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Unknown Role
How does the art we consume reflect the times we live in? A topical look at the latest film, TV, music, books and theatre - through the eyes of their creators and their audiences.
Andrew Graham-Dixon explores the history of Scandinavia through its art.
A series on Renaissance painting presented by Matthew Collings.
A four-part documentary about the "Tangentopoli" scandal, which shook the Italian political system in the early 1990s.
Follow Chen Danqing's eyes to gain insight into the subtle and vast world of Wanhua and enjoy the wonderful details of famous paintings. Chen Danqing's eyes are a precious artistic treasure of this era. This program, through his eyes, his words, his insight and aesthetics, tells the story of each minute part of a masterpiece of Chinese and Western painting, a wonderful detail that no one notices but will be enlightened and applauded after seeing it. The whole film was shot in Chen Danqing's studio and later supplemented with a lot of animation effects. Through topics and stories of interest to young people, the film is guided to re-examine the neglected corners of art creation and artists in various periods.
The cemetery, for all its creepiness and mystery, is actually a fascinating place to uncover incredible art, surprising architectural finds, and a rich and varied history. In this provocative and edgy series, we travel from Paris to New Orleans, New York to London, Hollywood and beyond exploring some of the world’s most interesting and visually compelling cemeteries. We uncover fascinating, often scandalous, tales of the graveyard’s residents, plus curious angles, quirky traits, and, first and foremost- artistic appeal.
Journalist Fiona Bruce teams up with art expert Philip Mould to investigate the provenance or attribution of notable artworks.
Articulate connects audiences to the human stories behind art, offering a trustworthy, visually stimulating, never ordinary take on classical, contemporary, and popular art forms. From acclaimed musicians and best-selling authors to designers changing the way we live, each episode explores what great creative thinkers and doers can tell us about who we are, who we’ve been, and who we might become.
Historian Bettany Hughes retraces the lives of three great thinkers whose ideas shaped the modern world - Karl Marx, Frederick Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud.
This two-part, four-hour documentary delves into the world of a 15th-century art titan and unravels his journey while shedding light on his lasting impact on future generations.
The Joy of Painting was an American television show hosted by painter Bob Ross that taught its viewers techniques for landscape oil painting. Although Ross could complete a painting in half an hour, the intent of the show was not to teach viewers "speed painting". Rather, he intended for viewers to learn certain techniques within the time that the show was allotted. The show began on January 11, 1983, and lasted until May 17, 1994, a year before Ross' death.
Comedic ornithological series, Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy Moir will follow prolific artist Jim and his wife Nancy as they explore some of Britain’s best beauty spots, joined along the way by a few famous friends. Their challenge? Create an original piece of bird art celebrating the unique species native to that region over the course of a weekend. Accompanied in each episode by local twitchers, artists and conservation experts, Jim, and Nancy will be guided through forest and fen as they venture through wild countryside and local bird sanctuaries to gather inspiration. They’ll spend meditative weekends sketching and painting their feathery subjects, tackling everything from grouse to goshawks and bitterns to bearded tits.
Treasures of Ancient Rome is a 2012 three-part documentary written and presented by Alastair Sooke. The series was produced by the BBC, and originally aired in September 2012 on BBC Four. In the documentary Sooke sets out to "debunk the myth that Romans didn't do art and were unoriginal". This is based on the view that Romans heavily incorporated Greek style in their art, and hence produced nothing new or original. Sooke has received some criticism from the media owing to the fact that there is no consensus among academics on this topic, and hence no 'myth' exists in the first place.
I went on a 5 week trip through Switzerland, Italy & Croatia, my first big trip in over 18 months.
John Berger's Ways of Seeing changed the way people think about painting and art criticism. This watershed work shows, through word and image, how what we see is always influenced by a whole host of assumptions concerning the nature of beauty, truth, civilization, form, taste, class and gender. Exploring the layers of meaning within oil paintings, photographs and graphic art, Berger argues that when we see, we are not just looking - we are reading the language of images.
Inside Art' celebrates the UK arts scene, talks to curator, artists and art lovers, and explores the stories behind the artwork. Presenter Kate Bryan conducts the viewer through new and unusual art exhibitions across the United Kingdom.
Alberto Angela takes us on a new journey, this time to discover Italy's "Wonders," those that make us a true "peninsula of treasures." Four episodes, twelve stops on an itinerary of art and natural beauty in UNESCO World Heritage sites.