Understanding Art

Masterworks under the microscope View masterpieces as you've never seen them before This exceptional series documents the Louvre's study days, in which works by five major artists–Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Watteau, and Poussin–were collected together, removed from their frames, and set on easels, replicating the feel of an artist's studio. Curators, historians, restorers, and scientists from around the world came to examine and discuss them in total freedom. Looking through their eyes and listening in on their conversations, we observe the restorations, repairs, and often capricious changes made over the centuries. From up close, we see the faint lines where the artist changed his mind, witness how time has ravaged the canvases, and debate the evidence that a master painted a particular work. Engaging animations explain and simplify complex language and concepts. By revealing what isn't meant to be seen, this fascinating series shows that art is more than meets the eye.

Masterworks under the microscope View masterpieces as you've never seen them before This exceptional series documents the Louvre's study days, in which works by five major artists–Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Watteau, and Poussin–were collected together, removed from their frames, and set on easels, replicating the feel of an artist's studio. Curators, historians, restorers, and scientists from around the world came to examine and discuss them in total freedom. Looking through their eyes and listening in on their conversations, we observe the restorations, repairs, and often capricious changes made over the centuries. From up close, we see the faint lines where the artist changed his mind, witness how time has ravaged the canvases, and debate the evidence that a master painted a particular work. Engaging animations explain and simplify complex language and concepts. By revealing what isn't meant to be seen, this fascinating series shows that art is more than meets the eye.

The sunny landscapes and shimmering portraits of the 19th century impressionists adorn candy boxes and designer T-shirts. But as critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this four-part documentary, the artistic movement didn't always enjoy the widespread popularity it has today. In their time, impressionists were artistic rebels who threw out the rules set by Paris's prestigious art salons. As Januszczak visits the studios, hot spots, and rustic vistas that inspired the artists, he sheds light on a motley collection of personalities, from Jean-Frederic Bazille, a gifted, nearly seven-foot-tall painter who helped bankroll his fellow artists, to Claude Monet, whose obsession with water compelled him to build a floating studio. When they banded together for eight legendary exhibitions between 1874 and 1886, they forever expanded the boundaries of art.

The sunny landscapes and shimmering portraits of the 19th century impressionists adorn candy boxes and designer T-shirts. But as critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this four-part documentary, the artistic movement didn't always enjoy the widespread popularity it has today. In their time, impressionists were artistic rebels who threw out the rules set by Paris's prestigious art salons. As Januszczak visits the studios, hot spots, and rustic vistas that inspired the artists, he sheds light on a motley collection of personalities, from Jean-Frederic Bazille, a gifted, nearly seven-foot-tall painter who helped bankroll his fellow artists, to Claude Monet, whose obsession with water compelled him to build a floating studio. When they banded together for eight legendary exhibitions between 1874 and 1886, they forever expanded the boundaries of art.

Hollywood directors have drawn inspiration from airy baroque paintings of the 17th century, while Elvis Presley’s coif owes a debt to rococo’s freewheeling 18th-century aesthetic. In companion documentaries, art critic Waldemar Januszczak takes a wild ride across Europe to show how these diverse but equally powerful art movements continue to reverberate today.

The sunny landscapes and shimmering portraits of the 19th century impressionists adorn candy boxes and designer T-shirts. But as critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this four-part documentary, the artistic movement didn't always enjoy the widespread popularity it has today. In their time, impressionists were artistic rebels who threw out the rules set by Paris's prestigious art salons. As Januszczak visits the studios, hot spots, and rustic vistas that inspired the artists, he sheds light on a motley collection of personalities, from Jean-Frederic Bazille, a gifted, nearly seven-foot-tall painter who helped bankroll his fellow artists, to Claude Monet, whose obsession with water compelled him to build a floating studio. When they banded together for eight legendary exhibitions between 1874 and 1886, they forever expanded the boundaries of art.

Hollywood directors have drawn inspiration from airy baroque paintings of the 17th century, while Elvis Presley’s coif owes a debt to rococo’s freewheeling 18th-century aesthetic. In companion documentaries, art critic Waldemar Januszczak takes a wild ride across Europe to show how these diverse but equally powerful art movements continue to reverberate today.

The sunny landscapes and shimmering portraits of the 19th century impressionists adorn candy boxes and designer T-shirts. But as critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this four-part documentary, the artistic movement didn't always enjoy the widespread popularity it has today. In their time, impressionists were artistic rebels who threw out the rules set by Paris's prestigious art salons. As Januszczak visits the studios, hot spots, and rustic vistas that inspired the artists, he sheds light on a motley collection of personalities, from Jean-Frederic Bazille, a gifted, nearly seven-foot-tall painter who helped bankroll his fellow artists, to Claude Monet, whose obsession with water compelled him to build a floating studio. When they banded together for eight legendary exhibitions between 1874 and 1886, they forever expanded the boundaries of art.

Hollywood directors have drawn inspiration from airy baroque paintings of the 17th century, while Elvis Presley’s coif owes a debt to rococo’s freewheeling 18th-century aesthetic. In companion documentaries, art critic Waldemar Januszczak takes a wild ride across Europe to show how these diverse but equally powerful art movements continue to reverberate today.

Hollywood directors have drawn inspiration from airy baroque paintings of the 17th century, while Elvis Presley’s coif owes a debt to rococo’s freewheeling 18th-century aesthetic. In companion documentaries, art critic Waldemar Januszczak takes a wild ride across Europe to show how these diverse but equally powerful art movements continue to reverberate today.