Stories of Art

How did Lee Miller transform herself from Jazz Age beauty to Surrealist photographer in 1930s Paris? And what lay behind her extraordinary capacity for reinvention? Join Alastair and James as they tell the first part of the remarkable story of the American model, artist, photojournalist and celebrity chef Lee Miller.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Lee Miller and David E. Scherman, Lee Miller in Hitler's Bathtub, 1945
Lee Miller, Charlie Chaplin with Chandelier, 1932
Lee Miller, Untitled (Severed Breast from Radical Surgery), c.1930
Man Ray, Indestructible Object (or Object to Be Destroyed), 1964 (replica of 1923 original), The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Lee Miller, Joseph Cornell, c.1933
Lee Miller, From the Top of the Great Pyramid, 1938
Lee Miller, Portrait of Space, Al Bulyaweb, near Siwa, Egypt, 1937
Lee Miller, Eileen Agar, 1937
Lee Miller, Picnic, Mougins (Nusch and Paul Eluard, Roland Penrose, Man Ray and Ady Fidelin), 1937
Pablo Picasso, Lee Miller, 1937, Private Collection/National Galleries of Scotland

Recommended Reading:

Anthony Penrose, The Lives of Lee Miller, 1985
Carolyn Burke, Lee Miller: On Both Sides of the Camera, 2006

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Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Social Producer: Grace Dewar
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

What does the Bayeux Tapestry tell us about the events of 1066? Did King Harold really get an arrow in the eye? And does the Tapestry really depict a bizarre medieval sex scandal?  Join Alastair and James as they tell the story of Bayeux Tapestry and explore what it tells us about the power of art to shape the historical imagination. 

Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
The Bayeux Tapestry, 11th century 

Recommended Reading:
The Story of the Bayeux Tapestry: Unravelling the Norman Conquest by David Musgrove and Michael Lewis, 2026

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Laura Sovilla
Social Producer: Grace Dewar
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Did Vincent van Gogh intend to kill himself? How would his art have developed if he had lived even just a few months more? And what role did his sister-in-law, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, play in establishing his reputation? Join Alastair and James as they chart the final, tragic years in the life and art of Vincent van Gogh.

Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.
Artworks in this episode:
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, Courtauld Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh, Self-portrait with bandaged Ear and Pipe, 1889, Private Collection
Vincent van Gogh, Irises, 1889, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California
Vincent van Gogh, Wheat Field with Cypresses, 1889, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Vincent van Gogh, Almond Blossom, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of Doctor Gachet, 1890, Private Collection
Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of Dr. Gachet, 1890, Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Vincent van Gogh, Tree Roots, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, Wheatfield with Crows, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Social Producer: Grace Dewar
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

What led to Vincent van Gogh's breakdown in December 1888? What role did Paul Gauguin play in Vincent's mental health crisis? And just how much of his ear did Vincent cut off? Join Alastair and James as Stories of Art transforms into a true crime podcast and delivers a blow-by-blow account of one of the most infamous events in the history of art.

Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh Painting Sunflowers, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, Self-portrait dedicated to Paul Gauguin, 1888, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Harvard
Vincent van Gogh, The Yellow House, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, The Bedroom, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Paul Gauguin, Portrait of Mette Gauguin, 1877, Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Paul Gauguin, Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel), 1888, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888, The National Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh, Van Gogh's Chair, 1888, The National Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh, Gauguin's Chair, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did Vincent van Gogh find his signature style? And what inspired him to create his famous sequence of Sunflowers paintings in 1888? Join Alastair and James in the second of four episodes charting the life and work of Vincent van Gogh, as they explore a period of extraordinary creativity in the artist's career.

