How to Pronounce Artist Names

Have you ever taught a lesson on one of those famous artists of the past, and felt unsure of how to pronounce their name? I know I have….after all, many of those artists lived hundreds of years ago in countries that speak languages other than our own. With names we’ve never heard before, mispronouncing them is common.

But there‘s an easy solution for how to pronounce those hard to pronounce artist names, and it’s just a click away. When you come across a name like “Titian” or “Modigliani”, or a technique like “chiaroscuro” or “trompe-l’œil”, you no longer have to guess. Just go to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary.

You’ll find not only the definition and pronunciation for the name or term in question, but you can also click on the audio button and hear it spoken. For terms in foreign languages, you can also hear a variety of native speaker pronunciations by going to Forvo or YouTube.

With the help of these online resources, you can master those hard to pronounce artist names and sound like an expert – even if you don’t feel like one. Try it and see….you may find yourself using these sites for a lot more than just Art vocabulary!