Art of the Western World

Magnificent masterpieces of the Western world are presented in their cultural and historical settings. From the restrained classical tradition to energetic and spontaneous modern art, each artistic movement is interpreted through its major paintings, sculptures, and works of architecture. Comments from internationally known art experts and critics assist in understanding and appreciation of the works. This series is also valuable for teachers seeking to review the subject matter. Produced by WNET/New York (major producer) 1989.  Click on the title of the episode to watch it.

1. The Classical Ideal
Part I: Traces the origins of humanism and the immortal classical style to Ancient Greece. Part II: The genius of Roman engineering and architecture was used to build an empire, while portrait sculpture exalted its rulers.

2. A White Garment of Churches — Romanesque and Gothic
Part I: With the fall of the Roman empire, Christianity flourished with the Church as patron of monumental Romanesque architecture and sculpture. Part II: The origin of Gothic architecture is found in the choir of the Abbey Church of St. Denis and the Chartres Cathedral serves as a model of High Gothic style.

3. The Early Renaissance
Part I: The rebirth of classical themes and humanistic ideas marked the Renaissance in Italy, as seen in Florentines Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Ghiberti, and Botticelli. Part II: Glowing color — made possible by the new medium of oil paint — and minute detail set the work of the Flemish masters Van Eyck and Grunewald apart from the Florentines.

4. The High Renaissance
Part I: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael displayed extraordinary talent working in a variety of media and elevated the status of the artist in Italian society. Part II: Venetians like Titian, Tintoretto, and Palladio readapted the classical style with a theatrical flourish.

5. Realms of Light — The Baroque
Part I: The Church’s campaign to counter the Reformation relied on dramatic depictions of religious scenes, such as those of Caravaggio and Bernini. Part II: The royal courts in Spain and the wealthy burghers in the Netherlands commissioned major paintings by Velazquez and Rembrandt and shaped their content.

6. An Age of Reason, An Age of Passion
Part I: The playful fantasy and provocative subjects of the Rococo style practiced by Watteau, Fragonard, and Boucher gave way to strict Rationalism, which insisted on morality in art and the purity of classical form, as seen in the works of David. Part II: Striving for individual expression, Romantic painters Goya, Gericault, and Delacroix demonstrated a range of styles and subjects.

7. A Fresh View — Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Part I: Courbet and his followers rejected the standard academic themes and techniques, Manet shocked Paris, and Impressionists represented the world bathed in color and changing light. Part II: Post-Impressionists Seurat, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Cézanne broke new ground with daring and imaginative use of color and approaches to form.

8. Into the Twentieth Century
Part I: With modernity came new energy and forms in Viennese building and painting. Paris saw the emergence of the Fauves, and of Picasso and Cubism. Kandinsky and others experimented with color abstraction. Part II: Modernism spawned not only Cubism, but also the abstract and the surreal. Le Corbusier and Wright applied the abstract principles to buildings. Dada responded to the devastation of WWI with nihilism; surrealists Dali, Magritte, and Miro showed Freudian influence.

9. In Our Own Time
Part I: The Abstract Expressionist movement established New York as a center for the visual arts. Works by Pollock, Warhol, Lichtenstein, and the sculptor Oldenburg are examined. Part II: With many of the rules tested and discarded, the art world has become international. Art is now accessible to everyone to create and appreciate. Host Michael Wood looks over the past and forward to implications for the future.

Tim Marlow’s Great Artists

A major 14 part television series in which art historian Tim Marlow takes a fresh look at the most important artworks of some of the greatest artists in history. Shot on location in over 50 galleries, museums, churches and palaces throughout Europe and the United States, this series is a comprehensive survey of the history of Western art. Both intelligent and informative, the series aims to provide an uncomplicated and accessible analysis of the works and artists featured including Giotto, Leonardo, Durer, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Bruegel, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, El Greco, Velázquez, Turner, and Van Gogh.

Director: Phil Grabsky Year: 2001 Country: England BBC

 1- Giotto Watch on Tudou
2- Leonardo Da Vinci Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
3- Durer Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
4- Michelangelo Watch on Tudou
5- Raphael Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
6- Titian Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
7- Bruegel Watch on Tudou
8- Greco Watch on Tudou
9- Rubens Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
10- Velazquez Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
11- Rembrandt Watch on Tudou
12- Vermeer Watch on Veoh  Watch on Tudou
13- Turner Watch on YouKu  Watch on Tudou  Watch on Veoh
14- Van Gogh Watch on Veoh  Watch on YouKu  Watch on Tudou

Other Great Artists from the continuing series include:  Delacroix on Veoh, Goya on Tudou, Piero della Francesca on Tudou and Whistler on Veoh