Follow Stories of Art on Instagram: @storiesofart.heni

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait as a Painter, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Adolphe Monticelli, Sunset, c. 1882-84, The National Gallery, London
Utagawa Hiroshige, Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake, 1857
Vincent van Gogh, Père Tanguy, 1887, Musée Rodin, Paris
Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of the Postman Joseph Roulin, 1888, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Vincent van Gogh, A Pair of Shoes, 1888, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin, 1888, Harvard Art Museums/Fogg Museum, Harvard
Vincent van Gogh, The Yellow House, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, Café Terrace at Night, 1888, Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo
Vincent van Gogh, The Night Café, 1888, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven
Vincent van Gogh, Starry Night Over the Rhône, 1888, Musée d'Orsay, Paris
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888, The National Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh, Vase with Five Sunflowers, 1888, destroyed 1945
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1889, Sompo Museum of Art, Tokyo
Vincent van Gogh, Three Sunflowers in a Vase, 1888, Private Collection
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888, Neue Pinakothek, Munich
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1889, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia
Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1889, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Thanks to Thames & Hudson for Vincent van Gogh: A Life in Letters, 2022

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks
Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Why are the paintings of Vincent van Gogh so universally popular? And how close did Vincent come to being a preacher instead of an artist? Join Alastair and James in the first of four episodes charting the life and work of the man who has come to define our idea of the struggling, tortured artist - Vincent van Gogh.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, The Courtauld Gallery, London
Vincent van Gogh, Pollard Birches, 1884, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh, The Potato Eaters, 1885, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Thanks to Thames & Hudson for Vincent van Gogh: A Life in Letters, 2022

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How does the art of Alberto Giacometti manage to encapsulate the angst of the human condition? And did he really have an affair with one of the greatest film stars of the 20th century - Marlene Dietrich? Join Alastair and James as they wrestle with the mysterious power that lies at the heart of Alberto Giacometti's art.

'Alberto Giacometti. Faces and Landscapes of Home', Hauser & Wirth St. Moritz, 13 December 2025 – 28 March 2026

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Alberto Giacometti, Dog, 1951 [cast 1957]
Alberto Giacometti, Man Pointing, 1947
Alberto Giacometti, Walking Man I, 1960
Alberto Giacometti, Caroline, 1961
Photo Credit: Emmy Andriesse, Alberto Giacometti, 1948

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Laura Sovilla
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Why do many regard the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti as the greatest sculptor of the 20th century? And why did he spectacularly fall out with the leader of the Surrealist movement, André Breton? Join Alastair and James as they explore the austere and often bizarre world of Alberto Giacometti.

'Alberto Giacometti. Faces and Landscapes of Home', Hauser & Wirth St. Moritz, 13 December 2025 – 28 March 2026

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:
Alberto Giacometti, Walking Man I, 1960
Alberto Giacometti, Spoon Woman, 1927
Alberto Giacometti, Suspended Ball, 1930-31
Alberto Giacometti, The Palace at 4 a.m., 1932
Alberto Giacometti, Woman with Her Throat Cut (Femme égorgée), 1932

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Laura Sovilla
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Who was Vermeer? And why is his painting of a humble kitchen maid considered one of the greatest achievements of the Dutch Golden Age? Is The Milkmaid laden with hidden religious and erotic meanings, or simply a perfectly realised depiction of everyday life? Join Alastair and James as they unravel the many mysteries of Vermeer's first masterpiece.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode:

Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, 1657-58, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Gerard ter Borch, The Letter, 1660-65, The Royal Collection, London

Jan Steen, The Feast of St. Nicholas, 1663-65, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Carel Fabritius, A View of Delft, with a Musical Instrument Seller's Stall, 1652, The National Gallery, London

Johannes Vermeer, Saint Praxedis, c.1655, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo

Johannes Vermeer, The Procuress, 1656, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden

Johannes Vermeer, Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, c. 1657-59, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden

Domenico Fiasella, Queen Artemisia, c. 1645, Private Collection

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram and Laura Sovilla
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

00:00 Introduction: The Milkmaid
05:35 The Dutch Golden Age and Delft
08:57 Vermeer's Early Life and Family
21:51 Vermeer's Early Works
28:19 Analyzing The Milkmaid
45:22 Meaning and Interpretation
1:02:41 The 1660s: Vermeer at His Peak
1:03:31 The Disaster Year and Vermeer's Death

What led to Frida Kahlo's early death? And with Frida mania in full swing, have we now reached peak Frida? Join Alastair and James in the final episode on the life and work of the great Mexican artist, as they explore her difficult final years and her extraordinary afterlife. 

