10 movies you can't miss if you like art history

Art, cinema and emotion in a selection that will make you look at paintings with different eyes

Art history is not only studied in books: it is also experienced on the big screen. From biopics of legendary artists to stories that reflect entire epochs through art, cinema becomes a fascinating window to explore styles, movements and personalities key to cultural history.

1. Behind the Candelabra (Behind the Candelabra, 2013)
Although more focused on show business, this film explores the excesses, style and theatricality of Liberace, whose life and aesthetics border on the performative and the artistic. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Michael Douglas, it is a reflection on the creation of a public persona as a work in itself.

2. El sol del membrillo (1992).
Directed by Víctor Erice, this documentary film narrates the creative process of the painter Antonio López as he tries to capture the light on a quince tree. A slow and poetic reflection on time, observation and the relationship between artist and reality.

3. The Heroic Kermesse (1935).
A satire set in 17th century Flanders reminiscent of Brueghel's pictorial compositions. Directed by Jacques Feyder, it mixes history, art and social criticism in a staging rich in visual details.

4. Love Is the Devil (1998).
A somber and psychological portrait of the painter Francis Bacon, centered on his relationship with the thief George Dyer. The film does not show his works directly due to rights issues, but manages to evoke his style and essence with a raw and intense aesthetic.

5. My Masterpiece (2018).
Argentine comedy that offers an ironic critique of the contemporary art world. A gallery owner and a decaying painter get involved in an unexpected strategy to get recognition. Light-hearted but with a sharp look at the art industry.

6. The Moon and Sixpence (1942).
Loosely inspired by the life of Paul Gauguin, this adaptation of Somerset Maugham's novel follows a man who abandons his conventional life to devote himself to painting in Tahiti. A classic that poses the relationship between genius, madness and freedom.

7. Moulin Rouge (1952).
Directed by John Huston, this biography of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec takes us to the bohemian Paris of the 19th century. Through a colorful and decadent aesthetic, it narrates the life of the painter and his environment among cabarets, alcohol and art.

8. The Man Who Called Himself Greco (2007).
Biographical film about Domenikos Theotokopoulos, known as El Greco. Produced in Greece and set between Crete, Venice and Toledo, it explores the painter's struggle for artistic freedom in a context marked by the Inquisition.

9. The Mystery of Picasso (1956).
A film experiment directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot that shows Pablo Picasso painting in real time. The camera records his creative process from the back of the canvas, allowing us to see how his works emerge and evolve. Fascinating and unique.

10. Utamaro and his five women (1946).
A work by director Kenji Mizoguchi about the famous Japanese engraver Kitagawa Utamaro. Set in 18th century Japan, it explores the artist's relationship with his models and his struggle for freedom of expression in the face of censorship.

Learn more about Art History at Domestika

If these films have left you wanting to explore further, we invite you to discover more about art and artists with our courses and articles:

Fine Art courses on Domestika
Hugs in the History of Art: a journey through the expression of affection
Introduction to the History of Art