Best Movies for Art History Lovers
Ultimate selection of films with art and inspired by art
These days, there are tons of opportunities to experience art outside of physically going to museums, galleries and curated shows. Although the in-the-flesh watching of works of art is still unbeatable and cannot be truly substituted by anything, there are opportunities to envelop yourself in its enchanting vibes and enjoy the spirit of its eternal beauty and ingenuity.
While many of us discover the digital universe of art on the websites of museums and art and history dedicated apps, like Smart Art — Art History Escape [read this article on The Best Apps and Websites for Art Lovers], movies are still the preferred way to go for the majority of art enthusiasts.
This guide is divided into two major parts:
- the films that I watched and highly recommend for your weekend [and weekday] evening,
- and quite a large list of movies that are universally acclaimed and believed to be a perfect match for the occasion.
To make it a really “ultimate” selection, I would encourage you to let me know of the movies I’ve missed and you personally recommend and I’ll gladly include it in the list duly and happily referencing your contribution.
The final caveats:
- this list includes films and series of all genres [like, say, drama, comedy, or mystery] except for documentary ones. Quality docs do certainly deserve a dedicated selection on their own merit.
- I purposely do not include the “official ratings” since I truly believe that the movie could be considered good when and only you enjoyed it. So here you be the judge [amen].
PART I. Editor’s choice
Just as I mentioned above, this section includes 10 movies that I spent evenings with and can highly recommend for art lovers alike. They are not always directly related to a particular masterpiece or real-life events, albeit they do immerse you into the atmosphere infused with art and the world around it.
The order is from newest to oldest. All titles are clickable links to IMDb.
The French Dispatch
Year: 2021
Duration: 108 minutes
Director: Wes Anderson
Main Cast: Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux, Tilda Swinton
This movie is a kaleidoscope of fascinating scenes that once overtook the front pages of the fictional French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun magazine inspired by The New Yorker.
Its first segment, “The Concrete Masterpiece”, follows an incarcerated and unstable painter, who, thanks to a notorious art dealer, soon becomes a sensation in the art world.
“The French Splatter-school Action group. A dynamic, talented, lusty, slovenly, alcoholic, violent pack of creative savages. They inspired, and very often personally attacked each other for two decades and more. <…> Remember, in those days, as you know, it was much more socially acceptable for a painter or a sculptor to hit another fellow with a chair or even a brick or walk around with a black eye or a broken tooth, and so on. <…> Rosenthaler could be quite unpredictably impulsive. <…> He was crazy. Officially certified. The Cadazios, of course, represented them all.”
The movie that its director Wes Anderson called a “love letter to journalists” then goes on and tells other stories of the post-war 20th century Paris [styled as Ennui-sur-Blasé to keep up with the fictional spirit], however, its first part, lovingly mocking the whole artist-dealer chemistry of the Modern epoch, is by-no-means hilarious.
The Duke
Year: 2020
Duration: 96 minutes
Director: Roger Michell
Main Cast: Jim Broadbent, Hellen Mirren, Matthew Goode
In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year-old taxi driver, steals Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London for quite a noble reason.
A perfect plot for the movie, it is actually based on a 100% true life story that took place some 60 [gosh!] years ago.
The stunning play of first-class English actors together with the so naïvely straightforward, somewhat old-fashioned, and yet adventurous storyline [that’s how it all happens in reality, doesn’t it?] make it a really enjoyable, warm and comforting family movie.
The Square
Year: 2017
Duration: 151 minutes
Director: Ruben Östlund
Main Cast: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary
Two and a half hours might seem quite an ask, yet this dramedy about contemporary art might be really worth it. I remember watching it in the cinema [these were the times when people used to go there without a second thought] and being impressed by the audacious irony of some of the episodes.
“If you place an object in a museum does that make this object a piece of art?”
A bold satire on the world of contemporary art was awarded Palme D’Or of the Cannes Film Festival.
