Historian Simon Schama recounts the story of eight moments of high drama in the making of eight artistic masterpieces.
Social & External
The people behind it
Simon Schama
Simon Schama explores the history of British portraiture, revealing the stories behind the most compelling images in British art and examining the ways portraiture is used to make a statement.
The cemetery, for all its creepiness and mystery, is actually a fascinating place to uncover incredible art, surprising architectural finds, and a rich and varied history. In this provocative and edgy series, we travel from Paris to New Orleans, New York to London, Hollywood and beyond exploring some of the world’s most interesting and visually compelling cemeteries. We uncover fascinating, often scandalous, tales of the graveyard’s residents, plus curious angles, quirky traits, and, first and foremost- artistic appeal.
« For over twenty years we have filmed at night in the most important museums in the world. It's the only possible time to film the empty halls or the precious artifacts out of the windows because there are no visitors. But at night the Museum changes face. Just you in front of the masterpieces in the silence. The Museum seems to show and offer you its treasures in an atmosphere of intimacy. I always wanted to transmit and give this atmosphere that I breathed to viewers. » (Alberto Angela)
Dr Adam Rutherford investigates the close relationship between discoveries in anatomy and the works of art that illustrate them.
Unframed immerses viewers in Lebanon's creative pulse, following independent artists as they navigate their craft, inspirations, and challenges—offering an intimate and unfiltered look at the role of art in a country undergoing constant change.
A series of 6 Arts Documentaries, fronted by supermodel, actress and Cambridge Arts graduate, Lily Cole. Lily gets unprecedented access to some of today's most revered and successful contemporary artists. In the name of Art; she navigates the desert with 'wrap' artist Christo, learns the art of boomerang throwing with Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco, models for a nude portrait for Contemporary artist Fiona Banner, has a drawing lesson with the sculptor, Antony Gormley, touches down in Monaco for Marc Quinn's latest exhibition and paints pictures with the doyenne of celluloid film, Tacita Dean. These intimate portraits of artists at home and at play show a side to them rarely seen before. Largely observational documentary in style, there are also contributions from high profile curators, collectors and art commentators; from Ralf Rugoff, Director of the Hayward Gallery to Germaine Geer and, champion of public art, Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Andrew Graham-Dixon embarks on his most ambitious journey yet, an exploration of the rich, exciting and diverse art history of the United States of America
Andrew Graham-Dixon undertakes an epic journey to uncover the art of China.
Through the beauty of artistic forms, Ramon Gener goes inside the inner workings of human nature. All artists use art to explain their emotions.
Seven Ages of Britain is a BBC television documentary series which is written and presented by David Dimbleby. The seven part series was first aired on Sunday nights at 9:00pm on BBC One starting on 31 January 2010. The series covers the history of Britain's greatest art and artefacts over the past 2000 years. Each episode covers a different period in British history. In Australia, all seven episodes aired on ABC1 each Tuesday at 8:30pm from 7 September 2010.
Rebellious, provocative and unapologetic. The Young British Artists crashed the 90s art scene, making Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and others household names. This is their story.
Hervé Tullet, an artist of playful and uninhibited creations, invites young and old to unleash their creativity. He offers a series of creation, recreation and inspiration workshops, so that anyone can put together their own Ideal Exhibition.
An art magazine show guest-edited by a different personality each week.
Artist Helen Dealtry gives a glimpse into the creative process of painting.
Great Southern Landscapes follows art lover and actor Rachel Griffiths as she explores Australia's most iconic landscapes and the untold personal, social and cultural stories behind them.
Great Art Explained is a video series that focuses on one piece of art per episode, breaking it down, using clear and concise language free of 'art-speak'.
Our citizen space accommodates a large number of artistic manifestations that account for the way in which their authors interpret the context in which they are immersed. Living Art is a series of 10 chapters that seeks to be the reflection of the views of those who through art pay new ways of interpreting the world but above all to share their interests, their passions as well as their likes and dislikes which are a fundamental part of his inspiration, thus focusing on his human side.
On a journey through a dozen countries, Anik Magny met contemporary artists who are exploring the secrets of desire and the forbidden, creating stunning works that stimulate the senses and give us pause.
