Arts & Literature
Auction
Enjoy exclusive access behind the scenes in London, Paris and New York as the doors of the world’s greatest auction houses are thrown wide open. Watch as a huge range of art treasures, fabulous jewelry, Hollywood memorabilia, ancient artifacts and historical items sell for jaw-dropping amounts. Passions rise as the bidding grows more frenzied, the prices build and the pressure increases. Stream seasons 1-11 in the US and Canada on BBC Select.
Wonderland: Gothic
‘Gothic’ is an enduring artistic and cultural phenomenon. But what exactly is it and where did it come from? This intriguing new documentary looks at the Gothic in all its forms, taking in works as diverse as Dracula, Wuthering Heights and The Night of the Living Dead. It explores the fascinating origins of this counterculture staple, often connected to the marginalized or powerless.
The Divine Michelangelo
500 years ago, Michelangelo created three of the art world’s greatest and most enduring icons: the statue of David, the painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and the dome of St Peter’s in Rome. This revealing drama documentary traces his development from angry young man to renowned sculptor and creator of incredible paintings. How was one individual capable of producing such work?
Toulouse-Lautrec
The celebrated French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was the creator of some of the most popular paintings in modern art. An aristocrat by birth, he spent much of his career recording the bars, dancehalls and brothels of Paris. Although hugely successful his was a tragic life, scarred by alcoholism and illness. This documentary explores the life and work of this intriguing, influential artist.
Art, Passion and Power: The Story of the Royal Collection
The Royal Collection is the last great art collection acquired by any of the royal families of Europe to have survived into the twenty-first century. Containing over a million art pieces and precious objects, it not only contains work by some of the world’s most famous artists, but it also reveals the personal history, tastes, and obsessions of the British monarchy over the last 500 years.