Sky Arts Documentaries

Caravaggio was more than the incredibly talented bad boy of the art world; he was also very secretive about the techniques he used to create his revolutionary art. This film looks at the life of this tempestuous man and at the mystery of his technique. In the summer of 2010, the peaceful Italian coastal town of Porto Ercole became the scene of a momentous discovery. It was the end of a long trail, the final chapter in a mystery that had gripped the art world for 400 years. Beneath the floor of a burial crypt the possible remains of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio were brought to light; one of the greatest artists of all time, one who had turned the art of painting on its head - and then disappeared without a trace. Aside from being one of the greatest artists in the 16th Century, Caravaggio was also the most neglected, because of his temper and his revolutionary creations. His character, like his art, was confrontational and uncompromising; bold, driven, ingenious, he was both loved and hated. Though his great skill meant he was in demand from churches across Italy, his realistic work shocked people. His art blended the beautiful and the decadent, the religious and the obscene, the light and the shade, like never before. This film looks at the life of this tempestuous man and at the mystery of his techniques that made him so unique.

Sue Perkins, going back to the piano after 25 years, movingly unveils a vulnerable side

This documentary examines American realist painter Edward Hopper's life, including testimonies from people who knew him, and by those inspired by his work, like German filmmaker Wim Wenders. From Mad Men to Blade Runner and The Simpsons, Hopper's scenes of modern American Life, most notably Nighthawks, have been recreated in myriad films and TV shows, while his style has influenced the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Terrence Malick. Obsessed with the everyday, Hopper depicted all-night diners, cinemas, petrol stations, hotel lobbies and a theatre, filling them with seemingly isolated and alienated figures, because he believed loneliness was an inherent feature of city life. This documentary reveals the social and cultural context surrounding Hopper's work, while also exploring his independence as a painter, the many references to his work in film and the widespread production of his works.

Fantasy author Terry Pratchett discusses his brilliantly inventive novels, inspiration and life in a candid conversation with Rob Wilkins. From the Telegraph Hay Festival 2012.

The story of Tintin creator Georges Remi, better known by his pen name of Herge. The programme reveals how his best-known character began life as the star of satirical cartoons before political intervention saw the writer pen the swashbuckling adventures the boy reporter is known for today. The programme also looks at allegations of racism made against one of Remi's books, which saw Tintin and his friends visit the Congo.