1. TWO NEW PODCAST SERIES: MARTIN PURYEAR AND RICHARD MISRACH

In a two-part podcast produced on the occasion of the exhibition Martin Puryear, John Elderfield of The Museum of Modern Art talks to Ruth Fine, National Gallery of Art curator, about working with Martin Puryear to develop this landmark show, which includes 43 works from 1976 to the present, installed in the Gallery's neoclassical West Building and modern East Building.

In a three-part podcast series, photographer Richard Misrach talks to Sarah Greenough, senior curator of photographs, about his influences and the origins of his photographic career; the process by which he reached his current style; and the impact of new technology on his art and the inspiration for his series On the Beach.
http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.htm#audio (podcasts)
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=262840395 (iTunes)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/puryearinfo.htm (Martin Puryear exhibition information)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/misrachinfo.htm (Richard Misrach: On the Beach exhibition information)

2. THIS MONTH'S FEATURED ARTWORK FROM THE COLLECTION: WATSON AND THE SHARK BY JOHN SINGLETON COPLEY

Watson and the Shark's exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1778 generated a sensation, partly because such a grisly subject was an absolute novelty. In 1749, 14-year-old Brook Watson had been attacked by a shark while swimming in Havana Harbor, Cuba. Copley's pictorial account of the traumatic ordeal received such enormous acclaim as to ensure his appointment to the prestigious Royal Academy, and he earned a fortune selling engravings of its design. On view in the West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery 42B.
http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=46471 (Watson and the Shark)
http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/tbio?tperson=1162 (biography of John Singleton Copley)
http://www.nga.gov/feature/watson/watsonhome.htm (Web feature)

3. RECENT ACQUISITION: OBERWESEL BY J.M.W. TURNER

This transcendent view down the Rhine River from the hillside vineyards near Oberwesel, Germany, is a masterpiece by one of the great icons of British art, J.M.W. Turner. With its dazzling combination of light, color, and atmosphere, this piece not only marks the pinnacle of Turner's career as an artist but also bears eloquent witness to his stature as a supremely gifted and innovative watercolorist. On view in the West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery 26A.
http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=139374 (Oberwesel)
http://www.nga.gov/cgi-bin/tbio?tperson=1939 (biography of Joseph Mallord William Turner)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/acquisitioninfo.htm (recent acquisitions)

4. LESS THAN AN HOUR? WEST BUILDING SCULPTURE HIGHLIGHTS

Our newest visitor guide highlights a dozen must-see works in the National Gallery of Art sculpture collection—from a French 13th-century pyx (a receptacle for the Eucharist) to Degas' famed Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The guide offers information about each of the objects, as well as a map of their locations. This free visitor guide may be accessed via our Web site, or obtained in person at Gallery Information Desks.
http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/wbsculpture.pdf (West Building Sculpture Highlights)
http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/wbhighlights.pdf (West Building Highlights)
http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/ebhighlights.pdf (East Building Highlights)
http://www.nga.gov/pdf/sculpturegardenmap.pdf (Sculpture Garden)
http://www.nga.gov/collection/pdf/picture_hunt.pdf (For Children: The Great Picture Hunt)

5. FINAL CHANCE TO SEE AFGHANISTAN, MARTIN PURYEAR, MAX ERNST, AND MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

Be sure to visit four excellent exhibitions at the Gallery before they close this autumn.

The Gallery has produced several multimedia tools that complement the extraordinary exhibition Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul, closing September 7. Using Google Earth, site visitors can "fly" to Afghanistan and land at one of three archaeological areas, where 3-D maps point to the "find-spots" of artifacts in the exhibition. In our Discovery Guide for children, young explorers are guided through the exhibition, stopping along the way to engage in activities about the jewelry, vases, and sculptures. Finally, our four-part podcast series Afghan Treasures features interviews with the exhibition curator and the story of the artifacts' dramatic recovery in Kabul.

Martin Puryear, an outstanding retrospective of the native Washingtonian's sculpture, leaves the Gallery on September 28, traveling on to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Max Ernst: Illustrated Books, an exhibition highlighting the mysterious, species-bending creatures invented by the German surrealist, closes September 6.

Medieval to Modern: Recent Acquisitions of Drawings, Prints, and Illustrated Books showcases the remarkable additions to the Gallery's collection over the past three years. This exhibition of the finest new works on paper from the 15th to the 21st centuries closes on November 2.

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/afghanistan/burialsites.htm (Afghanistan Google Earth)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2008/afghanistan/afghan-guide.pdf (Afghanistan Discovery Guide for children)
http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/index.htm (Afghanistan podcasts)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/afghanistaninfo.htm (Afghanistan exhibition information)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/puryearinfo.htm (Martin Puryear exhibition information)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/ernstinfo.htm (Max Ernst: Illustrated Books exhibition information)
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/medievalinfo.htm (Medieval to Modern exhibition information)

6. ONLINE TOUR: ITALIAN ALTARPIECES AND RELIGIOUS SCULPTURE OF THE 1300S

The Gothic style of the 12th through 15th centuries sought to bring a vision of heavenly paradise to earth. Architecture soared upward on thin columns, and light streamed through tall windows. Our online tour explores the Gothic style in smaller works of art—Italian altarpieces and religious sculpture—looking at the motifs, color schemes, and composition of works in the Gallery's collection. Works may be seen in person in the West Building, Main Floor, Gallery 2.
http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg2/gg2-main1.html

7. SCHOOL TOURS AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS AT THE GALLERY

Requests for fall 2008 (October 6 to December 12) school tours are now being accepted. National Gallery of Art school tours are designed to introduce students to the museum experience and to the Gallery's collection. Volunteer docents consult closely with teachers to ensure that thematic tours enhance, support, and extend classroom learning and curriculum objectives.

Information about the 2008–2009 Teacher Workshops is now available online. Registration is taking place on a first-come, first-served basis.
http://www.nga.gov/education/school.htm (school tours)
http://www.nga.gov/education/teacher.htm (teacher workshops)

8. TODAY IN GALLERY HISTORY

On September 1, 1963, the Gallery announced that Goya's The Bookseller's Wife (now called Young Lady Wearing a Mantilla and Basquina) had been bequeathed to the museum. The painting was immediately placed on display and can now be viewed in the West Building, Ground Floor, Gallery 43. The National Gallery of Art has enjoyed a fascinating history—from the evacuation of its most valuable paintings and sculptures during World War II to the installation of Alexander Calder's mobile in the East Building atrium in 1977. Learn more about the Gallery's history in our daily Web feature, which highlights notable events over the last 80 years.
http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/ngachron.htm

9. SEPTEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Plan your visit to the Gallery with the help of the September Calendar of Events. Schedules of films, lectures, gallery talks, family activities, and concerts are listed along with information about each event. Events will be added as they are scheduled. Please check back regularly for the most up-to-date information.
http://www.nga.gov/programs/calendar