Arts & Literature
Rembrandt
He was the most successful artist working in the richest city on Earth – glittering 17th-century Amsterdam. Like a modern-day rock star, he loved to live extravagantly. But money woes, tragedy and rumor soon left Rembrandt’s reputation in tatters. But these controversies spurred the artist on to create some of his most celebrated works.
Simon Schama delves into Rembrandt’s final, scandal-strewn years in this art history documentary.
The Art of Gothic
This BBC Select art history documentary spends some time down in the dungeon as it delves into the world of the Gothic.
Acclaimed art historian Andrew Graham-Dixon explores how a group of 19th-century architects and artists spurned the modern age and turned to Britain’s medieval past to create iconic works and buildings with a distinctly creepy edge.
But what attracted them to the dark side?
Van Gogh: Painted with Words
Van Gogh Painted with Words is a powerful, award-winning drama documentary featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as artist Vincent Van Gogh.
Based on years of painstaking research, with every single word of dialogue sourced from his original writings, this is the story of Vincent van Gogh in his own words.
Presented by Alan Yentob and with a powerful performance from the Sherlock and Doctor Strange actor, Van Gogh: Painted with Words is a Vincent Van Gogh documentary like no other and paints a portrait of a sophisticated, civilized yet tormented man.
The Art of Spain
Italy and northern Europe’s art legacies are legendary. But what about Spain?
In this absorbing and original three-part Spanish art documentary series, critic and historian Andrew Graham-Dixon goes on the road to reveal the fabulous art treasures of this country.
He explores some of Europe’s most important artists, from Renaissance to Modernist – including Goya, Picasso, Dalí, El Greco and Velázquez.
Simon Schama's Shakespeare and Us
How much is the personality of England intertwined with the visions of Shakespeare? Acclaimed historian Simon Schama tries to get beneath the skin of the playwright and understand why his stories are so relevant today. Shakespeare knew the importance of not just reflecting the lives of the kings and queens who peppered his plays, but ordinary people too – including thieves, clowns and prostitutes.