Frida: The Making of an Icon is on at Tate Modern, London until 3rd January 2027.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time. 

Artworks in this episode: 
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair, 1940, The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Frida Kahlo, The Broken Column, 1944, Museo Dolores Olmedo, Xochimilco, Mexico City
Frida Kahlo, The Wounded Deer, 1946, Private collection

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram and Laura Spada
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did Frida Kahlo manage to emerge from the shadow of her husband, the artist Diego Rivera? And how did a dog with a sock in its mouth lead to the discovery of an affair? Join Alastair and James in the second of three episodes about the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, as they explore her tumultuous life in the 1930s and the development of her singular style of art.

Artworks in this episode include:
Frida Kahlo, Frieda and Diego Rivera, 1931, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco
Frida Kahlo, Henry Ford Hospital, 1932, Dolores Olmedo Museum, Xochimilco, Mexico City
Frida Kahlo, My Birth, 1932, Dolores Olmedo Museum, Xochimilco, Mexico City
Frida Kahlo, A Few Small Nips, 1935 Dolores Olmedo Museum, Xochimilco, Mexico City
Frida Kahlo, The Two Fridas, 1939, Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Frida: The Making of an Icon is on at Tate Modern, London until 3rd January 2027.

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram and Laura Spada
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Elephant and the Dove
• 00:06:24 Diego's Infidelities
• 00:12:45 San Francisco and Detroit
• 00:20:08 Henry Ford Hospital and My Birth
• 00:41:32 A Few Small Nips
• 00:45:08 Frida's Affairs
• 00:51:58 Artistic Breakthrough
• 00:59:10 The Two Fridas

How did a bus crash change the course of art history? And what is the truth behind Frida Kahlo's family origins? Join Alastair and James as they embarked on a new three part series on the life and work of one of the world's most celebrated artists - Frida Kahlo.

Artworks in this episode include:
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird, 1940, Nickolas Muray Collection of Mexican Art, Harry Ransom Center, Austin, Texas
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait (With Velvet Dress), 1926, Private Collection

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Frida: The Making of an Icon is on at Tate Modern, London until 3rd January 2027.

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Why was Michelangelo's Last Judgement seen as so controversial in his lifetime? And what, ultimately, has been his influence on the history of art? Join Alastair and James as they tell the story of the last few extraordinary decades in the life of Michelangelo.

Artworks in this episode include:
Michelangelo, The Laurentian Library, 1525-50
Copy after Michelangelo, Ganymede, 16th Century
Luca Signorelli, The Damned in Hell, 1500-03, Orvieto Cathedral, Orvieto
Michelangelo, The Last Judgement, 1535–1541, Vatican City
Michelangelo, Study for The Last Judgement, 1535–1541, The British Museum, London
Etienne DuPérac, Longitudinal Section Showing the Interior of Saint Peter's Basilica
Etienne DuPérac, Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo
Michelangelo, Rondanini Pietà, 1552-64, Castello Sforzesco, Milan

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Flayed Skin Self-Portrait
• 00:05:15 The Sack of Rome
• 00:07:17 Michelangelo's Republican Sympathies
• 00:17:04 Tommaso di Cavalieri
• 00:22:45 The Last Judgment Commission
• 00:37:38 Master Architect
• 00:42:40 The Final Years
• 00:48:01 The Rondanini Pietà
• 00:54:34 Legacy: The Prototype of Artistic Genius

David Hockney, who died last week, was a giant of British art. In this special episode, Alastair and James pay tribute to the late, great artist.
Photo Credit: Jean-Pierre Goncalves De Lima
Artworks in this episode include:
David Hockney, We Two Boys Together Clinging, 1961
David Hockney, The Arrival of Spring, Normandy, 2020
David Hockney, Mother, Bradford. 19 Feb 1979, 1979
David Hockney, J-P Gonçalves de Lima, 11th, 12th, 13th July 2013, 2013
David Hockney, The Big Hawthorn, 2008
David Hockney, Winter Timber, 2009
David Hockney, Beverly Hills Housewife, 1966-67
David Hockney, A Bigger Splash, 1967
David Hockney, Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy, 1970-71
David Hockney, Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy, 1968
Piero della Francesca, The Baptism of Christ, c.1437-45
David Hockney, My Parents, 1977
David Hockney, My Parents and Myself, 1976
David Hockney, Pearblossom Hwy., 11-18th April 1986 (Second Version), 1986
David Hockney, A Year in Normandie, 2020-2021
David Hockney, Bigger Trees Near Warter, 2007
David Hockney, Delphiniums on My Garden Table, July 2025, 2025

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 News of Hockney's Death
• 00:03:06 An Artist of Joy
• 00:08:45 A National Treasure and Cultural Icon
• 00:15:06 California and Double Portraits
• 00:21:11 Yorkshire Landscapes
• 00:27:06 How to Look

The Sistine Chapel ceiling is arguably the most famous work of art in the world, but why was Michelangelo so reluctant to take on the commission? And just what is it about his art that has led so many regard him as a genius? Join Alastair and James in the third of four episodes charting the remarkable life and work of Michelangelo.

Artworks in this episode include:
Attributed to Daniele da Volterra, Portrait of Michelangelo, c.1545, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Raphael, Portrait of Julius II, 1511, The National Gallery, London
Michelangelo, The Sistine Chapel Ceiling, 1508-1512, Vatican CIty
Michelangelo, Moses, 1513-15, Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome
Michelangelo, The Awakening Slave, 1530, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence
Michelangelo, The Bearded Slave, 1530, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence
Michelangelo, Atlas, 1530, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence
Michelangelo, The Rebellious Slave, 1513-15, Musée du Louvre, Paris

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Commission
• 00:03:56 The Sistine Chapel Building
• 00:07:58 Michelangelo's Reluctance
• 00:18:14 Early Struggles
• 00:30:14 The Creation of Adam
• 00:44:16 Moses
• 00:58:42 The Unfinished Sculptures

Why was Michelangelo's David such a revolutionary work of art? And what happened when Michelangelo and Leonardo went head to head on a commission? Join Alastair and James in the second of four episodes charting the life and work of Michelangelo, who many regard as history's greatest artist.

Artworks in this episode include:
Michelangelo, David, 1501-04, Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence
Attributed to Daniele da Volterra, Portrait of Michelangelo, c.1545, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
After Leonardo, Copy of The Battle of Anghiari, 17th century, Musée du Louvre, Paris
Bastiano da Sangallo after Michelangelo, Copy of The Battle of Cascina, 1542, Royal Academy, London.

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:04:34 A Block of Marble
• 00:12:17 Michelangelo Takes on the Challenge
• 00:16:44 Where to Place David
• 00:19:50 Moving the Giant
• 00:22:41 Analyzing David
• 00:33:22 Michelangelo's Character
• 00:40:40 Rivalry with Leonardo da Vinci
• 00:50:20 Pope Julius II and the Tomb Commission
• 00:55:55 The Great Escape from Rome

Was Michelangelo the greatest artist that ever lived? And where did he learn his unrivalled mastery of marble? Join Alastair and James as they embark on the first of four episodes charting the epic story of the life and work of Michelangelo, known in his lifetime as Il Divino - the divine one.

To see images of the works James and Alistair are discussing in this episode, make sure to switch to video in your podcast app.

Artworks in this episode include:

Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, The Sistine Chapel Ceiling, c.1512, Vatican City
Michelangelo, Head of a Faun, c.1489 (lost 1944)
Michelangelo, Bacchus, 1496-97, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence
Michelangelo, Pietà, 1499, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Creation of Adam
• 00:08:58 Early Life
• 00:18:23 Apprenticeship with the Ghirlandaio Brothers
• 00:22:10 The Medici Academy and Lorenzo the Magnificent
• 00:27:03 The Head of a Faun: A Precocious Talent
• 00:33:47 Crisis and Exile: The Fall of the Medici
• 00:37:49 The Sleeping Cupid Forgery
• 00:40:56 Rome and Cardinal Riario
• 00:44:55 The Pietà
• 00:55:14 Rising Fame

It's one of the most recognisable artworks of the ancient world, but who was Queen Nefertiti? And how did she and her consort, the Pharaoh Akhenaten, revolutionise the art and religion of Ancient Egypt? Join Alastair and James as they explore the mesmerisingly beautiful Bust of Nefertiti.  

