Secret Knowledge Season 1, Episode 20: The Art of the Impossible: MC Escher and Me

1

The Kimbolton Cabinet

Granted privileged access to the Victoria and Albert Museum after hours, John Bly seeks out the Kimbolton Cabinet, an exquisite piece of 18th-century English furniture that promises to reveal much about not only our nation's craft heritage but also his very own childhood.

30 min

2

The Art of the Vikings

Through interpretations of some of the archaeological treasures of the Swedish National Museum, now on display in Edinburgh, Dr Janina Ramirez of Oxford University explores the fascinating wealth of Viking culture and its long-lasting influence on the British Isles.

29 min

3

Bolsover Castle

Lucy Worsley tells the story of Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire. Built in the early 17th century, it became the pleasure palace of playboy Cavalier and ambitious courtier William Cavendish. Guiding us on a tour of the castle and its remarkable collection of artworks, Lucy brings to life the spectacular masque held by Cavendish to win the favour of King Charles I. And from within the walls of this eccentric architectural gem emerges a colourful tale, capturing the tensions of early 17th-century England that would eventually lead the nation to civil war.

29 min

4

Walter Scott’s Castle

Stuart Kelly gets behind-the-scenes access as over 13,000 treasures are moved back into Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House.

30 min

5

Stradivarius and Me

Clemency Burton-Hill indulges in her lifelong passion for the violin as she explores the mysterious life and lasting influence of legendary violin maker Antonio Stradivari.

30 min

7

The Art of Witchcraft

Artist Lachlan Goudie presents a personal documentary, inspired by his father, in which he investigates why witches have cast such a powerful spell over generations of artists.

30 min

8

The Hidden Jewels of the Cheapside Hoard

Jewellery designer Shaun Leane uncovers some of the secrets of the hoard of nearly 500 Elizabethan and Jacobean jewels discovered by workmen in London's Cheapside district in 1912.

30 min

9

Tracey Emin on Louise Bourgeois - Women Without Secrets

Tracey Emin offers an insight into the life and work of the French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, famed for her sculptures and installations embodying her personal emotions.

39 min

10

Castiglione - Rogue Genius of the Baroque

Helen Rosslyn makes the case for troubled, turbulent 17th century printmaker and draftsman Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione to be seen as one of the great artists of the Baroque.

30 min

11

Hogarth - One Man and His Pug

Lars Tharp appeals to the nation to help him recover a rare piece of long-lost William Hogarth memorabilia - a precious terracotta sculpture of the artist's beloved pet pug.

29 min

12

The Russian Revolutionary: Zaha Hadid on Kazimir Malevich

Architect Zaha Hadid considers the influence of Russian abstract artist Kazimir Malevich's avant-garde art on her own avant-garde architecture.

29 min

13

The Living Mountain: A Cairngorms Journey

Travel-writer Robert MacFarlane presents a documentary telling the story of Scottish poet and novelist Nan Shepherd and her book, The Living Mountain.

29 min

14

In Search of Rory McEwen

Jools Holland tells the story of his father-in-law Rory McEwen - aristocrat, artist, folk singer and pioneering TV presenter, and the man who brought the blues to Britain.

29 min

15

Wondrous Obsessions: The Cabinet of Curiosities

Professor Nandini Das reveals the story behind the Cabinet of Curiosities - the original collecting craze that began in Renaissance Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.

30 min

16

The Private Life of a Dolls’ House

Lauren Child explores the history of dolls’ houses, speaks to craftspeople who create perfect miniatures and meets collectors willing to pay big money for tiny objects of desire.

29 min

17

The Body Beautiful - Ancient Greeks, Good Looks and Glamour

Natalie Haynes takes a journey into ancient beauty and modern glamour, examining how our obsession with the body beautiful goes back to an era of stunning artistic achievement.

30 min

18

Nina Simone and Me with Laura Mvula

In a personal tribute, British soul singer Laura Mvula travels to New York to celebrate the Nina Simone songs that mean most to her and explore their musical roots.

30 min

19

Thomas Chatterton: The Myth of the Doomed Poet

Michael Symmons Roberts explores the mythic afterlife of the 18th-century poet Thomas Chatterton, whose early death was immortalised by poets, painters and photographers.

30 min

20

The Art of the Impossible: MC Escher and Me

Sir Roger Penrose takes a personal journey through artist MC Escher's work, marvelling at his intuitive brilliance and the light it still sheds on complex mathematical concepts.

30 min

21

Jacobi on Garrick: Godfather of the British Stage

Derek Jacobi goes in search of David Garrick, 18th-century superstar and the man who reinvented acting for the modern era.

29 min

23

A Very British Pornographer: The Jack Kahane Story

Neil Pearson looks at the life of Jack Kahane, who combined a career selling low-grade smut with publishing some of the most significant works of avant-garde literature.

30 min