Art

The American Revolution was fought not just with muskets and bayonets but also through the creation of works of art that articulated and forged revolutionary ideals. Zara Anishanslin, associate professor of history and art history at the University of Delaware, through portraits of three artists demonstrates the power of art in shaping democracy in her new book, The Painter’s Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution. This conversation is moderated by Douglas Fordham, chair of UVA’s Department of Art and author of British Art and the Seven Years' War: Allegiance and Autonomy(2010) and Aquatint Worlds: Travel, Print, and Empire (2019).

A limited number of lunches will be available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 11:30 AM. Anishanslin's book will be available for purchase. Parking is not available at Bond House. If you plan to drive, there is paid parking within walking distance at the Oakhurst Inn and Central Grounds Garage. For additional handicap accessible parking spots, consult the .

The Nau Lab's “Touchstones of Democracy” series explores key events, places, thinkers, and texts that inform the history and principles of democracy. Leading up to the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in July 2026, this event series is showcasing recent books that expand and deepen our understanding of the era of the American Revolution—and illuminate the connections of that period to the present.

The fall 2025 conversations are produced at the University of Virginia by the Karsh Institute of Democracy and the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

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Host or Publisher UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy