Host of the podcast ArtCurious and former curator at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Dasal (Art Curious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History) has not written a stuffy history but rather the engaging story of Belle Époque Paris (1870–1914) and the American women artists who lived, studied, and worked there. She focuses on the American Girls’ Club in Paris, a residence that kept these women as safe as possible while providing them and their concerned families with affordable accommodation and peace of mind. They were contemplative, serious, and successful artists whose watchwords were study and work. While providing an in-depth look into the opportunities afforded the women in Paris, Dasal does an excellent job of placing these adventuresome artists into the social milieu of their era. World War I precipitated closing the Club and turning the building into a medical facility. Dasal gives readers closure, telling of the artists’ lives after leaving the residence and of the building’s use in its post-Club life. Thoroughly researched and documented, this book offers numerous black-and-white images of period and contemporary artworks and photos. VERDICT Written with humor in an informal, almost chatty style, this book will appeal to readers interested in history, art, and sociology.
The Club: Where American Women Artists Found Refuge in Belle Époque Paris by Jennifer Dasal will be published in the English language by Bloomsbury in July 2025.
Jennifer Dasal is the creator and host of the ArtCurious podcast, which has been featured in multiple local and national publications and websites, including O, the Oprah Magazine, PC Magazine, ArtDaily, NPR, Salon and more. She is also the author of ArtCurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History. She holds an MA in art history from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in art history from the University of California, Davis. Dasal is the former curator of modern and contemporary art at the North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, where she worked for thirteen years. She lectures frequently on art both locally and nationally. Dasal lives in Wendell, North Carolina with her family.