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.
What this show covers
Art historyArtist biographyFrida KahloMexican artBritish artSatireWilliam HogarthLee MillerPhotographySurrealismVincent van GoghVan GoghsculptureAlberto GiacomettiModern art world
What listeners will find here
Hogarth’s late career: satire, theory, and a bruising fall from favor
William Hogarth’s later life is framed through the works that helped shape modern British art, from Marriage A-la-Mode and Gin Lane to The Analysis of Beauty and The Bathos. The episode also asks whether he staged an early conceptual exhibition and why his final years brought ridicule instead of acclaim.
How Hogarth rose from modest beginnings to reshape British art
William Hogarth’s early life and breakthrough works frame a story about ambition, social mobility, and a possible new kind of art in 18th-century Britain. Alastair Sooke and James Fox follow his rise through self-portraits, conversation pieces, and the landmark A Harlot’s Progress.
Bosch’s wildest vision: paradise, warning, or something stranger?
Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights takes center stage as Alastair Sooke and James Fox explore whether the painting is a vision of paradise, a warning of apocalypse, or both. The episode also widens out to other Bosch works and a surprising link to Salvador Dalí.
Lee Miller’s war photographs lead from D-Day to Hitler’s bathtub
Lee Miller: Witness to the Holocaust (Part 2) follows the photographer through the final phase of World War II, asking how she ended up in Hitler’s apartment and how the concentration camps affected her. Alastair Sooke and James Fox close her story through a series of stark, unforgettable images.
From Jazz Age model to Surrealist force: Lee Miller’s first reinvention
Lee Miller’s transformation from American beauty to Surrealist photographer in 1930s Paris is the focus of this first installment. Alastair Sooke and James Fox trace the beginnings of her remarkable self-reinvention through key artworks and the world she moved through.
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