The Whispering Gallery

In Part 2 of The Night Watch Mystery, we step deeper into the shadows of Rembrandt’s masterpiece. This chapter traces the strange and violent history of the painting’s attacks, explores the accusations that swirled around the militia it depicts, and considers what these stories reveal about Amsterdam in the 1600s. Alongside the canvas, we follow Rembrandt himself—his battles with loss, financial ruin, and the weight of -possible- depression. We also look at the theory that an eye condition may have shaped the way he saw the world, and the way he painted it.

Step into the shadows of Rembrandt’s most famous painting. Was The Night Watch always this dark, or is something hidden beneath the varnish? In this first episode, we begin unraveling a centuries-old art mystery that’s more than meets the eye. See the Night Watch painting by Rembrandt Van Rijn at the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands (Painting Name is AKA The Night Watch Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq) www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Patreon: Whispering Gallery+ After Dark: https://www.patreon.com/c/whisperinggallery whisperingcontact@gmail.com Thank you to my friends Fig and Wisp for their help while I was writing this episode, with editing, feedback and fresh points of view! +AI

Part 2 about the Mothman legend and subsequent art. Stories about the area the legend grew up in, Point Pleasant, West Virgina. Learn about artists Frank Frazetta and Bob Roach and their iconic mothman pieces. Mothman has been identified by some as a portent to the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, WV. Episode Image Source: frazettamuseum.com Frazetta Gallery Store, Frank Frazetta, 1980, Art Print No. 118 - Mothman, painting, accessed 29, August, 2024 <https://www.frazettamuseum.com/collections/prints/products/art-print-no-118-mothman> www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2024 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Join me for the nickel tour, an experiment with artificial intelligence (AI), using my Phenomecon 2024 report as only the Whispering Gallery can bring it. With a velvety “blended” of spiced chai latte* and the Phenomecon mantra “we believe” which is a tad more than I’m personally comfortable with. I don’t “believe” carte blanche and personally I would have been more comfortable with “the jury is still out…” and yet the green glowy website had beckoned and there I was.  This episode is a short overview of the Phenomecon conference as organized by the experimental AI "Google Notebook LM" from my full episode recording, and notes. More about the conference and human speakers in the full episode. www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com https://linktr.ee/whisperinggallerypodcast https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ *Spoofs coffee in Vernal, Utah Episode Image Source: Microsoft Designer, Create with AI

This episode offers an introduction to our next spooky art pieces about a cryptid that hails from West Virginia, has been deemed a portent who was seen between 1966 and 1967, ending after the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge. Episode Image Source: frazettamuseum.com Frazetta Gallery Store, Frank Frazetta, 1980, Art Print No. 118 - Mothman, painting, accessed 29, August, 2024 <https://www.frazettamuseum.com/collections/prints/products/art-print-no-118-mothman> www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2024 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Whispering Gallery Podcast WGP: Clue of the Crumbling Cake Paintings A still life is a category of artwork that dates back to the 1600’s. A collection of things brought together (inanimate) gathered often on a table for the artist to work from and reference. The artist can work with this grouping of items, coming back over one or more sessions to complete the drawing or painting. Nothing in the grouping changes from session to session. The place for the artist’s chair can even be marked with masking tape to make sure they end up in the correct spot to work from. “Still life’s” for 16th and 17th century Dutch may be made up of food like fruit; grapes, flowers (like on the secret of the missing tulip episode), cheese, bread, yas—cake, wine goblets, reflective surfaces of serving dishes. One example, artist, Clara Peters, took things to a level that might surprise you Daily Art Magazine shares, quote: “…probably she is most famous for enriching her still lifes with her hidden self-portrait reflected in the objects on the table. In the image above, Still Life with Flowers, a Silver-gilt Goblet, Dried Fruit, Sweetmeats, Breadsticks, Wine and a Pewter Pitcher, the artist painted her portrait three times in the goblet and four times on the pewter jug… Aside from having a role as a signature, painting reflections were a challenge to artists to show off their mastery… She also had a particular way of signing her work, often hidden. Six out of her 39 known paintings include the same ornate silver knife that is inscribed with her name, Clara Peeters.” Unquote dailyartmagazine.com/dutch-still-life-6-famous-painters/  Looking for strange and unexpected “Easter eggs” like these may seem a little too tedious, -or- maybe they make you a bit curious—you’d be right on both accounts. (Pause) I mean why -do- people end up standing there in museums, studying paintings, drawings, and sculpture? This could be one reason. Is a goblet half full or half empty… what were they going for? Life used up or life to be enjoyed? Or something else? Like maybe the artist got thirsty and just drank some of it. Besides looking at all of the details, from the mastery of a painting— of beautiful, intricate lace on the cuff of a sleeve, the ombré fading and veins in flower petals, or impressionist brushstrokes up close.  