47 Films About Art and Artists

Following a life-altering accident, John Callahan embarks on a difficult journey toward sobriety and finds healing through art. He begins drawing cartoons with his injured hands, creating humorous and sometimes provocative images that give him a renewed sense of purpose.

The film follows the final years of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani's life in Paris, 1919, and his artistic competition with Pablo Picasso. Modigliani, who is Jewish, finds love with Jeanne, a young Catholic woman. They have a child out of…

Artemisia Gentileschi, born in 1593, was a significant figure in art history, known for her challenging life and rise to become one of the first famous female painters. The film follows her life, beginning with her early years under the…

The film chronicles Valerie Solanas, a controversial figure of the 1960s who wrote the "SCUM" manifesto, advocating radical changes to societal gender roles. She also wrote a screenplay hoping to gain the attention of Andy Warhol, believing him to be…

Beatrix Potter, best known for "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," navigates challenges in her pursuit of love, contentment, and recognition for her work.

During the politically turbulent 1930s, a daring leftist musical aims to challenge American society through art. But the work encounters strong opposition from powerful political figures and conservative groups determined to suppress its message. The story explores freedom of expression,…

This film portrays the challenging life of Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch artist celebrated for his distinctive and emotionally charged art. Struggling with mental health and artistic setbacks, Van Gogh finds unwavering support from his brother, Theo. Seeking fresh inspiration…

"Paz!" Follows a group of university students living together in Bologna during the 1970s. Inspired by the comics of Andrea Pazienza, the story captures a day in their lives as they navigate drugs, school, relationships, and weak political involvement. It's…

This is the remarkable true story of Louis Wain, a uniquely eccentric British artist. His whimsical and often surreal depictions of cats profoundly changed how the world saw these animals.

A young man travels to Arles, France, Van Gogh's final home, to deliver the artist's last letter. He becomes drawn into uncovering the circumstances surrounding Van Gogh's final days.

This documentary series offers a realistic look inside New York City's law enforcement and criminal justice system. It follows police detectives as they carefully investigate serious crimes, working to gather evidence and question suspects. They then present their findings to…

Virgil Oldman is a highly respected antiques expert and auctioneer. An unconventional and brilliant man, he prefers a solitary life, avoiding personal connections. When he's asked to appraise and sell her family’s valuable art collection by Claire, a woman carrying…

The film explores the complex emotional relationship between painter Dora Carrington and writer Lytton Strachey. Despite Strachey's known homosexuality, he is drawn to Dora's enigmatic personality, leading to a deep and lasting friendship with romantic feelings. As Dora develops feelings…

This film chronicles the relationship between American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

In 1953, Katherine Watson, a recent UCLA graduate, takes a job teaching art history at Wellesley College, a renowned women's school. She intends to challenge societal norms and the college’s traditional values. Katherine encourages her students, including Betty and Joan,…

Christy Brown's inspiring story follows his remarkable achievements despite severe physical limitations. Born into a working-class Irish family, he lives with cerebral palsy, leaving him unable to control his body. At five years old, he unexpectedly demonstrates control by writing…

This film explores the life of M.C. Escher (1898-1972) through his own writings: diary entries, letters, and lecture notes.

The film is based on Tracy Chevalier's novel and recounts the story of how Johannes Vermeer painted "Girl With A Pearl Earring" in 17th-century Holland. A young peasant girl working as a servant in Vermeer's household becomes his assistant and…

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, artist Walter Keane becomes incredibly famous for his portraits of children with large eyes. The public doesn't know that his wife, Margaret, is actually the one painting them. Though deeply disturbed to discover…

In 1958 New York, Diane Arbus is a wife and mother assisting her husband, a photographer working for his wealthy family. Despite her seemingly comfortable life, Diane feels out of place in her privileged surroundings. A new neighbor sparks her…

The Monuments Men is a true story about a remarkable mission during World War II. A team of unlikely heroes – museum directors, artists, architects, curators, and art historians – risked everything to save priceless works of art from Nazi…

The film explores the life of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, a celebrated 17th-century painter famous for his dramatic Baroque style and controversial themes. It follows his artistic triumphs and his complicated connections with the less savory side of life. The…

The film follows Toni Ligabue, a gifted but naive painter who, as a child living in the Po Valley, often drew tigers, lions, and jaguars while surrounded by poplar trees. His difficult childhood transforms into a kind of fairy tale…

Vienna, Austria, 1910. The promising painter Egon Schiele is known for his bold and unconventional art, which blends erotic themes with a raw honesty that both challenges and captivates those who see it.

