i've watched a couple of episodes
from the BBC series of Simon Schama's Power of Art
Bernini and Rembrandt episodes
on our blessed public television channel PBS
"Art is the enemy of the routine, the mechanical and the humdrum. It stops us in our tracks with a high voltage jolt of disturbance; it reminds us of what humanity can do beyond the daily grind. It takes us places we had never dreamed of going; it makes us look again at what we had taken for granted."
~ Simon Schama
the first minutes of Bernini's "Ecstasy of St. Theresa" Episode
the episodes analyze a central piece by a given artist
and around this narrative, Simon unfolds their life story
Simon Schama wrote and narrates the series, his style is fresh
and even funny at times... as when he refers to Bernini
as... "...that bastard!", a relaxed and unique style
that makes every twist and turn of the narrative
a bit dramatic, it is almost like a watching a soup-opera
where the casts are Popes, painters, sculptures, all while learning
a lot about art history, and world history, too.
I learn a lot about Amsterdam on Rembrandt's episode
these two episodes... highly recommended!
Episodes
1. Caravaggio - David with the Head of Goliath
2. Bernini - Ecstasy of Saint Theresa
3. Rembrandt - The Conspiracy of Claudius Civilis
4. David - The Death of Marat
5. Turner - The Slave Ship
6. Van Gogh - Wheatfield with Crows
7. Picasso - Guernica
8. Rothko - Black on Maroon
you can view them all online here
but just like movies on the big screen
TV series are meant to be watched, well, on your TV
upcoming episodes in KPBS, San Diego
May 27, 2010 11:00PM
June 3, 2010 11:00PM
thank you PBS!
