From Renaissance Florence and ancient Babylon to the kingdom of Benin and Heian-era Kyoto, cities across history have served as launchpads for extraordinary outbursts of artistic flowering. Caroline Campbell, director of the National Gallery of Ireland and the author of The Power of Art, guides Ellie Cawthorne through some of these cultural metropolises, exp ... Show More
Today
A poetic history of England
How can you do justice to the story of 1,300 years of English history? Through verse, according to cultural historian Catherine Clarke – whose latest book is A History of England in 25 Poems. She takes Lauren Good on a poetic journey through time, exploring how it could be used f ... Show More
40m 17s
Mar 4
The hidden history behind Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic images in US history – but its story is far more complex and controversial than that of a simple sculpture. In this episode, historian Matthew Davis joins Elinor Evans to discuss his latest book, A Biography of a Mountain, which delves int ... Show More
40m 29s
Mar 3
Juana Inés de la Cruz: life of the week
She led “a life that really, in many ways, shouldn't have been possible”. So says historian Paul Gillingham of Juana Inés de la Cruz. This 17th-century polymath and nun challenged a host of social conventions – earning, through her extraordinary books and poems, a place in the pa ... Show More
30m 40s
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
Jan 2025
Hagia Sophia: Where Worlds Collide
The Hagia Sophia is a landmark that has stood for 1500 years, and that players can clamber all over in Assassin’s Creed Revelations. It is remarkable not only for its longevity, but also for its blending of multiple cultures: their art, architecture, languages and faiths.To unpac ... Show More
42m 31s