Take a look at the trailer:
Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti
Year: 2017
Duration: 96 minutes
Director: Edouard Deluc
Main Cast: Vincent Cassel
I know, the star of the French Post-Impressionism has become an almost persona non grata recently for his evidently shady relationships with the local tahitiennes which resulted in the unequivocally groundbreaking paintings that immortalised his name right after his death.
At the same time, you might actually enjoy tracing the life circumstances of the artist [brilliantly portrayed by the French Vincent Cassel] from 1891 when he feels smothered by the atmosphere prevailing in Paris of the epoch.
Around him, everything is so artificial and conventional: he needs authenticity to renew his art.
Failing to convince his wife Mette and his five children to follow him to Paradise Lost, he sets out for Tahiti alone.
An intimate watch with a glass of good white wine, why not?
The Danish Girl
Year: 2015
Duration: 119 minutes
Director: Tom Hooper
Main Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard
Oh, this one is a truly touching and deep physiological drama inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener.
The brilliant cast presents the intimate story of a progressive gender transition of one of the painters in the 1920s [imagine the challenging environment in the artistic circle of the epoch] and the gentle support from the other partner along the way.
“The acting is what makes this film”
– it’s hard not to agree with the universal reviews of the critics, moreover, Alicia Vikander was awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her almost equally important part alongside the extremely talented Eddie Redmayne.
Perhaps, this is not a family movie, yet is surely worth spending a calm and thoughtful evening watching it.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Year: 2014
Duration: 99 minutes
Director: Wes Anderson
Main Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, etc.
Another hilarious movie by the same Wes Anderson [The French Dispatch above] with the equally shining diamond cast [Murray, Brody, Seydoux, and Swinton appear in both movies].
Since many of you have watched it, I won’t remind you of the plot where the staff of the prestigious hotel in the mountains hunts for the precious Renaissance painting.
A curious detail, the very Boy with Apple is by no means a 16th-century piece and was in fact painted specifically for the film by the British artist Michael Taylor in 2012.
The Labours of Hercules
Year: 2013
Duration: 89 minutes
Director: Andy Wilson
Main Cast: David Suchet, Patrick Ryecart, Rupert Evans
And if you enjoyed the luxury vintage atmosphere of a snowbound hotel in the Alps, you should definitely watch this episode from Agatha Christie’s Poirot, where the famous detective pursues an infamous art thief.
Just like the Grand Budapest, this film is not so about art, yet the atmosphere and the plot related to it add up to the whole feeling of the old world long gone where the greatest art was quite commonly adorning the walls of the countryside villas and city apartments.
Btw, the whole Poirot series is full of such reminiscences, so consider adding it to your daily evening routine with a glass of good French [not Belgian, sorry Hercule] wine.
Midnight in Paris
Year: 2011
Duration: 94 minutes
Director: Woody Allen
Main Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates
Now, who would resist such a trip back in time to find yourself immersed in the Paris atmosphere of the roaring 1920s?
The writer portrayed by Wilson didn’t and travelled there every night to meet Scott and Zelda, Jean Cocteau, Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, Picasso, Dalí [another hit on target by Adrien Brody], Buñuel and other Modernists.
And how about a ride to the charming Belle Époque where Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas and the same Gauguin hang out on Montmartre at the famous Moulin Rouge?
Hard to say no to such an experience especially if you enjoy this time period, and may be worth a second watch to revive the magical feelings.
Moulin Rouge!
Year: 2001
Duration: 127 minutes
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Main Cast: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo
Speaking of Belle Époque, Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre, this famous musical might contribute to your French evening.
Yes, it’s rather not about art [at all], yet the presence of the celebrated Post-Impressionist whose fame grew out of drawings and posters of the midnight [better say, demimonde] Paris life makes it another worthwhile watch for an art lover.
