Artists & Writers

This episode sees actress Lily Cole examine four of the 20th century's greatest artists and writers. Lily explores the lives of Pablo Picasso, Virginia Woolf, Alfred Hitchcock and Andy Warhol - finding out what inspired their most celebrated works, and why they still resonate today.
In the 20th century, history unfolded at a rate humanity could barely keep up with. Wars industrialised killing, science radically altered the way we live, and rampant consumerism and mass media swept across the planet. Helping us process these seismic shifts were a group of complex, sometimes dark geniuses: our artists and writers. Art had for a long time belonged largely to the elite, but in the 20th century it burst out of its gilt frame and into every aspect of our lives. These four icons each revolutionised their artform, unafraid to break with generations of convention. They sought to both reflect and change their times. Whether they were shining a light on the most brutal episodes of war, or holding up a mirror to the darkest aspects of post-war society, these four greats were unafraid to create bold and sometimes challenging work - work which forced society to take a long, hard look at itself.
Cofounder of the Cubist movement, Pablo Picasso possessed extraordinary talent from an early age. He could have had a brilliant career as a traditional artist but he chose instead to rip up the artistic rule book, creating defiantly sensual and provocative pieces, and one of the most powerful and enduring images of conflict that the world has ever seen.
Feminist, pacifist and trailblazer Virginia Woolf subverted expectations, both professionally and personally. She broke new ground in literature, was unafraid to write about mental health, and issued a rallying cry for artistic equality on behalf of women everywhere.
Nicknamed the master of suspense, Hitchcock's career spanned six decades, and he was behind some of the most famous moments in cinema. Not only was Hitchcock a prodi