Customer Reviews

Art of Western World 3 [VHS]

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I teach art history and art appreciation. For years I have been using this series in class. It is about as sexy a documentary series as I have ever used (the American Visions series is the sexiest, but harder to work into an art history class). The filming (on location) is beautiful and Michael Wood's enthusiasim is contagious.

All right, so I will never be recognized as the one true arbiter of good cultural taste. For years, I have tried (and, finally, with the help of others) helped Lord Kenneth Clark's Civilisation series reach the DVD pantheon here in America. But other remarkable series have gone a'begging. One is Alistair Cooke's America. Another is this extraordinary series hosted by Michael Wood. It is not only true eye candy (as any good art history survey should be), but its "brow" is never too high. Wood is ever the companion and personal docent who allows us to come along with him, while never looking (or talking) down at us. On top of this, he never comes off as the "hired gun" series host, but is constantly energized and engaged. Finally, we do not merely go museum hopping, but we are transported to wherever we are really supposed to be in order to appreciate and immerse ourselves in the art, the history and the culture. Not only is there no DVD, but it appears not possible even to acquire the full VHS set on Amazon anymore. This is a great loss. If Kultur Video, the original producer, or anyone else finds this not a worthwhile endeavor, go on the Annenberg/CPB website and watch it there (if you still can).

This video contains two 2-part lessons (4 parts total):

The Age of Reason/Age of Passion
Part 1) Playful fantasy and provocative subjects of the Rococo style: Watteau, Fragonard, Boucher, and the first Rationalism.

Part 2) The emergence of individual expression in Romanticism: Goya, Gericault, Delacroix, etc.


A Fresh View: Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Part 1) The first giants of impressionism: Courbet, Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir

Part 2) Post-Impressionism: Van Gogh, Cezanne, Seurat and Gauguin. And, England's Pre-Raphaelites: Millais and Rosetti, and Homer and Whistler.