 minutes
Released:
Jun 15, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

The 1862 painting "Men of Progress" depicts a group of inventors credited with "altered the course of contemporary civilization.” Between them, they found more efficient ways to sew clothing, harvest crops and even send telegraph messages. In fact, the Smithsonian’s first secretary stands in the middle.

But as cultural anthropologist Richard Kurin notes, many people have been left out of this tableau. To mark the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary, we ask current Sec. Lonnie Bunch to give the painting an update.

See the portraits:

Men of Progress

Solomon Brown

James Smithson

Frederick Douglass

Eleanor Roosevelt

Dorothy Height
Released:
Jun 15, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (64)

Art, biography, history and identity collide in this podcast from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Join Director Kim Sajet as she chats with artists, historians, and thought leaders about the big and small ways that portraits shape our world.