Stories of Art
Vincent van Gogh: Becoming Vincent (Part 2)
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
Vincent van Gogh: The Outcast (Part 1)
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
Alberto Giacometti: The Rise of Stick Man (Part 2)
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
Alberto Giacometti: The Boy from the Mountains (Part 1)
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
Vermeer's First Masterpiece: The Milkmaid
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
Frida Kahlo: A Star is Born (Part 3)
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
Frida Kahlo: The Elephant and the Dove (Part 2)
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
Frida Kahlo: The Girl on the Bus (Part 1)
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
Michelangelo: The Master of Rome (Part 4)
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 Tribute
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
Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling (Part 3)
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
Michelangelo: The Making of David (Part 2)
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
Michelangelo: The Birth of a Genius (Part 1)
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
A Revolution in Ancient Art: The Bust of Nefertiti
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
Francis Bacon: Triumph and Tragedy (Part 3)
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
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