Jean-Baptiste Lully

This 2019 episode explores the difficult-to-study work of Laurencin. In addition to her work not quite falling in line with the artists who were her contemporaries, her personal papers are difficult to access, are censored, and have strict limitations put on their use. See omnyst ... Show More

Tracy talks about how the show's recording schedule meant that this week's Monday episode got revised repeatedly to reflect current events. Holly talks about the way theater performances during portions of heavy censorship in France incorporated audience participation.See omnystu ... Show More

“Le Chat Noir” is one of the most famous pieces of late 19th century European art, but the artist behind it was also very active in France's anarchist and socialist political groups of the time. Research: Asimakis, Magdalyn. “War, Socialism, and Cats: Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen ... Show More

Greg Jenner is joined by historian Prof Olivette Otele and comedian Sophie Duker in 18th century France to meet the Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Born the son of a slave and a white plantation owner, he lived a remarkable life in France, becoming a master fencer, violin virtuoso, c ... Show More

Happy Pride! In the history of the world there have been numerous royals and countless common people who preferred the romantic company of their own gender. Acceptance of this has varied by time period and by culture. Being gay was often made much easier if you were a person born ... Show More

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss an early masterpiece of French epic poetry, from the 12th Century. It is a reimagining of Charlemagne’s wars in Spain in the 8th Century in which Roland, his most valiant knight, chooses death before dishonour, guarding the army’s rear from a pagan ... Show More

<p>Bede, whose name towers over early medieval English literature, is often referred to as the “father of English history.” He calculated the first tide-tables, played a role in the creation of the Lindisfarne Gospels, wrote the earliest extant Old English poetry and did the earl ... Show More

<p>The Golden Age of Hollywood was a place of pioneers, storytellers, ideas, westward expansion, money, politics and scandal- the story of Hollywood is the story of America itself.&nbsp;At the turn of the 20th century, Hollywood in Los Angeles was a dusty country hamlet, but soon ... Show More

<p>Matt Lewis continues his Mystery Month on Gone Medieval with another tantalising enigma of the Middle Ages - the legendary figure of Prester John.</p><br><p>There’s a long history to the myth that “out there” in the east, a pious and noble Christian king ruled over a mighty ki ... Show More

Popular historic dramas like Bridgerton, Hamilton and Sanditon sometimes receive criticism that their diverse casts are historically inaccurate. But in fact there have been people of color in Britain and France since Roman times. By the 18th century the trans Atlantic slave trade ... Show More

Professor Peter Hennessy is one of the UK’s leading contemporary historians. He has written acclaimed and important books about politics, the civil service, the intelligence agencies and the British constitution on which he is an expert. Peter was born in London in 1947 and read ... Show More