To see the images from this podcast, please switch to video in your podcast app, at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
The Bust of Nefertiti, c. 1351-34 BCE, Neues Museum, Berlin
Tomb of Nebamun and Ipuky, 1391-53 BCE, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Statue of Amenhotep III, 1391-53 BCE, The British Museum, London
Colossal Statue of Amenhotep IV, 1350-33 BCE, The Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Colossal Statue of Amenhotep IV, 1350-33 BCE, Luxor Museum, Luxor
Akhenaten, Nefertiti and three of their daughters under the Aten, c. 1351-34 BCE, Neues Museum, Berlin
Bust of Akhenaten, c. 1351-34 BCE, Neues Museum, Berlin
Plaster Head of an Older Woman, c.1353-36 BCE, Neues Museum, Berlin

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Discovery of Nefertiti
• 00:02:14 The Archaeological Dig at Amarna
• 00:06:14 Ancient Egyptian Art and Society
• 00:12:50 Amenhotep IV Comes to Power
• 00:16:51 The Religious Revolution
• 00:23:31 A New Artistic Style
• 00:34:35 The New Capital City
• 00:46:46 The Bust of Nefertiti
• 00:57:35 Authenticity Debates
• 01:04:17 The End of the Amarna Period
• 01:08:22 The Controversial Journey to Berlin
• 01:13:37 Modern Legacy

Following the death of his lover, did Bacon paint one of the darkest paintings in the history 20th century art? And why is opinion so split on Bacon's late work? Join Alastair and James as they argue it out in the last episode on the life and work of one of art history's most colourful characters - Francis Bacon.

To see the artworks from this episode, click switch to video wherever you get your podcasts.

Artworks in this episode include:
Micheal Andrews, The Colony Room I, 1962, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester
Francis Bacon, Portrait of Lucian Freud, 1951, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Francis Bacon, Henrietta Moraes, 1966, Private Collection
Francis Bacon, Version No. 2 of Lying Figure with Hypodermic Syringe, 1968, Private Collection
Francis Bacon, Miss Muriel Belcher, 1959, Private Collection
Francis Bacon, Triptych, May–June 1973, 1973, Private Collection
Francis Bacon, Study of the Human Body, 1981-82, Musée national d'Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris
Francis Bacon, Second Version of Triptych 1944, 1988, Tate Gallery, London
Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion, 1944, Tate Gallery, London
Francis Bacon, Blood on the Floor - Painting, 1986, Private Collection
Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Self-Portrait, 1983, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Which portrait by the 17th century Spanish master Velázquez inspired one of Bacon's most celebrated works? And why is his painting Two Figures considered a groundbreaking image? Join Alastair and James as they chart Bacon's life and work in the decades after the Second World War.

If you want to see the artworks referenced in this episode - check the images out by switching to video on your podcast app.

Artworks in this episode include:
Francis Bacon, Head VI, 1949, Arts Council Collection, London
Francis Bacon, Painting 1946, 1946, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Francis Bacon, Portrait of Lucian Freud, 1951, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester
Lucian Freud, Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1952
Francis Bacon, Head I, 1949, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Francis Bacon, Head II, 1949, Ulster Museum, Belfast
Francis Bacon, Head III, 1949, Private Collection
Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
Diego Velázquez, Portrait of Innocent X, 1650, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome
Francis Bacon, Man in Blue I, 1954, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Francis Bacon, Two Figures, 1953, Private Collection

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Head VI
• 00:02:43 Painting 1946: Consolidating Success
• 00:09:13 Meaning in Bacon's Art
• 00:11:47 Graham Sutherland and Erica Brausen
• 00:13:44 Monte Carlo: Gambling and Drift
• 00:19:04 Lucian Freud: An Intense Friendship
• 00:26:00 The 1949 Hanover Gallery Show
• 00:30:59 Velázquez's Pope Innocent X
• 00:35:25 Head VI
• 00:42:02 Peter Lacy: The Love of His Life
• 00:51:54 The Tate Retrospective and Tragedy

How did the horrors of the Second World War influence Francis Bacon's first great masterpiece? And what impact did his troubled childhood have on his life and art? Join Alastair and James as they explore the early life and work of one Britain's greatest artists.

