Having painted the cream of Tudor society, including King Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell, Hans Holbein the Younger’s work offers an unparalleled view into England’s court at the time. Franny Moyle delves into the famous painter’s work and the events that shaped it, from religious tensions in Europe to the toxic factionalism bubbling over in H ... Show More
Today
Is the Odyssey myth or memory?
The Odyssey is a tale of impossible monsters, angsty gods and the unquiet dead – but does that mean it holds no truth? In this third episode of HistoryExtra's four-part series, Kev Lochun and classicist Daisy Dunn turn archaeologist, tracing the real Bronze Age world of feasting ... Show More
43m 38s
Jul 30
Renaissance Italy's firearm revolution
Long before the modern debates over gun control, Renaissance Italy was grappling with many of the same questions. As firearms became smaller and easier to conceal, guns spread rapidly through society: moving from battlefields to appearances at court, and the streets of the Italia ... Show More
40m 21s
Jul 28
How blood banks saved Britain in WW2
How did the sign of the Red Vampire help British surgeons during the Second World War? Roderick Bailey, author of 'The Life Savers', explains to David Musgrove how Britain led the way in blood banks during the war, and how such prowess saved lives, strengthened the war effort, an ... Show More
35m 24s
Dec 2023
The Tudors' Portrait Artist: Holbein
<p>How we visualise the Tudors largely comes from their portraits painted by Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1526 and 1543, he captured the elite of the Tudor court and beyond - Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Thomas Cromwell, politicians, courtiers, soldiers and c ... Show More
44m 1s
Sep 2023
Crown and Canvas: Henry VII, Part One
In this episode of Crown and Canvas, we are exploring the early life of Henry Tudor, later Henry VII of England. For images and sources: https://www.accessiblearthistory.com/post/podcast-episode-96-crown-and-canvas-henry-vii-part-one ______________________________________________ ... Show More
8m 11s
Jan 2024
Crown and Canvas: Henry VIII, Part Two
In this episode of Crown and Canvas, we exploring the life of Henry VIII. For images and sources: https://www.accessiblearthistory.com/post/podcast-episode-99-henry-viii-part-2 ________________________________________________________ Welcome to Accessible Art History! Here, we pr ... Show More
8m 45s
Jul 2023
Art Bite: Thomas Cromwell's Book of Hours
When historians first made the link between a book of hours at Trinity College, Cambridge and two others belonging to Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, they weren't just identifying who owned it. Yes, yes - the book was owned by Henry VIII's right-hand-man (for a time, at leas ... Show More
51m 40s