There may be mystery built into the composition—maybe not as difficult to unravel as an Agatha Christie novel, but, then again? Maybe there are “icons” representing meaning, visual bookmarks that are part of the story. Like a skull or a blown out candle— representing death. To the art world this last bit acts as the reminders  “memento mori” directly translated from Latin: remember death. Thanks for listening! I hope you'll subscribe so you don't miss an episode. www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories Clip of audio from wwltv.com story "Abita Springs Bakery Haunted Owner Says" used under Fair Use. Audio Source: https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/abita-springs-bakery-haunted-owner-says/289-487389181 Episode Image Art Source: Cake Slice Wayne Thiebaud, 1979 Style: Pop Art Genre: still life, WikiArt.org Audio: FreeSound.org, Angel Chimes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=telxWQxtvcs www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2024 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Come with me my friends into the strange “inner world” of—one of the unreal hollow earth drawings. I decided I needed to narrow down to one drawing for our story. Captain John Cleves’s Symmes jr, (captain of the U.S. Army, starting as an Ensign in 1802, and honorably discharged 13 years later in 1815 as a captain). After that he tried working as a trader, but that didn’t work out so he embraced his theory of the Hollow Earth. In fact he did more than give his theory a big hug.  In 1818, Captain Symmes made a declaration (of the conclusion of his hypothesis)—before gathering and analyzing the data. In his conclusion (minus the data), he pledged his belief on his very life… but, he had the scientific process out of order. And the zeal he had for his idea wasn’t coming from science... The drawing of the Symmes concentric spheres theory, shows a jawbreaker-like layer upon layer, imagined-view, of the inside of the earth—illustrating Symmes’ ideas of what the internal “levels” of the earth could have looked like. The drawing of the Symmes hole was done in pen and ink with the “hole” cutting through the arctic circle. Eight countries cross into the Arctic circle, but the drawing showed the earth cored like a baked apple; minus the filling. He was betting there was an enormous hole that went right through the earth, pole to pole, and the drawing showed the imagined layers inside.  I was feeling sure of my research and --no holes– then wha?!? An article from the  Smithsonian magazine explained in  “A Mysteriously Massive Hole in Antarctic Ice Has Returned” article there are these things, these holes, called polynyas. You’re kidding me, right? Quote “hole the size of Maine has opened in the wintertime sea ice surrounding Antarctica. Though these holes, called polynyas, are not uncommon around Earth's southernmost continent, one hasn't been spotted in this location since the 1970's, reports Heather Brady of National Geographic.”1. If I'm not mistaken, one of the causes of these massive ice holes is an upwelling of warm water caused by the likes of a cyclone—baby hurricane’s.  The polynyas are not a Symmes hole... Listen to this episode for the rest of the story! Image Source: "Sectional View of the earth Showing the Opening at the Poles, a diagram from Symzonia by Capt. Adam Seaborn (probably a pseudonym used by Capt. John Cleves Symmes)" as seen in The Public Domain Review, Essays, Stories of a Hollow Earth By Peter Fitting, October 10, 2011  https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/stories-of-a-hollow-earth/  1. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/return-massive-ice-hole-antarctica-has-baffled-scientists-180965246/ Whispering Gallery Podcast Music: Toy Piano Boogie (restored), by The Piccadilly Pipers; Clem Moorman, Edward McKlaine sourced from us.archive.org Audio: Music and Sound FX Resource: Freesound.org Please note, not all files downloaded were used (they were my best guess at what I might need at the time of production). Thank you to the talented audio artists who share their files! They help me tell the Whispering Gallery podcast stories with a lot of atmosphere! Downloaded on March 10th, 2024 Boss Fight.wav by Deathbygeko | License: Attribution 4.0 Small propeller plane by jayrope | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Suspense synth 02 (arcade) by tyops | License: Attribution 4.0 Drain glug.wav by majorasflask | License: Creative Commons 0 210523_1598_FR_Blizzard.wav by kevp888 | License: Attribution 4.0 Transformed wind chimes: Nature-Symphony 38 by Philip_Goddard | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Schumann - Scenes from Childhood - 03 - Blind Man's Buff - Arranged for Music Box by GregorQuendel | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Ambience Russian busking band in metro.m4a by clivew | License: Creative Commons 0 Balalaika loop by paul_sutyrin | License: Attribution 4.0 Downloaded on March 8th, 2024 Miracle by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Suspense Hip-Hop Loop by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Lullaby Harp Twinkle Twinkle by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Scary Church Organ by FoolBoyMedia | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 CLASSIC HAUNTED HOUSE SETTING.wav by beautifuldaymonster1968 | License: Creative Commons 0 Falling by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Guitar Transition by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Fantasy by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Unknown Darkness Loop by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Breakbeat Loop by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Story Logo by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Production Logo by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2024 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the Whispering Gallery podcast! I’m Suzanne Nikolaisen and if this isn’t your first rodeo - er, time listening, you know that together we seek out the spooky, unusual and fascinating stories from the art world—to understand the art and the related “unknown” a little better, and boy—howdy, did I find another “strange” doozy of a pseudoscience story for you today! Im all researched out and can give you the downlow on unreal hollow earth drawings! Have you heard about the Hollow Earth theory? It may have been a conspiracy theory you easily dismissed, but there are some drawings of what the space was imagined to look like, not to mention hollow-earthers (is that a demographic?) both credible and -incredible- people who are part of the story including Leonhard Eeuler, Swiss Mathematician, Cyrus Reed Teed, American physician who ended up thinking he was the messiah. Edmud Haley (as in Haley’s comet) and hero Admiral Byrd and his not so secret diary and–shang-ri-la like story. It’s out there. And in America there was John Cleves Symmes. The illustrations themselves are in pen and ink diagramming the hollow earth as early infographics that are a bit scary, as only a fantastical, conspiracy theory-ish, geography-meets-sci-fi stories (about a crazy big hole at the North Pole, and the South Pole leading to the center of the earth) can be. You just can’t make this stuff up. Oh wait—they did. Imaginations galore! And Science doesn’t care what you believe or draw, it doesn’t make it real... From GEEK'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY CULTURE 12.11.20 11:44 AM on Wired.com’s article The Hollow Earth Theory Isn’t So Funny Anymore - which shares more about Owen Egerton and his book “Hollow” one of npr’s books of the year in 2017.   "While he was writing the book, Egerton viewed the Hollow Earth Theory as a bit of harmless fun, but recent events have made him reconsider that view. “When I was writing about the Hollow Earth, I was celebrating people’s ability to believe what was obviously not true,” he says. “But as the book came to be, and as Donald Trump was elected, I found more and more that those conspiracy theories weren’t so cute, that that power could move in a bunch of different ways—and a dangerous way." Please remember to rate, review, and share the Whispering Gallery podcast with a friend! Listen to this entire episode visit: https://audioboom.com/posts/8416779-unreal-hollow-earth-drawings-part-1 whisperinggallerypodcast.com Image Source: "Sectional View of the earth Showing the Opening at the Poles, a diagram from Symzonia by Capt. Adam Seaborn (probably a pseudonym used by Capt. John Cleves Symmes)" as seen in The Public Domain Review, Essays, Stories of a Hollow Earth By Peter Fitting, October 10, 2011  https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/stories-of-a-hollow-earth/ Whispering Gallery Podcast Music: Toy Piano Boogie (restored), by The Piccadilly Pipers; Clem Moorman, Edward McKlaine sourced from us.archive.org Audio: Music and Sound FX Resource: Freesound.org Please note, not all files downloaded were used (they were my best guess at what I might need at the time of production). Thank you to the talented audio artists who share their files! They help me tell the Whispering Gallery podcast stories with a lot of atmosphere! Downloaded on December 6th, 2023 AKRICH_Antoine_2016_2017_CouleeDeLave.mp3 by iut_Paris8 | License: Creative Commons 0 Downloaded on December 5th, 2023 Dark Dramatic Atmospheric Soundscape.mp3 by SoundFlakes | License: Attribution 4.0 Scary Church Organ by FoolBoyMedia | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Flashlight Click by dersuperanton | License: Attribution 4.0 Downloaded on December 4th, 2023 Dramatic Scene Separation Melancholy by Vasyl_Sakal | License: Attribution 4.0 Downloaded on November 27th, 