If you would like to see the artworks James and Alistair reference in this episode, please switch to video in your podcast app.

Artworks in this episode include:
Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion, 1944, Tate Gallery, London
Francis Bacon, Crucifixion, 1933, Private Collection

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did the gruesome aftermath of a shipwreck inspire a masterpiece of Romantic art? And did Théodore Géricault really acquire body parts so he could capture the appearance of rotting flesh? Join Alastair and James as they tell the true story of a doomed ship and an extraordinary painting that laid bare the depths of humanity - The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault.

If you want to see the artworks referenced in this podcast, remember you can switch to video wherever you are listening to your podcasts.

Artworks in this episode include:
Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa, 1819, Louvre, Paris
Horace Vernet, Portrait of Théodore Géricault, c.1823, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Théodore Géricault, An Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging, 1812, Louvre, Paris

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Why is Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji so popular? And just how influential were his images on the development of Western art? Join Alastair and James as they explore the final tumultuous, and endlessly creative, decades of Hokusai's long life.

If you would like to see the artworks included in this episode, switch to video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
Hokusai, Ejiri in Suruga Province, 1830
Hokusai, Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave), 1831
Hokusai, Fine Wind, Clear Morning, 1831
Katsushika Ōi, Nightscene in the Yoshiwara, 1860
Tsuyuki Kōshō, Hokusai and Eijo in their lodgings, before 1893
Hokusai, Tiger in the Snow, 1849

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:01:19 Hokusai's Artistic Credo
• 00:03:52 36 Views of Mount Fuji
• 00:14:58 The Great Wave off Kanagawa
• 00:30:02 Fire and Tragedy
• 00:39:13 Final Years
• 00:43:13 Death and Legacy
• 00:51:41 The Eternal Wave

It’s one of the most recognisable images in all of art history, but who was the artist behind The Great Wave? And how did the military dictatorship of the Tokugawa shogunate create the conditions for his art to flourish? Join Alastair and James as they travel to Edo era Japan to explore the truly extraordinary life and work of Katsushika Hokusai.

If you want to see the artworks being discussed in this podcast, please switch to video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1831
Keisai Eisen, Portrait of Katsushika Hokusai, before 1848
Hokusai, The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife, 1814
Hokusai, Manga, 1814-19

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

How did Artemisia Gentileschi become the first woman to be elected to Florence's Academy of Arts? And why did she end up in London working as court painter to Charles I? Join Alastair and James as they explore how Artemisia continued to forge her own path in the final decades of her remarkable life.

If you would like to see the artworks being discussed in this podcast, switch to video in your podcast app at anytime.

Artworks in this episode include:
Artemisia Gentileschi, Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, c. 1616, National Gallery, London
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes c. 1620, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Orazio Gentileschi, Judith and Her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes, 1624, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford
Caravaggio, Judith Beheading Holofernes c. 1599, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome
Artemisia Gentileschi, Self-Portrait as an Allegory of Painting, c. 1638, The Royal Collection

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Spirit of Caesar in the Soul of a Woman
• 00:02:34 Judith Beheading Holofernes
• 00:09:25 The Revenge Debate: Art and Biography
• 00:14:38 The Love Letters: Francesco Maria Maringhi
• 00:21:14 Return to Rome and Marriage Breakdown
• 00:23:03 Venice and the Plague: Moving Through Italy
• 00:27:11 Naples and the Cabal
• 00:33:20 Journey to England: Painting for Charles I
• 00:35:07 The Self-Portrait: Artemisia or Prudentia?
• 00:39:00 Final Years in Naples and Legacy

What lies behind the powerful artworks of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of history's greatest female artists? And how did the trauma of a horrifying rape impact her life and work? Join Alastair and James as they explore the truly extraordinary life and art of Artemisia Gentileschi, today recognised as one of the key figures of the Italian Baroque.