American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the cultural landscape of the United States.
Don Wildman unearths relics from the world's greatest institutions to reveal secrets from the past. He examines each artifact to illuminate history's most incredible triumphs, sensational crimes and bizarre encounters.
Infographics and archival footage deliver bite-size history lessons on scientific breakthroughs, social movements and world-changing discoveries.
Doctor Who Confidential is a documentary to complement the revival of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Each episode was broadcast on BBC Three on Saturdays, immediately after the broadcast of the weekly television episode on BBC One. The running time of the first two series was 30 minutes, being extended to 45 minutes in the third. BBC Three also broadcast a cut-down edition of the programme, lasting 15 minutes, shown after the repeats on Sundays and Fridays and after the weekday evening repeats of earlier seasons.
Biography is a documentary television series. It was originally a half-hour filmed series produced for CBS by David Wolper from 1961 to 1964 and hosted by Mike Wallace. The A&E Network later re-ran it and has produced new episodes since 1987. The older version featured historical figures such as Helen Keller and Mark Twain, or long-dead entertainment figures such as Will Rogers or John Barrymore. The A&E series has placed the emphasis on such people as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Plácido Domingo, Freddie Mercury, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Eric Clapton, Pope John Paul II, Gene Tierney, Selena, Diego Rivera, Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II, and fictional characters like The Phantom, Superman, Hamlet, Betty Boop, and Santa Claus. The program ended up profiling enough figures that in 1999, A&E spun it off into an entire network, The Biography Channel.
Award-winning actor and nervous explorer Eugene Levy steps out of his comfort zone for a whirlwind tour of the world's most beautiful and intriguing destinations.
TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
Sir Kenneth Clark guides us through the ages exploring the glorious rise of civilisation in western man. Beginning with the bleakness of the dark ages to the present day, we consider civilisation's articulations and expressions in some of man's finest works of art.
MegaStructures is a documentary television series appearing on the National Geographic Channel in the United States and the United Kingdom, Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, France 5 in France, and 7mate in Australia. Each episode is an educational look of varying depth into the construction, operation, and staffing of various structures or construction projects, but not ordinary construction products. Generally containing interviews with designers and project managers, it presents the problems of construction and the methodology or techniques used to overcome obstacles. In some cases this involved the development of new materials or products that are now in general use within the construction industry. MegaStructures focuses on constructions that are extreme; in the sense that they are the biggest, tallest, longest, or deepest in the world. Alternatively, a project may appear if it had an element of novelty or are a world first. This type of project is known as a Megaproject.
In a tumultuous era, 1971 was a year of musical innovation and rebirth fueled by the political and cultural upheaval of the time. Stars reached new heights, fresh talent exploded onto the scene, and boundaries expanded like never before.
A series of standalone documentaries powered by the unparalleled journalism and insight of The New York Times, bringing viewers close to the essential stories of our time.
Motoring programme featuring reviews of and reports about cars of all types.
30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This currently includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts. This entry refers to the main Volumes of the series presented by ESPN
The documentary takes viewers through Janet Jackson's life and career, contain never-before-seen footage, and feature home videos from the legendary artist. Jackson discusses her controversial 2004 Super Bowl halftime show performance with Justin Timberlake, her father Joe Jackson, the death of her brother Michael Jackson, and more.
Oscar and Grammy Award-winning producer and artist Mark Ronson explores the intersection of technology and musical innovation with his heroes and fellow hitmakers – including Paul McCartney, DJ Premier, Charli XCX, Dave Grohl, and Questlove.
An insider's look at the engineering and scientific miracles behind the things that form the modern world.
Filmed across six continents, this docuseries uses cutting-edge camera technology to capture animals' nocturnal lives, revealing new behaviours filmed in full color like never before.
An in-depth look at the history and pop cultural significance of horror films.
In this true-crime documentary, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him to justice.
Revisit the epic heroes, villains and moments from across the MCU in preparation for the stories still to come. Each dynamic segment feeds directly into the upcoming series — setting the stage for future events. This series weaves together the many threads that constitute the unparalleled Marvel Cinematic Universe.