What Do You Do With a Broken Thing? Jonah Siegel on Museums & Empire

What Do You Do With a Broken Thing? Jonah Siegel on Museums & Empire

Across Western Europe, the early nineteenth century witnessed a renaissance in art appreciation. Wealthy tourists flocked to Italy to admire gorgeous paintings and indulge in sultry love affairs. Meanwhile, new public museums like the Louvre and the National Gallery inspired ordinary citizens at home in France and Britain. Unfortunately, this period’s romantic promise of “high culture” had a dark side. The sight of Rome’s crumbling ruins prompted uneasy dreams about decline and fall, and violence haunted new museums whose collections were the products of imperial looting. So what’s the history behind museums? Why do visitors find ruins and broken objects so attractive? And is it truly possible for institutions of high culture to atone for past misdeeds? Jonah Siegel [https://english.rutgers.edu/people/faculty-profiles/profile/6498-siegel-jonah.html] is Distinguished Professor of English at Rutgers University. He is currently working on a book about how the destruction of art objects in popular culture relates to contemporary concepts of progress. He is also publishing Season of Beauty [https://jonahsiegel.substack.com/], a Substack about slowly walking through the painting galleries in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. For a free, extended bonus cut of this interview, please visit our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/cw/MeltingIntoAir]. For additional images, please visit our website [http://meltingintoair.net]. SUPPORT US ON PATREON [https://www.patreon.com/c/MeltingIntoAir]! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod [http://incompetech.com/]. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License [http://incompetech.com/]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS ♡ Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/meltingintoairpodcast] / Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/meltingintoair/] / LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/melting-into-air] / Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580794927711] LISTEN Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melting-into-air/id1823461341] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/701b1rqfhd5yxMQo3kAlIL] / YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MeltingIntoAir] CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net [info@meltingintoair.net] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com [https://meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The African Roscius: Greg Vargo on Ira Aldridge

Ira Aldridge was one of the most celebrated stage actors of the early Victorian period. Born into a Black family in the United States, he rose to international superstardom after taking his career to London, where he played leading roles in everything from Shakespearean tragedies to lurid imperial melodramas. As a performer, Aldridge dramatized important topics like Atlantic slavery, and he crossed the color line by playing characters like Richard III and King Lear. Audiences simply couldn’t get enough. So who was Ira Aldridge? How did he rise to stardom despite racial prejudice? And what does his extraordinary life reveal about race, politics, and popular culture in the nineteenth century? Professor Greg Vargo [https://as.nyu.edu/faculty/gregory-vargo.html] teaches at New York University. He has authored a book titled An Underground History of Early Victorian Literature and edited two collections of plays, Chartist Drama and Ira Aldridge on the Stage: An Anthology. The latter appeared this year from Edinburgh University Press [https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-ira-aldridge-on-the-stage.html]. It features plays starring the first Black celebrity of the British stage, Ira Aldridge. For additional images, please visit our website [http://meltingintoair.net]. SUPPORT US ON PATREON [https://www.patreon.com/c/MeltingIntoAir]! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod [http://incompetech.com/]. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License [http://incompetech.com/]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Cindy Reinken Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte SOCIAL Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/meltingintoairpodcast] / Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/meltingintoair/] / LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/melting-into-air] LISTEN Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melting-into-air/id1823461341] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/701b1rqfhd5yxMQo3kAlIL] / YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MeltingIntoAir] CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net [info@meltingintoair.net] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com [https://meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

7 - I Am Born: Victorian Childhood

Nineteenth-century Britain was the historical birthplace of “childhood” as the Western world understands that term today. This episode showcases a diverse range of Victorian childhoods by introducing seven characters from the richest to the poorest strata of British society. As we experience the early nineteenth century through their eyes, we’ll bear their sorrows, and we’ll share their joys. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website [http://meltingintoair.net]. SUPPORT US ON PATREON [https://www.patreon.com/c/MeltingIntoAir]! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Access to Q&A episodes and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Rhyming Children voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod [http://incompetech.com/]. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License [http://incompetech.com/]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Jordan LaCerte Rasmus Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/meltingintoair/] / Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melting-into-air/id1823461341] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/701b1rqfhd5yxMQo3kAlIL] / YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MeltingIntoAir] CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net [info@meltingintoair.net] SOUND & MUSIC Coming soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com [https://meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

6 - The Two Nations: Britain's Hungry Forties

The “Hungry Forties” rank among the bleakest periods in British history. Depression, protest, blood, and fire defined the years from 1837 to 1848, when the country’s average life expectancy dropped lower than it had been since the time of the Black Death. As lawmakers blocked institutional channels to reform, grassroots movements such as Chartism became the only way for ordinary people to express their grievances. Britain tore itself into “two nations”: the rich and the poor. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website [http://meltingintoair.net]. SUPPORT US ON PATREON [https://www.patreon.com/c/MeltingIntoAir]! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Tiny Tim voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod [http://incompetech.com/]. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License [http://incompetech.com/]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Biaggi Barber Rachel Halsey Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/meltingintoair/] / Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melting-into-air/id1823461341] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/701b1rqfhd5yxMQo3kAlIL] / YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MeltingIntoAir] CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net [info@meltingintoair.net] CREDITS Coming soon! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com [https://meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