If you would like to see the artworks being discussed in this podcast, feel free to switch to video in your podcast app at anytime.

Artworks in this episode include:
Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes c. 1620, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Orazio Gentileschi, Annunciation, 1623, Galleria Sabauda, Turin
Artemisia Gentileschi, Susanna and the Elders, 1610, Schloss Weißenstein, Pommersfelden

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Artemisia Gentileschi
• 00:03:55 Early Life in Rome: A Family of Artists
• 00:06:49 Childhood Tragedy and Growing Up Fast
• 00:08:07 Becoming an Artist: Determination and Talent
• 00:10:06 Susanna and the Elders: A Remarkable First Painting
• 00:20:52 The Rape
• 00:27:34 The Trial
• 00:31:22 Escape to Florence: Marriage and New Beginnings
• 00:34:08 Florence Years: Tragedy and Triumph

He was the star of the 1980s New York art scene, but was Jean-Michel Basquiat a truly great artist or the product of a booming art market? And why did one of his works sell for more than $110 million? Join Alastair and James as they explore the meteoric rise and tragic fall of one of the most distinctive artists of the 1980s.

If you want to see the artworks being discussed in this podcast, please switch to video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Untitled, 1982
Acrylic, spray paint and oil stick on canvas, 183,2 × 173 × 4,8 cm
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s, Inc. 2025

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Untitled, 1982
Oilstick on paper, 75.9 x 56.5 cm.
Private Collection.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Colour Themes.

Jean-Michel Basquiat
Mosquito Coil, 1982
Oilstick, graphite and charcoal on paper, 76.2 x 109.2 cm,
Private Collection.
© Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York.
Photo: Courtesy of Colour Themes.

The exhibition "Basquiat-Headstrong" is on at Louisiana, Denmark between 30 January - 17 May 2026.

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction
• 00:06:19 Middle Class Brooklyn Beginnings
• 00:08:15 Car Accident and Grey's Anatomy
• 00:11:38 Family Breakdown and Teenage Rebellion
• 00:16:42 SAMO: The Birth of a Street Artist
• 00:15:45 New York in Crisis
• 00:24:01 Breakthrough: New York New Wave
• 00:34:15 The Breakthrough Year: 1982
• 00:37:37 Analyzing Untitled, 1982
• 00:44:05 Stardom: From Street to Celebrity
• 00:47:36 Warhol: Mentor, Friend, and Collaborator
• 00:53:45 Drugs and Decline
• 00:57:03 Death and Legacy

How did Hans Holbein survive the court of Henry VIII when so many around him were executed? What was his influence on how we see the Tudors? Join Alastair and James to find out how Holbein survived one of the most tumultuous periods in English history and emerge as one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of the Artist's Family, 1528-9, Kunstmuseum, Basel
Hans Holbein the Younger, The Ambassadors, 1533, The National Gallery, London
Remigius van Leemput, after Hans Holbein the Younger, Whitehall Mural, 1667, The Royal Collection
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Christina of Denmark, 1538, The National Gallery
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Anne of Clèves, 1539, Musée du Louvre, Paris

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: Holbein's Portrait of Henry VIII
• 00:01:59 Recap: Holbein's First Journey to England
• 00:02:46 Return to Basel: The Reformation and Iconoclasm
• 00:05:44 Family Life and Departure for England
• 00:10:33 England in Crisis: Henry VIII and the Break from Rome
• 00:13:35 The Hanseatic Merchants
• 00:14:32 The Ambassadors: Holbein's Masterpiece
• 00:25:24 Becoming the King's Painter
• 00:27:21 The Whitehall Mural: Creating the Iconic Image of Henry VIII
• 00:34:23 The Pimp's Scout: Painting Potential Brides
• 00:37:31 Christina of Denmark
• 00:43:16 Anne of Cleves
• 00:45:06 Holbein's Genius
• 00:48:46 Death, Legacy, and the Double Family
• 00:52:34 Conclusion: The Power of Images