Door on the Left as You Leave the Elevator (À gauche en sortant de l’ascenseur)
Year: 1988
Duration: 83 minutes
Director: Édouard Molinaro
Main Cast: Pierre Richard, Richard Bohringer, Emmanuelle Béart
A super fun French comedy where two contemporary artists living next door [their apartments are a real French chic] apparently have some troubles with their girlfriends and end up incapable to figure out who hates whom and who loves whom.
As simple as that, not so much about art [not at all in fact], yet this lesser-known movie presents a perfectly witty and fun line of events that all happen within the premises of the guys’ artsy flats.
Not sure if the movie was officially released in English, yet it’s really worth it. Leave a comment if you happen to know and I’ll update this entry.
The Tattoo (Le Tatoué)
Year: 1968
Duration: 90 minutes
Director: Denys de la Patellière
Main Cast: Jean Gabin, Louis de Funès
Another good old French comedy with the unforgettable Louis de Funès that is a real gem indeed.
An art dealer wants to buy a Modigliani, which is tattooed on the back of an old soldier.
Also known as The Million Dollar Tattoo, or The Tattoo Man, this film will certainly bring you tons of laughter, especially if you are familiar with the French comedy cinema of the epoch and appreciate their method and humour.
Again, unfortunately, I’m not aware whether they have a decent English soundtrack or, at least, subtitles. Let me know if you find something and I will update this entry.
PART II. Public Acclaim
And now, here is the selection [in no particular order] of 28 art-inspired movies that are still on my list, yet they have received positive reviews and, perhaps, are really worth watching.
If you happen to be a particular fan of some of them [or some that I have forgotten], I’ll be happy to include your short annotation/recommendation in the list.
So, if you’re into the Art Nouveau, you shouldn’t miss the Woman in Gold, 2015 dedicated to the art of the ambivalent genius of Gustav Klimt.
It tells the true story of Maria Altmann [portrayed by Helen Mirren] sought to regain a world-famous painting of her aunt plundered by the Nazis during World War II. The movie raises the poignant questions of art restitution [read my article about it] and features the famous Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer which was at the center of this scandal.
Klimt, 2006 is another tribute to this artist. With John Malkovich as Klimt, this art-house movie features nearly two dozen often disassociated vignettes taken from the life of the painter.
A Real Vermeer, 2016, although exploiting the name of the Dutch Golden Age icon painter Johannes Vermeer, speaks about the life of another Dutch painter Han van Meegeren, from his beginnings as a rebellious young artist in 1920s Amsterdam to his rise to infamy as one of the most ingenious art forgers of all time.
And the Girl with a Pearl Earring, 2003 with young and beautiful Scarlett Johansson looking exactly like the model of the famous tronie is a fictional story behind this masterpiece.
The Spanish genius Francisco Goya became the inspiration behind the Trance, 2013 psychological thriller that features his Witches in the Air which is stolen in the film and the leader of the thieves is laid by Vincent Cassel [Gauguin in the movie that was mentioned above].
Goya’s Ghosts, 2006, is a biographical movie that is set in the 19th century and features the artist himself [Javier Bardem] and tells the story of a scandal involving his muse [Natalie Portman], who is labeled a heretic by a monk [totally fictional plot].
At Eternity’s Gate, 2018 tells the story of the crowd’s favourite and so desperately unhappy Vincent Van Gogh. Another attempt was made by Kirk Douglas in the Lust for Life, 1956 and a recent animation movie Loving Vincent, 2017 [see its fully painted trailer below].
Which one would be your favourite? Don’t hesitate to share your opinion so other readers and I could decide which one to give a priority [life’s too short, alas]!
Another artist-dedicated duo is Modigliani, 2004 and The Lovers of Montparnasse, 1958 [also known as Montparnasse 19] which both speculate on the life and love tragedies of another Modernist Amedeo Modigliani and his non-less famous painter-friends.
Both pictures have a stunning cast and reviews, so do not miss them if you are his fan or appreciate that epoch in general.
The following movies are also dedicated to some particular artist or the art period in history.