2023 S: Medieval Fanfare_neonaeon_tweaked by CGEffex.wav by CGEffex | License: Attribution 4.0 Downloaded on November 24th, 2023 S: WATRSplsh_rock splash 20_TK_SASSMKH8020.wav by tim.kahn | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Once Upon A Time.wav by strattix | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Heavenly Pad Verb by TannerSound | License: Attribution 3.0 Downloaded on November 22nd, 2023 S: Happy Guitar by edtijo | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Cinematic Cello Arpeggio Trailer.wav by GregorQuendel | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 S: investigative 1u76 by Setuniman | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 S: Ice Cavern (looped) by igroglaz | License: Attribution 4.0 S: cavernous ahro2 59.wav by ERH | License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 S: resonating very far away by burning-mir | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Calm & relaxing music #2 by BloodPixelHero | License: Attribution 4.0 S: cool music made by me 5 by PureDesignGirl | License: Attribution 4.0 S: sad song non copyright by PureDesignGirl | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Hero is here by neolein | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 Downloaded on November 22nd, 2023 S: Dream Sequence by neolein | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 S: Timefly machine by neolein | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Quiet place by neolein | License: Creative Commons 0 S: That serious indie mathrock sound background by Destructo20 | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Creepy Cave Ambient.wav by Sami_Hiltunen | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Bells in Heaven by neolein | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Water drips in the cave HQ.wav by tosha73 | License: Attribution 4 S: Cool Tunes by PureDesignGirl | License: Attribution 4.0 S: Karst mountains by neolein | License: Creative Commons 0 S: forest ufo synthesizer - Wald 2.wav by UdoPohlmann | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Cartoon - Flying UFO by Breviceps | License: Creative Commons 0 S: Dream Loop by SergeQuadrado | License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0 S: The Song in the Trees Song Loop by StephieQueen | License: Attribution 4.0 Downloaded on November 21st, 2023 S: October Rose by StephieQueen | License: Attribution 4.0 www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

On the island of Britain, between the Atlantic ocean and the North Sea, lies a haunted castle. Okay, yes—technically there are probably a bunch of haunted castles on -this- island. We’re looking for Alnwick Castle in Northumberland in northern UK, in particular. Alnwick castle (parts of which were founded in 1096) has a peculiar bamboo labyrinth in “Alnwick Gardens” that was created from 500 live, evergreen and yet perennial bamboo grasses. Bamboo is part of the grass family Poaceae. The jumbo sized grassy bamboo reaches up and over the paved pathways creating a natural arch and tunnel-like walkway. The shaded corridors wander, and upcoming tunnels await your visit in shadow. Google images of the labyrinth at Alnwick castle do indeed confirm the dark corridors. But the labyrinth is not the darkest part of the Alnwick Gardens—And I’m being, -deadly- serious... Once upon a time, when lace up roller skates, feathered hair, and bubble gum were hip, there were two guys that didn’t see eye to eye. Stephen, a university educated storyteller and author. And Stanley who never darkened the door of film school, telling stories from books and making popular acclaimed movies—his way, with generous creative changes, one of which you may recognize,  The book “The Shining” by Stephen King was published in January of 1977–and please note: this is your spoiler alert at least in regards to the Shining labyrinth... Do you have any stories from your studio, art class, gallery or museum? Or about art that falls into the realm of spooky art or art history stories or art hauntings? Send your suggestion, story, or say hello At whisperingcontact@gmail.com Please comment or say hello on Instagram! It’s always great to hear from you! If you’d like to purchase a Whispering Gallery skull pin visit the Etsy store at:  etsy.com/shop/SuzanneNikolaisenArt The writing and production of the Whispering Gallery podcast - and copyright are held by Suzanne Nikolaisen. If you would like to support the podcast and the books I’m buying for research visit buymeacoffee.com/suznikart to help cover the cost of books, audio and our podcast host. Look for us on Instagram @whisperinggallerypodcast You can join the Whispering Gallery at https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ Spooky, supernatural, unexplained, paranormal art The Whispering Gallery podcast explores spooky, spine-tingling and hard-to-believe art stories; including cursed paintings and gems, paintings and prints of monsters, hauntings, UFOs and more. We look at art history a little differently. Learn about the spooky side of art guided by artists from around the world, and throughout history. Suzanne Nikolaisen sparks your imagination with spine-tingling