In this episode, director of the National Portrait Gallery and trustee of Chatsworth House Trust, Nicholas Cullinan, is joined by Bella Freud, daughter of artist Lucian Freud, for a conversation that examines the stories behind three portraits of the Devonshire family painted by Lucian Freud. These include the famous ‘Woman in a White Shirt’, which marked a turning point in the artist’s style. 

This podcast was originally recorded live at Sotheby’s in June 2023, to coincide with the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery. An extended edition is available at Sothebys.com. And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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London has long been a cultural melting pot for artists from around the world who, in their own unique ways, have revealed with each touch of a brush, the impact of the dynamic environment in which they found themselves. So in celebration of its role in the artistic journeys of so many, Sotheby’s has partnered with Art UK to showcase 12 extraordinary masterpieces by international artists on loan from regional museums across the UK. London: An Artistic Crossroads will bring together works by artists who have passed through or settled in the UK during their lifetime, including Zoffany, Derain, Mondrian, Odundo and Freud.

We’re taking you along with us on this special podcast episode, where you’ll hear insights from the directors of each museum. These engaging discussions are a rare chance to uncover the unique narratives behind each work, celebrating London’s reputation as a multicultural melting pot of creativity. You can visit the exhibition at Sotheby’s London until 5th July 2024. 

This podcast was originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London in June 2024 as part of the exhibition London: An Artistic Crossroads. Art UK is an art education charity and artuk.org is the online home for every public collection of art in the UK. To step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com. 

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With a rare first edition of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience about to go under the hammer, in this episode a panel of experts have come together for a conversation about the poet, artist and visionary. Chair and cultural critic Shahidha Bari is joined by art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon, cultural historian John Higgs and Sotheby’s Selby Kiffer to explore the enduring legacy of this enigmatic genius, whose influence stretches from the psychedelic counterculture of the 1960s through to the video games, novels and designer fashion of the 21st century.

This podcast was recorded at Sotheby’s London in June 2024.

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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In celebration of Imaginary Conversations: An ERDEM Collection inspired by Duchess Deborah, join British fashion journalist Charlie Porter in conversation with Erdem Moralıoğlu, Creative Director of ERDEM, and Lady Burlington. Together they will discuss Moralıoğlu's creative process in designing a collection inspired by Duchess Deborah, drawing upon the historic textile collection and archives at Chatsworth House, as well as the creation of Imaginary Conversations, an exhibition that showcases the inspiration, craft and tools involved in translating the life and legacy of an individual into a fully realised fashion collection.

Visit Imaginary Conversations: An ERDEM Collection inspired by Duchess Deborah at Chatsworth House until 20th October 2024. 

This podcast was recorded at Sotheby’s London in June 2024. 

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In this episode, actor, filmmaker, musician and activist, Idris Elba discusses the influence and growth of African art and the creative industries on the global stage with host Alexis Akwagyiram, Managing Editor of Semafor Africa, Dana Enduno Ferriera, CEO and Founder of Pavillon54, a digital platform for sharing and promoting art from the African diaspora, and artist and art historian, Smooth Nwezi, a curator in the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Co-hosted by Africell, and the Africell Impact Foundation.

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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Has London's cultural power essentially radiated outwards, influencing artists and creatives across the world? Or is London's creative preeminence dependent on the influx of global talent that has galvanised its artistic scene? In this panel discussion, curator and cultural historian Gus Casely-Hayford, journalist Dylan Jones, museum director Tim Marlow, Sotheby’s Europe chairman Helena Newman and artist Grayson Perry explore the importance of cultural exchange, regardless of its origin, in shaping London's rise as a creative powerhouse.

This podcast was recorded at Sotheby’s London in June 2024. 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com. 

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In this episode, writer, academic and critic Frances Wilson is joined by Artistic Director of Dior Homme and Vice President of Charleston, Kim Jones, Dr Darren Clarke, Head of Collections, Research and Exhibitions at Charleston and Sotheby’s, and Jen Hardie, Director and Senior Specialist in Modern British & Irish Art at Sotheby’s in London, for a conversation about the indefatigable spirit of the Bloomsbury group and the renewed interest in their work and lives today, across paintings, drawings, furniture, ceramics and literature.

This podcast was originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London to celebrate Radical Modernity: From Bloomsbury to Charleston, a private selling and loan exhibition in collaboration with Charleston.

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

London has long been a cultural melting pot for artists from around the world who, in their own unique ways, have revealed with each touch of a brush, the impact of the dynamic environment in which they found themselves. So in celebration of its role in the artistic journeys of so many, Sotheby’s has partnered with Art UK to showcase 12 extraordinary masterpieces by international artists on loan from regional museums across the UK. London: An Artistic Crossroads will bring together works by artists who have passed through or settled in the UK during their lifetime, including Zoffany, Derain, Mondrian, Odundo and Freud

To mark this exhibition, we invited art historian and former chair of Sotheby’s UK James Stourton to the stage for a talk tracing the history of London’s art scene through its golden age, celebrating the city as a multicultural melting pot of creativity. You can visit the exhibition London: An Artistic Crossroads, at Sotheby’s London until 5th July 2024. 

This podcast was originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London in June 2024 as part of the exhibition London: An Artistic Crossroads. Art UK is an art education charity and artuk.org is the online home for every public collection of art in the UK. And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s episode, we’re exploring the world of Shakespeare. Sam Leith, author, journalist and literary editor of The Spectator, will be joined by Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford, Tracy-Ann Oberman, who most recently starred as Shylock in her adaptation of The Merchant of Venice, and acclaimed actor Joseph Kloska. They will be revealing how different editions shaped our understanding of Shakespeare’s plays. Why do some of his most famous lines vary from version to version? What do these texts reveal about the many ways Shakespeare’s plays can be interpreted - on the page, on the stage and in the minds of each new generation?

This podcast was recorded at Sotheby’s London in May 2025. 

To step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com. 

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