Stories of Art

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.

Stories of Art is a arts podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 30 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts Stories of Art, a arts show with 30 episodes published.

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  Episode #29

  Vincent van Gogh: Endgame in Auvers (Part 4)

  Aug 31, 20261h 7m

  Did Vincent van Gogh intend to kill himself? How would his art have developed if he had lived even just a few months more? And what role did his sister-in-law, Jo van Gogh-Bonger, play in establishing his reputation? Join Alastair and James as they chart the final, tragic years in the life and art of Vincent van Gogh. 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, The Starry Night, 1889, Museum of Modern Art, New York Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, Courtauld Gallery, London Vincent van Gogh, Self-portrait with bandaged Ear and Pipe, 1889, Private Collection Vincent van Gogh, Irises, 1889, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California Vincent van Gogh, Wheat Field with Cypresses, 1889, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City Vincent van Gogh, Almond Blossom, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of Doctor Gachet, 1890, Private Collection Vincent van Gogh, Portrait of Dr. Gachet, 1890, Musée d'Orsay, Paris Vincent van Gogh, Tree Roots, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Vincent van Gogh, Wheatfield with Crows, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam 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 Social Producer: Grace Dewar Producer and Editor: Ben Harding Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #28

  Vincent van Gogh: Disaster in Arles (Part 3)

  Aug 24, 202656 min

  What led to Vincent van Gogh's breakdown in December 1888? What role did Paul Gauguin play in Vincent's mental health crisis? And just how much of his ear did Vincent cut off? Join Alastair and James as Stories of Art transforms into a true crime podcast and delivers a blow-by-blow account of one of the most infamous events in the history of art. 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: Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh Painting Sunflowers, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam 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, The Bedroom, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam Paul Gauguin, Portrait of Mette Gauguin, 1877, Courtauld Institute of Art, London Paul Gauguin, Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel), 1888, Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888, The National Gallery, London Vincent van Gogh, Van Gogh's Chair, 1888, The National Gallery, London Vincent van Gogh, Gauguin's Chair, 1888, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam 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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #27

  Vincent van Gogh: Becoming Vincent (Part 2)

  Aug 17, 202655 min

  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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #26

  Vincent van Gogh: The Outcast (Part 1)

  Aug 10, 20261h 5m

  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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #25

  Alberto Giacometti: The Rise of Stick Man (Part 2)

  Aug 3, 202649 min

  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

  ListenShow Notes

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