Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Charles's Cap (madame Bovary) | 20130211 | 20140304 (R3) | Five writers examine how an item of clothing or an accessory figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting. In this edition, Booker Prize- winning writer Julian Barnes begins with an unforgettable hat in the classic novel Madame Bovary. Julian Barnes recalls a cap of 'composite order' worn at the beginning of Madame Bovary by the young Charles, and possibly the most famous school cap in literature ... Producer Duncan Minshull. Julian Barnes on an unforgettable hat in Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. Five writers examine how an item of clothing or an accessory figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting. In this edition, Booker Prize- winning writer Julian Barnes begins with an unforgettable hat in the classic novel Madame Bovary. Julian Barnes recalls a cap of 'composite order' worn at the beginning of Madame Bovary by the young Charles, and possibly the most famous school cap in literature ... Producer Duncan Minshull. Julian Barnes on an unforgettable hat in Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 01 | James Whistler's Symphony in White, No 1 | 20160111 | Art historian James Fox describes an intriguing 1860s painting of a girl in a white dress. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 01 | James Whistler's Symphony in White, No 1 | 20160111 | 20181119 (R3) | Art historian James Fox describes an intriguing 1860s painting of a girl in a white dress. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 01 | Tracy Chevalier | 20110124 | 20111128 (R3) | Five writers were invited to explore the meaning of clothes and accessories in a particular work of art, be it a story, novel, film, painting or song lyric. How does the clothing resonate? What is the tale behind its depiction? Would the writer wear the garment themselves? Suits and dresses, coats and jewels, and even rags, all feature in accounts by a variety of commentators... 1. Novelist Tracy Chevalier considers how a set of sparkling stones tease in Guy de Maupassant's famous story - The Necklace. Producer Duncan Minshull. Tracy Chevalier on the fate of some sparkling stones in de Maupassant's The Necklace. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 02 | Empress Elizabeth's Diamonds | 20130212 | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting. So Julian Barnes describes a particular hat, Daisy Goodwin thinks about diamonds, Michael Bracewell remembers a vivid suit. Then Antonia Quirke muses on a spy's coat and a white shirt sported by a rock-star is recalled by Susannah Frankel...
Daisy Goodwin is wowed by a set of stones that adorn
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Daisy Goodwin on diamonds in a portrait of Empress Elizabeth of Austria by Winterhalter. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 02 | Francoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse | 20160112 | Rachel Cooke on a famous pair of 'peddle pushers' in the novel Bonjour Tristesse. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 02 | Francoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse | 20160112 | 20181120 (R3) | Rachel Cooke on a famous pair of 'peddle pushers' in the novel Bonjour Tristesse. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 02 | Justin Cartwright | 20110125 | 20111129 (R3) | Five writers were invited to explore the meaning of clothes and accessories in a particular work of art, be it a story, novel, film, painting or song lyric. How does the clothing resonate? What is the tale behind its depiction? Would the writer wear the garment themselves? Suits and dresses, coats and jewels, and even rags, all feature in accounts by a variety of commentators... 2. Novelist Justin Cartwright thinks about corporate America, and how it is vividly caught in the novel, The Man in The Grey Flannel Suit. Producer Duncan Minshull. Justin Cartwright on corporate America and the novel The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 03 | Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 | 20160113 | Stephen Bayley celebrates some timeless eyewear, carried off brilliantly in a famous film. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 03 | Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 | 20160113 | 20181121 (R3) | Stephen Bayley celebrates some timeless eyewear, carried off brilliantly in a famous film. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 03 | Gatsby's Suit | 20130213 | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting. So Julian Barnes describes a particular hat, Daisy Goodwin thinks about diamonds, Michael Bracewell remembers a vivid suit. Then Antonia Quirke muses on a spy's coat and a white shirt sported by a rock-star is recalled by Susannah Frankel...
MIchael Bracewell remembers how that 'pink rag of a suit' in The Great Gatsby suggested glamour, modernity, and romance to his sixteen year old self in 1974.
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Writer Michael Bracewell discusses Jay Gatsby's suit in the novel The Great Gatsby. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 03 | Laura Cumming | 20110126 | 20111130 (R3) | Five writers were invited to explore the meaning of clothes and accessories in a particular work of art, be it a story, novel, film, painting or song lyric. How does the clothing resonate? What is the tale behind its depiction? Would the writer wear the garment themselves? Suits and dresses, coats and jewels, and even rags, all feature in accounts by a variety of commentators... 3 The art critic Laura Cumming ponders a particular black dress, memorably painted by John Singer Sargent in the 1880's... Producer Duncan Minshull. Laura Cumming considers a famous black dress, memorably painted by John Singer Sargent. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 04 | Alec Leamas's coat (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold) | 20130214 | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting.
