Episode #77: Cursed Art: The Terracotta Army (Season 9, Episode 1)

In our ninth season, in a topic suggested by you, our listeners, we’re uncovering the backstory behind some of the world’s most famed “cursed” objects in art, architecture, and archaeology. Today, we’re beginning with one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the late 20th century: the grand funeral complex of Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, known as the “Terracotta Army.”

Curious Callback: Episode #48: Shock Art: Eakins' The Gross Clinic (Season 5, Episode 2)

Works that we take for granted today as masterpieces, or as epitomes of the finest of fine art, could also have been considered ugly, of poor quality, or just bad when they were first made. With the passage of time comes a calm and an acceptance. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are many works peppered throughout art history that were straight-up shocking to the public when they were first presented decades, or even hundreds of years ago.

Today's work of "shock art:" Eakins’ The Gross Clinic.

This is a callback of our episode from April 15, 2019.