This film explores the formative years and romantic relationships of artist Salvador Dalí, filmmaker Luis Buñuel, and writer Federico García Lorca.

In his final 25 years, the unconventional British painter J.M.W. Turner embraces life with passion. He secretly develops a relationship with a woman who runs a seaside inn, while his devoted housekeeper harbors a hidden affection for him.

In 1937, the Nazi regime staged two exhibitions in Munich: one to denigrate "Degenerate Art" (art they systematically stole and destroyed), and another, personally curated by Hitler, to celebrate "Classic Art." This documentary explores the Nazis' complex relationship with both…

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a renowned French painter, thrived in the vibrant cultural scene of Montmartre, Paris, during the late 1800s. He battled lifelong health problems, often linked to inbreeding. His life and art perfectly embody the bohemian spirit of late…

The film explores Edvard Munch's difficult life, shaped by a childhood of loss and illness, including the deaths of his mother and sister, and his own serious health struggles. At university, he discovers a talent for painting, using it to…

During the Italian Renaissance, this film explores the complicated relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo, a renowned artist. The powerful Pope commissions Michelangelo to sculpt forty statues for his tomb, but then asks him to paint a mural in…

This is a biography of Frida Kahlo, the artist who transformed the suffering from a severe physical injury and a turbulent marriage into powerful works of art.

Paradise Found is a biography of the painter Paul Gauguin. It centers on his internal struggle between his responsibilities to his family and his life in France, and his pursuit of a new artistic path in Tahiti. Through vivid imagery,…

Alan Yentob presents this drama-documentary starring Benedict Cumberbatch. The film features only dialogue drawn from Vincent van Gogh's letters to his brother Theo and others in his life. The result is a detailed portrayal of a refined, cultured, and deeply…

Vincent van Gogh, a celebrated yet deeply troubled artist, spends his last years in Arles, France, creating iconic paintings of the landscapes around him.

Marina Abramović, a renowned performance artist, is preparing for a significant exhibition of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

In August 1949, Life Magazine asked the question, "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" This film explores the life of an exceptional man, often described as "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity nobody…

The head art curator at a renowned museum in Stockholm faces difficulties both at work and in his private life as he works to organize a highly debated new exhibition.

Paris, 1964. Renowned Swiss sculptor and painter Alberto Giacometti asks his friend, American writer James Lord, to pose for a portrait, promising it will only take two or three hours, at most an afternoon.

Imagine stepping into a famous painting, watching it unfold around you, and seeing the artist sketch the scene as it happens. From acclaimed Polish filmmaker Lech Majewski, *The Mill and the Cross* is a film that recreates Pieter Bruegel's masterpiece,…

Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis develops a romantic relationship with a fishmonger while living with him as his housekeeper.

This is a look at Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, known for his opulent and sensual paintings that became a hallmark of the Art Nouveau movement in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

During the mid-1960s, privileged socialite Edie Sedgwick encounters artist Andy Warhol. She becomes a central figure at Warhol's Factory and his primary muse. Despite outward appearances of success, Edie struggles to gain genuine affection from Warhol and begins an affair…

The Merchant-Ivory film tells the compelling story of Francoise Gilot, a woman who confronted the volatile personality of Pablo Picasso. The film follows Gilot’s strength and resolve as she experiences the difficulties of love and art with one of history's…

A violent gang hires a hypnotherapist to find a painting that disappeared during a robbery.

Spanish painter Francisco Goya becomes entangled with the Spanish Inquisition when his inspiration, Inés, is accused of heresy and arrested by the church. Her family appeals to Goya, believing his relationship with the zealous Inquisitor Lorenzo, whom Goya is portraying…

This film portrays Vincent van Gogh after leaving an asylum, finding refuge with Dr. Gachet. While struggling with his mental health, he finds solace in painting, using art to cope with his inner struggles. A relationship develops between van Gogh…