Finishing season 6 off on a high, we have special guest David Bickerstaff - co-director of Exhibition on Screen’s ‘Caravaggio’ - exploring the true nature of the artist behind the ‘Bad Boy of Baroque’ persona... Support the show
Painted before his 25th birthday, this monumental 2m x 3m work was supposed to be Seurat’s big break but was rejected by the 1884 Salon... Support the show
This week, Phil and Laura talk about a Tate Britain work that pulls you in with its striking depiction of the rolling hills of Cumbria, uncovering the hidden story of the Bloomsbury Group icon who created it... Support the show
This visceral photograph of a butcher at work, chosen by special guest World Food Photography Awards founder Caroline Kenyon, brings up issues surrounding the importance of food in preserving cultural heritage... Support the show
In this episode, Phil and Laura talk to Christopher Gorham, author of the fascinating new book ‘Matisse and Art Under the Nazis’, and explore how Matisse and other artists of the time navigated the occupation, avoiding arrest whilst using art to express disgust for the horrors unfurling around them... Support the show
Two icons of French culture come together in this week’s artwork – Toulouse-Lautrec and the bicycle! Known for his ability to capture the bohemian lifestyle of late 19th-century Paris, Toulouse-Lautrec's dynamic poster design showcases famous French cyclists Constant Huret and Lisette Marton battling it out at the Vélodrome de la Seine... Support the show
This episode examines Artemesia’s powerful self-portrait and the heartbreaking, inspirational story of survival behind it - with special guest Asia Graziano, author of ‘Artemesia Gentileschi’ for leading art publisher Scripta Maneant... Support the show
This week’s episode features a fascinating sculpture carved from ‘Bog Oak’, preserved for nearly 6,000 years in a Sussex peat bog being transformed into a ballet dancer mid-leap... Support the show
J. M. W. Turner, The Lake, Petworth: Sunset, Fighting Bucks at Petworth Recorded on site at Petworth House, West Sussex with curator Dr. Emily Knight, this episode looks at the Turner work which lives in the fabulous ‘Carved Room’ depicting Petworth’s stunning grounds. Join Phil and Laura as they explore the house, the art and Turner’s link to the area... Support the show
Kicking off Season 6 with a bang is one of the most famous works of art in history – Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’. In this episode, Phil & Laura delve into the fascinating layers of meaning and mastery in this iconic work. Support the show
The new year kicks off with Phil revisiting Van Gogh’s romantic masterpiece – and the poster image for our smash hit documentary Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers – this time with world Van Gogh expert Martin Bailey at the National Gallery... Support the show
In this cosy Christmas special, Laura and Phil sit down with three times British Monopoly champion (and Phil’s brother) Mike and his long-suffering son Alex to discuss the remarkable artwork of the monopoly board over a mince pie or two... Support the show
Phil speaks with curator Mary Morton at one of his favourite galleries - the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC - about a poignant view of Paris a year on from one of the worst years in Parisian history... Support the show
In this episode, Phil & Laura look at Dali’s unique take on the crucifixion, supposedly inspired by what Dali called his “cosmic dream” of the universe... Support the show
This episode explores a dynamic masterpiece by the greatest portraitist of his time, John Singer Sargent, and his immersion into the "Hispanism" which gripped Europe at the end of the nineteenth century... Support the show
This week's Painting of the Week explores a work which subverts the traditional beauty standard, bringing a sense of grittiness and discomfort into this erotically charged portrait of the artists' beautiful wife... Support the show
This week, Phil and Laura discuss Goya's portrait of a formidable young noble woman, recently widowed. Is there more to this portrait than meets the eye? Support the show
Join Phil and Laura this week as they discuss Caravaggio's 'The Calling of Saint Matthew', a masterpiece that brings this pivotal biblical moment into the world of the 16th century... Support the show
In this episode, Phil and Laura explore this masterpiece from the Dutch Golden Age, uncovering the magic contained within this very normal visions of everyday life... Support the show
For this episode, Phil and Laura discuss a mysterious masterpiece by Rembrandt... Support the show