and hard-to-believe art stories that are best told after dark. Subscribe to join our community of spooky art fans! Please share an episode you love with a friend! Remember to keep your flashlight close, and your spooky art stories closer! Many thanks to the following resources for my research and the production of this episode: Photo Source: Creative Commons License https://art.thewalters.org/detail/2191/theseus-and-the-minotaur-2/ Theseus and the Minotaur, sculpture (terracotta), by Arnold Seligmann, French, 18th century https://audioboom.com/channels/5015282-the-whispering-gallery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nandi_(Hinduism) wikipedia.org  Drone snap, Crete Greece agar by drone 4k YouTube  https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/museo-gregoriano-egizio/sala-v--statuario/statua-antropomorfa-del-dio-apis.html bull headed statue of Apis Egyptian god, manifestation of Ptah. https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/collex/exhibits/discovery-collection-memory-oriental-institute-100/human-headed-winged-bull/#:~:text=The%20lamassu%20is%20a%20mythological,the%20iconography%20of%20these%20figures. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/thes/hd_thes.htm#:~:text=Theseus%2C%20forgetting%20his%20father's%20direction,giving%20the%20sea%20its%20name. https://www.mandycanudigit.com/2019/04/22/tai-haku-cherry-trees-at-the-alnwick-garden/ https://www.pottertour.co.uk/alnwick-northumberland/alnwick-gardens-treehouse-restaurant.html https://www.spookyisles.com/grey-lady-ghosts/ https://hauntedpalaceblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/the-legend-of-the-alnwick-castle-vampire/ https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/golden-rectangle-garden.htm Bamboo image https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Alnwick_Garden#/media/File:Alnwick_bamboo_labyrinth.jpg By Vadakkan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131405002 https://www.thebondgate.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-Alnwick-Garden-map-1030x730.png map Google Maps screenshot https://www.google.com/maps/@55.4131471,-1.699987,338m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/alnwick-poison-garden https://geektrippers.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-in-scotland/ https://www.spookyisles.com/grey-lady-ghosts/ From “Spectacular Hedge Mazes From Around the World” by Couples Wanderlust on YouTube https://hauntedpalaceblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/03/the-legend-of-the-alnwick-castle-vampire/ https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/backgrounders/fibonacci-and-golden-ratio https://plantsciences.montana.edu/horticulture/ASHS_Teaching_MethodsWG/Landscape-Design/Vendrame_Basic%20Principles%20of%20Landscape%20Design.pdf https://www.britannica.com/technology/labyrinth-architecture https://happytowander.com/harry-potter-filming-locations https://freesound.org/ (thank you for the music and sound fx from the community!)  Whispering Gallery podcast, strange art stories, art history, art labyrinth and mazes www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

What would the ruins of the Palace of Knossos (nah-sohs) look like in the moonlight? An uneven grid of boxlike rooms, interrupted by darker larger forms like a midnight quilt unfolding into the night. A cascade of history—fading into silhouette, shadow and—interpretation. The Palace of Knossos (nah-sohs) was built on the largest island in Greece: Crete. The island has mountains and gorges, and appears to be a bit of a desert but the water surrounding the island is brilliant phthalo and cerulean blue. What about the ghosts in the depths of the legendary labyrinth, in the deep dark, below the palace?—The place where Theseus and the Minotaur had their showdown? Where does myth end reality meet? Was there really a labyrinth? https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories Photo Source: Creative Commons License https://art.thewalters.org/detail/2191/theseus-and-the-minotaur-2/ Theseus and the Minotaur, sculpture (terracotta), by Arnold Seligmann, French, 18th century www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

The last episode was all about the Franklin expedition and it had me slinging facts and quotes left and right and because there were so many interesting things related, with some more removed than others to the cursed painting. When editing the audio I had to edit out a couple of times when I had run out of breath! There was simply a lot to cover and we were just skating along the surface. Whew! We left off with two abandoned ships, no survivors and the terrible story that the officers and crew of the ships had perished in the hostile environment of the polar desert —some were never accounted for.  Grim, sad, and a beyond-difficult story, but that leaves us at a turning point in our  story. The expedition left England in 1845 add to that the search and rescue starting in 1847 and ending 40 expeditions later in 1859. The search for the Franklin expedition ended 14 years after they departed.  