Stories of Art

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

• 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

• 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

• 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.