The Art of Gothic
TV Show · Documentary · Special Interest

BBC Select spends some time down in the dungeon as this fascinating arts documentary delves into the world of the Gothic. Acclaimed art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon explores how a group of 19th-century architects and artists spurned the modern age and turned to Britain's medieval past to create iconic works and buildings with a distinctly creepy edge. But what attracted them to the dark side?

2014 · 49m
Starring Andrew Graham-Dixon

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    Liberty, Diversity, Depravity
    BBC Select takes a walk on the dark side in this insightful arts documentary. As art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals, in England during the middle of the 18th century an entirely surprising thing happened. Out of the Age of Enlightenment and Reason a monster was born - a Gothic fascination with ghouls, ghosts and things that go bump in the night. But where did this obsession come from?
    49m
  • EPISODE 2
    The City and the Soul
    BBC Select delves into the macabre in this fascinating arts documentary. Andrew Graham-Dixon continues his examination of England's Gothic Revival, focusing on the influence of the Industrial Revolution on Gothic art and literature. Frankenstein was born and poets indulged in hallucinatory drugs to reach new Gothic heights. How much was this new, dark form of art an expression of fear?
    50m
  • EPISODE 3
    Blood for Sale: Gothic Goes Global
    BBC Select concludes its dalliance with all things Gothic in this arts documentary. As Andrew Graham-Dixon reveals, the fantasy horror of the previous century soon morphed into the true horrors of the First World War. Gothic literature was no longer a flight of fancy but a reflection of real life and recent history. Could the Gothic ever compete with the emerging terror of the 20th century?
    47m

Trailers

  • The Art of Gothic
    3m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • Andrew Graham-Dixon
    Host
  • B‌C
    Basil Comely
    Producer
  • Andrew Graham-Dixon
    Writer

About

The Art of Gothic

Documentary

BBC Select spends some time down in the dungeon as this fascinating arts documentary delves into the world of the Gothic. Acclaimed art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon explores how a group of 19th-century architects and artists spurned the modern age and turned to Britain's medieval past to create iconic works and buildings with a distinctly creepy edge. But what attracted them to the dark side?

Information

Studio
In House
Released
2014
Rated
PG
Region of Origin
United Kingdom
© 2021 BBC 4

Languages

Original Audio
English (United Kingdom)
Audio

English (United Kingdom) (AAC)

Subtitles

English (United Kingdom) (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
  • Français (Canada)
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
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  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
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  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
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  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)