That’s holding out some serious hope, but was it? there was still the lure of finding the Northwest Passage. And going on these rescue mission came with the chance to discover the Northwest Passage. Five years after the rescuers stopped looking—it was 1864 we arrive at the painting Man Proposes, God Disposes by Edwin Landseer who was living in Victorian England. So what is with that painting title? www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved. +.   +.   +.   +.   +.   +.   +.   + Art for this episode is from Creative Commons, Man Proposes, God disposes by Edwin Landseer https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manproposesgoddisposes.jpg Audio Resources: https://freesound.org/people/kyles/sounds/450143/ https://freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/248140/ https://freesound.org/people/Bertsz/sounds/671897/ https://freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/222741/ https://freesound.org/people/SergeQuadrado/sounds/663484/ https://freesound.org/people/SergeQuadrado/sounds/496425/ Research Resources: Wondrium National Geographic http://xn--https-nw3b//www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-29175003%20 https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/more/facts-and-figures/ https://collegeofphysicians.org/programs/education-blog/victorian-mental-health-and-women-part-three-treating-depression/ https://www.govmint.com/coin-authority/post/why-do-coins-say-in-god-we-trust https://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Sayings/Quizzes/Mixed_7/Man_proposes_God_disposes_915.php#:~:text=For%20man%20proposes%2C%20but%20God,divinity%20that%20shapes%20our%20ends%2C https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Proposes,_God_Disposes https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p02vnfd1%20https://funkidsjokes.com/north-pole-jokes/%20https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Terror_(1813) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Erebus_(1826) https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/geography-of-nunavut https://geology.com/articles/northwest-passage.shtml https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manproposesgoddisposes.jpg%20https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/oceanfreeze.html#:~:text=Ocean%20water%20freezes%20just%20like,of%20the%20salt%20in%20it. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/geography-of-nunavut#:~:text=Nunavut%20is%20the%20coldest%20and,classifies%20it%20as%20polar%20desert https://www.britannica.com/event/Franklin-expedition\ https://secretsoftheice.com/news/2019/10/28/franklin-expedition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahkiyyini https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/theyre-not-human-how-19th-century-inuit-coped-with-a-real-life-invasion-of-the-walking-dead/wcm/e92d66cc-7afd-481d-b177-4a5a634c38f8/amp/ https://blog.frontiersnorth.com https://edgenorth.ca/article/paranormal-north-supernatural-beings-you-might-meet-in-the-arctic/ https://listverse.com/2023/01/07/ten-ghost-stories-above-the-arctic-circle/ https://amp.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3151947/remembering-forgotten-explorers-northwest-passage https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/art-collections/collection-highlights/man-proposes-god-disposes/%20Royal%20Holloway%20University%20London https://www.reddit.com/r/TheTerror/comments/ky7mj3/real_life_inspiration_for_the_tuunbaq_in_inuit/%20Title https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Proposes,_God_Disposes https://www.paintingmania.com/man-proposes-god-disposes-218_32797.html https://www.amazon.com/Edwin-Landseer-Coloring-Book-Compositions/dp/B0BLWKKHSP/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1G2QN3P23MHZV&keywords=Edwin+Landseer+book&qid=1675787051&sprefix=edwin+landseer+book%2Caps%2C939&sr=8-3 https://www.mylondon.news/news/gruesome-story-behind-trafalgar-square-21824427 https://www.thespace.org/resource/please-feed-the-lions-using-interactive-ai-to-bring-a-london-landmarks-history-to-life/ https://healthcare.utah.edu/hmhi/conditions/treatment-resistant-mood-disorders The dog rescue I mentioned is Rocky Mountain Dachshund Rescue based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. https://rockymountaindachshundrescue.com/ https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

We’re explorers of art mysteries, unusual legends and today the story of an Arctic expedition gone terribly awry This is quite the terrifying story on it’s own and it has been turned into an AMC supernatural anthology you might have seen. ships trapped in arctic ice, lead poisoning, abandoned ships and some indications cannibalism— just a hot mess well frozen mess I mean! And then, there’s the painting… Art for this episode is from Creative Commons, Man Proposes, God disposes by Edwin Landseer https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manproposesgoddisposes.jpg www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Let’s wipe away the dusty cobwebs at the edges of our memories. Did you ever take a pencil or crayon and take a rubbing of an image? When you make a rubbing, it’s like magic seeing the reproduction of the surface appear, although you rub the crayon across the surface to get the desired reproduction. Maybe it