How did Hans Holbein become court painter to Henry VIII, one of the most notorious monarchs in British history? Without his stunning portraits would the Tudor period burn so brightly in the imagination? Join Alastair and James to find out how Holbein, an artist from a small town in southern Germany ended up kickstarting the story of British art.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
Hans Holbein the Younger, The Ambassadors, 1533, The National Gallery, London
Hans Holbein the Younger, Self Portrait, c.1542-43, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1523, The National Gallery, London
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Sir Thomas More, 1527, Frick Collection, New York
Hans Holbein the Younger, Study for a Portrait of Thomas More’s Family, c. 1527, Kunstmuseum, Basel

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ambassadors and Holbein's Legacy
• 00:04:36 Early Life in Augsburg: A Family of Artists
• 00:09:54 Moving to Basel
• 00:12:03 Holbein the Man: Brawls and Beer
• 00:16:08 The Erasmus Portraits: A Career-Defining Commission
• 00:26:48 Journey to England: From Basel to the Tudor Court
• 00:30:13 Tudor England: A Provincial Power with Growing Ambitions
• 00:34:13 Sir Thomas More: Holbein's First Great English Patron
• 00:41:12 The Greenwich Revels
• 00:46:47 Departure from England: An Unfinished Story

When Monet’s Impression, Sunrise was displayed at the First Impressionist Exhibition in 1874 it inspired one critic to scornfully describe the artists on show as ‘Impressionists’. And so the name of one of the most successful movements in the history of art was born.

But was the success of the First Impressionist Exhibition more fiction than fact? Was it really a groundbreaking moment in art history or just a chance for some impoverished young artists to make a bit of cash? Join James and Alastair to find out.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this week’s episode include:

Edgar Degas, At the Races in the Countryside, 1869, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, La Loge (The Theatre Box), 1874, The Courtauld Gallery, London

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Producer and Editor: Ben Harding

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction and Recap of Part 1
• 00:00:44 Walking down the Boulevard des Capucines
• 00:04:27 Inside the Exhibition Space
• 00:07:37 A Diverse and Eclectic Show
• 00:10:21 Degas: At the Races in the Countryside
• 00:13:29 Renoir: The Theatre Box (La Loge)
• 00:18:09 Monet: Impression Sunrise - The Painting
• 00:23:33 The Science Behind the Sun
• 00:28:21 What Makes It Impressionist?
• 00:31:43 Critical Reception and the Birth of a Name
• 00:43:38 Financial Failure and Dissolution
• 00:45:23 Legacy

In 1870s Paris a group of radical young artists led by Monet, Degas and Renoir decide to take on the art establishment and stage their own exhibition, independent of the enormous state-run art show - the Salon. It was a completely new idea that would transform how artists showed their work forever. But first they need to find a venue and recruit more artists to their cause. Then there’s the nagging question - how are they going to pay for it all? And when it finally opens, will anyone come? Join James and Alastair as they tell the story of the First Impressionist Exhibition of 1874, a turning point in the history of art that marked the beginning of a now world-famous art movement - Impressionism.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this week’s episode include:

Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise, 1872, Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris

Jean-Léon Gérôme, L'Éminence Grise, 1873, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Edouard Manet, The Railway, 1873, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Ludovic-Napoléon Lepic, Jupiter, 1861

For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox

Additional Research: Catherine Ingram

Producer and Editor: Ben Harding

Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Monet's Impression Sunrise
• 00:05:21 Second Empire France in Crisis
• 00:10:28 Understanding the Salon System
• 00:19:17 The 1874 Salon: Conservative vs. Progressive Art
• 00:31:37 Formation of the Société Anonyme
• 00:37:41 Nadar's Studio: The Perfect Venue
• 00:41:57 Preparing for the Exhibition
• 00:44:26 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

Stories of Art brings together art historian Dr. James Fox and art critic Alastair Sooke to uncover the most inspiring and compelling stories from the history of art.

From the lives of the world’s greatest artists to the turning points that changed art, to the hidden histories of great masterpieces, James and Alastair are your guides to the extraordinary characters and fascinating stories that have shaped art history.  

Full of insight, expert opinion and humour, Stories of Art is the ultimate deep dive into the history of art.