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Francis Bacon: The Emerging Artist (Part 1)
Francis Bacon: The Emerging Artist (Part 1)
How did the horrors of the Second World War influence Francis Bacon's first great masterpiece? And what impact did his troubled childhood have on his life and art? Join Alastair and James as they explore the early life and work of one Britain's greatest artists.
Artworks in this episode include:
Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion, 1944 Francis Bacon, Crucifixion, 1933
Dr James Fox is a Cambridge art historian, bestselling author and multi award-winning broadcaster. He is Director of Studies in History of Art at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and Creative Director of the Hugo Burge Foundation. His critically-acclaimed books on art and culture have been translated into fourteen languages. His most recent title and best-seller Craftland: a journey through Britain’s Lost Arts and Vanishing Trades (2025) has been named Waterstones Book of the Year, BBC’s book of the week and shortlisted for the Nero Book Prize. James is perhaps best known for his many arts documentaries for the BBC, including A History of Art in Three Colours, The Art of Japanese Life The Age of the Image and Nature and Us: a history through Art
Alastair Sooke is an author and broadcaster, and chief art critic at The Telegraph, for which he has been covering art since 2003. He has presented more than 60 hours of television and radio for the BBC (Modern Masters, Treasures of Ancient Egypt, An Art Lovers’ Guide) and written several books, including studies of Henri Matisse and Georges Seurat, and a history of Pop art. He is a trustee of The Ampersand Foundation and was educated at the University of Oxford and the Courtauld Institute of Art.
More episodes
More episodes
2:20
Trailer
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.
44:44
Monet and the Birth of Impressionism (Part 1)
In this episode Dr James Fox and Alastair Sooke tell first part of the story of Claude Monet's ‘Impression, Sunrise’ and the First Impressionist Exhibition of 1874.
51:38
Monet and the Birth of Impressionism (Part 2)
In this episode Dr James Fox and Alastair Sooke conclude the story of Claude Monet's ‘Impression, Sunrise’ and the First Impressionist Exhibition of 1874.