Antonia Quirke on a damp yet durable coat that appears in the film The Spy Who Came in From The Cold - which was made more significant when worn by a certain Richard Burton ...
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Antonia Quirke on the coat worn by Richard Burton in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 04 | Alec Leamas's coat (The Spy Who Came in from the Cold) | 20130214 | 20140305 (R3) | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting.
Antonia Quirke on a damp yet durable coat that appears in the film The Spy Who Came in From The Cold - which was made more significant when worn by a certain Richard Burton ...
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Antonia Quirke on the coat worn by Richard Burton in The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 04 | F Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night | 20160114 | Five writers recall clothes and accessories that resonate vividly in works of art:
Justine Picardie, author and editor of Harper's Bazaar, considers a whole pile of dresses and jewellery worn by Nicole Diver in Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender Is The Night. And how Nicole's passion for clothes is mirrored by the author's wife, Zelda.
Producer Duncan Minshull
Justine Picardie, editor of Harper's Bazaar, celebrates Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 04 | F Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night | 20160114 | 20181122 (R3) | Five writers recall clothes and accessories that resonate vividly in works of art:
Justine Picardie, author and editor of Harper's Bazaar, considers a whole pile of dresses and jewellery worn by Nicole Diver in Scott Fitzgerald's novel Tender Is The Night. And how Nicole's passion for clothes is mirrored by the author's wife, Zelda.
Producer Duncan Minshull
Justine Picardie, editor of Harper's Bazaar, celebrates Fitzgerald's Tender Is the Night. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 04 | Peter Bradshaw | 20110127 | 20111201 (R3) | Five writers were invited to explore the meaning of clothes and accessories in a particular work of art, be it a story, novel, film, painting or song lyric. How does the clothing resonate? What is the tale behind its depiction? Would the writer wear the garment themselves? Suits and dresses, coats and jewels, and even rags, all feature in accounts by a variety of commentators... 4. The critic Peter Bradshaw tells us about two red coats, worn with sadness and with menace in the classic film, Don't Look Now. Producer Duncan Minshull. Critic Peter Bradshaw on the two red coats worn in the film Don't Look Now. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 05 | Alexandra Shulman | 20110128 | 20111202 (R3) | Five writers were invited to explore the meaning of clothes and accessories in a particular work of art, be it a story, novel, film, painting or song lyric. How does the clothing resonate? What is the tale behind its depiction? Would the writer wear the garment themselves? Suits and dresses, coats and jewels, and even rags, all feature in accounts by a variety of commentators... 5. Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman recalls the words of Leonard Cohen's song Suzanne, and how they dressed a generation of young women.. Producer Duncan Minshull. Alexandra Shulman on the Leonard Cohen song Suzanne and how it dressed young women. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 05 | Patti Smith's Shirt | 20130215 | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting.
Susannah Frankel liked wearing men's shirts, white and often handed down from her father. She was influenced by that classic record cover for Horses, where Patti Smith made such a garment look beyond cool ...
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Susanna Frankel recalls a brilliant white shirt on the cover of an LP by Patti Smith. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 05 | Patti Smith's Shirt | 20130215 | 20140306 (R3) | For a second time, five writers were invited to think about an item of clothing or an accessory that figures memorably in a work of art, be it in a book or film or painting.
Susannah Frankel liked wearing men's shirts, white and often handed down from her father. She was influenced by that classic record cover for Horses, where Patti Smith made such a garment look beyond cool ...
Producer Duncan Minshull.
Susanna Frankel recalls a brilliant white shirt on the cover of an LP by Patti Smith. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |
| 05 | Ray Bradbury's The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit | 20160115 | Five writers recall clothes and accessories that resonate vividly in works of art: The series started with a white dress and ends with a pristine white suit ...
Author and journalist John Walsh describes the transformative powers of a 'two-piece', worn in turn by a motley bunch of blokes in Los Angeles and celebrated in Ray Bradbury's story 'The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit'.
Producer Duncan Minshull
Journalist John Walsh recalls a pristine white suit in a short story by Ray Bradbury. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. | |
| 05 | Ray Bradbury's The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit | 20160115 | 20181123 (R3) | Five writers recall clothes and accessories that resonate vividly in works of art: The series started with a white dress and ends with a pristine white suit ...
Author and journalist John Walsh describes the transformative powers of a 'two-piece', worn in turn by a motley bunch of blokes in Los Angeles and celebrated in Ray Bradbury's story 'The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit'.
Producer Duncan Minshull
Journalist John Walsh recalls a pristine white suit in a short story by Ray Bradbury. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. |