- Pollock, 2000 tells the story of the American Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock.
- Mr. Turner, 2014 with the incredible Timothy Spall [remember Peter Pettigrew from five Harry Potter films?] explores the eccentric life of the British prophetic master J.M.W. Turner.
- Renoir, 2012 features Pierre-Auguste and his son after WWI together with a young woman, Andrée, who rejuvenates, enchants and inspires them both.
- Frida, 2002 with stunning Salma Hayek unfolds the biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.
- Rodin, 2017 is dedicated to the life of the French Impressionist sculptor Auguste Rodin,
- and Camille Clodel 1915, 2013 speaks about his namesake love and rival.
- Never Look Away, 2018 was inspired by the life of the still-living Gerhard Richter and his torturous experiences of childhood and youth in the Nazi years and during the GDR regime.
- Andrei Rublev, 1966 is the cinema classic by Andrei Tarkovsky showing the life, times and afflictions of the fifteenth-century Russian iconographer St. Andrei Rublev.
The Tulip Fever, 2017 and the Nightwatching, 2007 promise to immerse you in the atmosphere of the 17th-century [a.k.a. the Dutch Golden Age] Amsterdam and introduce to his unrivalled genius of Rembrandt in particular. See the trailer of the latter below:
To continue the quest for mystery hunting, go for The Da Vinci Code, 2006 [isn’t it the first movie that comes to mind speaking about art history in movies?], or prepare to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners with the starring crew of Matt Damon, George Clooney and Bill Murray [again!] in The Monuments Men, 2014.
The Best Offer [La Migliora Oferta], 2012 English-language highly acclaimed drama by Giuseppe Tornatore tells the story of a master auctioneer becoming obsessed with an extremely reclusive heiress who collects fine art.
The Australian-German multi-screen film installation Manifesto, 2015 features Cate Blanchett performing manifestos of different Modern art isms as a series of striking monologues by 13 characters, among them a school teacher, factory worker, choreographer, punk, newsreader, scientist, puppeteer, widow, and a homeless man.
And the Argentinian dramedy My Masterpiece [Mi obra maestra], 2018 unravels the plot of an unscrupulous art dealer and his socially-awkward painter and a longtime friend willing to risk it all with their ludicrous plan to save themselves. Looks like it’s available on Netflix, yet you need to check the time you prepare to watch it.
And yeah, perhaps, this is my first choice when I look here next time I search for an after-dinner movie.
Another Netflix production, the supernatural comedy horror Velvet Buzzsaw, 2019 put Jake Gyllenhaal in the contemporary art world scene of Los Angeles, where big money artists and mega-collectors pay a high price when art collides with commerce. There are rather controversial reviews here.
And the last in this comprehensive selection, but not the least, is the Desperate Romantics, 2009 TV mini-series dedicated to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
“In the mid-19th century, a group of young men challenged the art establishment of the day. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood were inspired by the real world about them, yet took imaginative licence in their art. This story, based on their lives and loves, follows in that inventive spirit.”
The somewhat fictional, somewhat not sequence of events may disappoint history purists, yet the rest of us might still find the episodes quite unwinding.
And here are the kind contributions of the reading public.
- Laith Hugo suggested “the first scene of John Malkovich film Ripley’s Game” as a “wonderful art-deal-gone-wrong in Berlin.”
- His second suggestion would be “Nicolas Roeg’s very scary Don’t Look Now” which “features a lead character who is an art restorer in Venice.”
- A fellow redditor suggested the film Barry Lyndon, 1975.
- And another anonynous redditor contributed with The Agony and the Ecstasy, a 1965 American historical drama about Michelangelo,
- and Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1988, a fictional bio of painter Francis Bacon.
Oof, that was a long, yet hopefully, useful list of art-inspired movies that could brighten up your evening, so you may bookmark it for the future.
Please, feel free to share with me your impressions and short reviews of the [missing] motion pictures that I may add to the text above.