was an embossed book or a sampler of autumn leaves showing their shapes and textures? Or maybe you know someone or have done this yourself, taken a rubbing from a place you’ve visited whether for the art, a memoir–or for the information. So far, so not spooky you say? Let’s just remember to keep your flashlights close as we head into the Whispering Gallery AND the cemetery! Join me to discover a handful of headstones worthy of a photo, a rubbing and yes, even a recipe card. https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Episode Music: Toy Piano Boogie by The Piccadilly Pipers, public domain Photo Source: Ellie Burgin https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-birds-on-tomb-stones-3498985 Thank you to the FreeSound Audio Artists for the great music and sound FX! https://freesound.org/people/turkitron/sounds/110529/ https://freesound.org/people/Darkash28/sounds/529967/ Thunder: n/a https://freesound.org/people/EX-AN/sounds/515923/ https://freesound.org/people/Setuniman/sounds/414279/ https://freesound.org/people/Sly_R/sounds/545926/ https://freesound.org/people/TheDweebMan/sounds/277192/ https://freesound.org/people/Garuda1982/sounds/634616/ https://freesound.org/people/olver/sounds/417862/ https://freesound.org/people/pycckuu20032003/sounds/85245/ https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/212029/ https://freesound.org/people/KaterinaGalasova/sounds/461928/ https://freesound.org/people/F.M.Audio/sounds/570530/ https://freesound.org/people/TRP/sounds/616957/ www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2023 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Join me in the Whispering Gallery for Scandinavian jul (you-lll) card art where artists are very good at making “spirits” (ahem) bright and visible! Are home, barn and mound spirits, not spooky enough for you? Just wait for the unsettling julbocken! Join me for some of the spookier side of Jul, coming up next. Special FX and Music courtesy of www.freesound.org https://freesound.org/people/ including: DBlover, Ihaksi, Walter_Odington, Soughtaftersounds, sphion, martats, EpicWizard, Kyster, ullsokk, Marcuspepsi, tryl, ThisIsMiniMe, esistnichtsoernst, kiddpark, dominictreis, neolein, danlucaz, mhtaylor67, LG, http://www.freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/ Episode Image Source: gracenuth.com/blog/lennarthelje Art by Lennart Helje, Swedish Illustrator www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Sugar skulls are considered folk art and said to have come from Southern Mexico—they are part of the celebration for Día de los Muertos in English: Day of the Dead. This is not the celebration of Halloween—in Mexico.  The “day” of the dead is actually two days of remembering loved ones who have passed away and welcoming their spirits home. I feel like they’ve got this holiday down way better than I’ve ever celebrated Memorial Day! Color, sugar skulls, spirits, paper flowers, candles, good food and marigolds. It seems like a celebration of inclusivity bringing the living and the dead together. Episode Art: Calavera de la Catrina (Skull of the Female Dandy), from the portfolio 36 Grabados: José Guadalupe Posada, published by Arsacio Vanegas, Mexico City, c. 1910, zinc etching, 34.5 x 23 cm. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:La_Calavera_Catrina#/media/File:Posada2.Catrina.jpeg Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio Thank you to Free Sound and the following contributors to that sound library for making the music and background sound for this episode possible!  https://freesound.org/people/ThisIsMiniMe/sounds/327406/ https://freesound.org/people/TheScriabin/sounds/404952/ https://freesound.org/people/taurindb/sounds/132124/ https://freesound.org/people/Cloud-10/sounds/562834/ https://freesound.org/people/TexasMusicForge/sounds/2687/ https://freesound.org/people/bone666138/sounds/198879/ https://freesound.org/people/zagi2/sounds/265615/ https://freesound.org/people/hantorio/sounds/121945/ Show Music by the Piccadilly Pipers. www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

So who did Circe turn into pigs? What specialty of magic could have done that? Did she really live alone on an island? Find out next on the Whispering Gallery! In the northern hemisphere the days are growing shorter, and the air, crisp as the snap of a Halloween apple, makes our cheeks ruddy—join me to finish our two parter about two hauntingly special, and magical women. Well more than one if we’re talking about the Oracle of Delphi–and the myths and stories surrounding Circe have identified her as a witch, an enchantress and even as a goddess. There is a mountain of artwork about Circe from on the sides of pots/vases to oil paintings and yes the pre raphaelites took a stab at painting her. Her story has called to artists throughout history to be illustrated and you’ll see some of these pieces on instagram and others on Facebook on the Whispering Gallery.  