June 23, 2025

Ep 89: El Greco and the Whale

Show Notes

This is a little episode about how I think a one-of-a-kind whale is kind of like the 16th -17th century Mannerist artist El Greco, and also like us. It sounds a little far fetched but admit it, you like me when I’m weird, you weirdo’s

El Greco:

Artworks mentioned: “The Vision of St John” 1608-14 and "View of Toledo" 1599-1600 (El Greco), “Les Desmoiselles D’Avignon" 1907 (Picasso), "Rocks at Fontainbleu" 1890's (Cézanne)

Artists mentioned: Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Hilma Af Klint, Pablo Picasso, Eugène De la Croix, Salvador Dali, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Diego Velázquez, Titian, Tintoretto, Ignacio Zuloaga

Writers mentioned: Emily Dickinson, Franz Kafka, Roger Fry

Learn more about El Greco's figurine models with a fascinating lecture by Xavier Bray for the Frick Collection: https://youtu.be/_8xYkflNbU0?si=eCIL_P-tFdtPbDmOThe Whale:

Watch the documentary: https://www.kanopy.com/en/product/loneliest-whale?frontend=kui

Articles:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2025/02/01/the-52-hertz-whale-is-the-loneliest-animal-in-the-world-heres-what-we-know/

https://www.iflscience.com/fact-check-has-the-world-s-loneliest-whale-finally-found-a-friend-65797

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/13

https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/inside-the-nail-biting-quest-to-find-the-loneliest-whale/

Thanks for listening!

Greek music "Greek Bouzouki Sentimental 13" by Omegamusic / Marios Georgiades / Nicosia, Cyprus

Whale songs courtesy of PMEL Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

All other music and sound effects by Soundstripe

----------------------------

Pep Talks on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peptalksforartists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