5 - Land Grabbing on a Great Scale: Enclosure and the Industrial Revolution

Enclosure and industrialization, which both began in England, laid the groundwork for a new kind of global capitalism. Because these economic processes impacted absolutely every aspect of Victorian life, they’re as fundamental to the study of the nineteenth century as chemistry or physics are to the interpretation of the natural world. In this episode, we’ll approach broad, complex economic concepts from a humanist perspective that prioritizes ordinary people’s lived experiences. For additional credits, images, and a movie list, please visit our website [http://meltingintoair.net]. SUPPORT US ON PATREON [https://www.patreon.com/c/MeltingIntoAir]! $2/month: Donation tier. $5/month: Open submission for Q&A episodes, access to interview episodes, and a logo sticker. $10/month: All of the above, plus a "special thanks" in the show notes, plus early access to exclusive episodes from "Beyond the British Empire." CREDITS Written and narrated by Brian Reinken Produced and edited by Marcie LaCerte Artwork by Marcie LaCerte Elizabeth Bentley voiced by Marcie LaCerte Theme song: Waltz (Tschaikovsky Op. 40) by Kevin MacLeod [http://incompetech.com/]. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License [http://incompetech.com/]. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PATRONS Rachel Halsey Jordan LaCerte Yves LaCerte LINKS Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/meltingintoair/] / Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/melting-into-air/id1823461341] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/701b1rqfhd5yxMQo3kAlIL] / YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@MeltingIntoAir] CONTACT info@meltingintoair.net [info@meltingintoair.net] MUSIC Chopin, Frederic. Trois Nouvelles Études, no. 2. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 35 in C minor, Op. 56 No. 3. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 3. Gymnopedie No. 3 (Erik Satie) by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 3.0 License. Chopin, Frederic. Mazurka No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4. Haydn, Joseph. String Quartet, Op. 64 No. 5 in D major 'The Lark' - I. Allegro moderato. Chopin, Frederic. Nocturne No. 21 in C minor, B. 108. Bach, J. S. Goldberg Variations, BWV988. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 4. Mendelssohn, Felix. A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61 Scherzo. Mendelssohn, Felix. Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 'Italian' - I. Allegro vivace. Satie, Erik. Gnossienne 6. Gaveaux, Pierre. Polacca from the opera Le Trompeur Trompé. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en]. Beethoven, Ludwig von. Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica' - I. Allegro con brio. Chopin, Frederic. Nocturne No. 15 in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1. SOUND EFFECTS Mill MIX.wav by ccundell -- freesound.org/s/702460/ [http://freesound.org/s/702460/] -- Licensed under NonCommercial 4.0 natural water puddle summer 2.06 pm 220618_0409 by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/693746/ [http://freesound.org/s/693746/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 CHURCH BELLS.m4a by CousinAwd -- freesound.org/s/528827/ [http://freesound.org/s/528827/] -- Attribution 4.0 small stream ambient 1213PM 240129_0645 by klankbeeld -- freesound.org/s/721088/ [http://freesound.org/s/721088/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Forest in Scotland May 1999.wav by inchadney -- freesound.org/s/336696/ [http://freesound.org/s/336696/] -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Cambridge_pub_beergarden_rowdy_short_atmos.wav by alexkandrell -- freesound.org/s/294425/ [http://freesound.org/s/294425/] -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 Door Knock 1 by blou27 -- freesound.org/s/841281/ [http://freesound.org/s/841281/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 crate_break_2.wav by dxeyes -- freesound.org/s/432670/ [http://freesound.org/s/432670/]-- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Queen Street Mill, line shafts and belts running.wav by phonoflora -- freesound.org/s/201175/ [http://freesound.org/s/201175/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 Canadian Horse Carriage.wav by vero.marengere -- freesound.org/s/450325/ [http://freesound.org/s/450325/]-- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Distant Steam Train Whistle No Background Noise by WeenyBeany -- freesound.org/s/800935/ [http://freesound.org/s/800935/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 00947 building railway hard work arrangement.wav by Robinhood76 -- freesound.org/s/69009/ [http://freesound.org/s/69009/] -- Licensed under Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Steam whistle 090518.wav by LG -- freesound.org/s/72805/ [http://freesound.org/s/72805/] -- Licensed under Attribution 4.0 boat Arvor 215 engine propellers low rpm splashes stereo ORTF 8040.wav by Soundholder -- freesound.org/s/425514/ [http://freesound.org/s/425514/] -- Licensed under Attribution 3.0 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com [https://meltingintoairpodcast.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]