Look for artwork about Circe on the Whispering Gallery podcasts Facebook and Instagram pages! Circe painted by Nicolas Régnier (1558/1591-1667), oil on canvas, height: 44 in; width: 53.1 in, private collection, Source/Photographer: Sotheby's Lot.37 Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/.../File:Circe_by_Nicolas_R... Thanks to the Internet Archive for the 78 RPM Music, and to FreeSound. - La fille aux cheveux de lin, Bruyères, Tristan Risselin by Claude Debussy Publication date 1948 Topics 78 rpm, classical, instrumental, piano) - His Master's Voice Language French; English Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Preludes, Book I - VIII. (… La fille aux cheveux de lin) Preludes, Book II - V. (… Bruyères) Tristan Risselin (piano) Recorded: 16 January 1947, Abbey Road studios, London Issued: 1948 (for export to Belgium) Format: coarse-groove, 78 rpm, 10” / 25 cm, electrical Catalogue number: JO 56 Matrices: 0EA 11575-1 / 0EA 11576-2 Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Join me for more of the mysteries of the Oracle of Delphi, including some science about the vapors, and I attempt to sort out the multiple titles being thrown around including sybil, oracle, pythia and prophetess.  Episode Image: Pytia, by Jacek Malczewski (1854-1929). Painting: oil on canvas (1917), height: 82.6 in; width: 43.3 in. Location: Collection National Museum in Kraków, Source/Photographer: culture.pl, source: Wikimedia Commons Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

This episode (Part 1) starts out with the Oracle of Delphi (from Greece) and some of the less known things about this "individual" and what she did that warranted such fame that has crossed the centuries. Was she simply extraordinarily gifted at prophecy? Look for the Whispering Gallery podcast on Facebook and Instagram.  Episode Image: Pytia, by Jacek Malczewski (1854-1929). Painting: oil on canvas (1917), height: 82.6 in; width: 43.3 in. Location: Collection National Museum in Kraków, Source/Photographer: culture.pl, source: Wikimedia Commons Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

In ancient Mesopotamia people didn’t just want to believe in ghosts, or yearn for an extraordinary encounter in a shadowy haunted building. They believed in ghosts. Ghosts were simply part of normal everyday life. They were to put it plainly— expected. Let's take a closer look at the first known drawing of a ghost--drawn in clay. If a ghost were to become a problem or a nuisance, something would need to be done about it. In fact Irving Finkle author of The First Ghosts and curator at the British Museum likened the situation to needing to call the plumber. Got a clogged drain? You’d call a professional to help. Got a ghost? Who ya gonna call? The exorcism guy! And he came prepared, ready with a really well rounded guide with specifics on how-to-get-rid of ghosts with programmatic if this, then do this type of thing and kind of umbrella-like statements, to cover things. You don’t want to do a half-baked job when getting rid of a ghost. The guide, not as convenient as our phones, or even a book was written in cuneiform on clay tablets. What does all of this have to do with art? From what I understand of all of the detailed instructions for the many situations that had to be considered in getting a ghost to leave–they weren’t all illustrated. But here’s an “if statement” — What if I told you that one of these clay tablets was really special, with the oldest known (3,500 years old) drawing of a miserable, sad man–a bearded ghost? Finkle gives the example that maybe the man had three wives and lost each of them. One could jump to the conclusion that he would follow a young woman to the underworld, thus the ritual that complemented the illustration that we’ll talk about in more depth. First here’s the formal description of the piece: Title: Tablet impressed with Mesopotamian ghost, side profile  Artist: Master craftsperson Date: 1,500 BCE Geography: Ancient Babylon Medium: Clay tablet Dimensions: Fits in a person’s hand Classification: Tablet Location: British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG, UK (has not been displayed) Acquired: 19th century, approximately half of the tablet is missing Photo © British Museum, line drawing © James Fraser and Chris Cobb for The First Ghosts at https://news.artnet.com/.../oldest-ghost-british-museum... Thanks to the audio sound artists at FreeSound for the accompanying sound/music. Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.

Listen to find a young scientist recording color while at the cusp of discovery, —a bilingual Swedish chemist adding a new but dangerous pigment to the game, —and we will put a well-intentioned pigment-based hypothesis to bed about the death of Napoleon Bonaparte—just a few of the unforgettable stories of pigments from our colorful past! You’re listening to the Whispering Gallery podcast so keep your flashlight close, in case the lights go out!  Thank you to the audio creators on Freesound for the music and sound FX! Please Support the Whispering Gallery Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/suzannenikolaisenart https://www.buymeacoffee.com/suznikart Social Media https://www.facebook.com/whisperinggallerystories/ https://www.instagram.com/whisperinggallerypodcast/ https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMediumsStudio www.whisperinggallerypodcast.com Copyright 2022 Suzanne Nikolaisen. All Rights Reserved.