"Art of the Western World" (1989) TV series 1989-

Director:

Tony Cash

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Provides a panorama of 2000 years of architecture, painting and sculpture, and studies the art masterpieces as reflections of the Western culture that produced them.

Plot Keywords:

Architecture | Art | Impressionists | Sculpture | Renaissance

Cast

Michael Wood

...

Himself - Presenter / ... (18 episodes, 1989-1990)

Series Directed by
Geoff Dunlop		(5 episodes, 1989)
Perry Miller Adato		(2 episodes, 1989)
Suzanne Bauman		(2 episodes, 1990)
Melissa Llewelyn-Davies		(2 episodes, 1990)
Ian Potts		(2 episodes, 1990)
Teri Wehn-Damisch		(2 episodes, 1990)
Tony Cash		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Perry Miller Adato		(1 episode, 1989)

Series Produced by
Geoff Dunlop	....	producer (5 episodes, 1989)
Perry Miller Adato	....	producer (2 episodes, 1989)
Suzanne Bauman	....	producer (2 episodes, 1990)
Melissa Llewelyn-Davies	....	producer (2 episodes, 1990)
Ian Potts	....	producer (2 episodes, 1990)
Teri Wehn-Damisch	....	producer (2 episodes, 1990)

Series Film Editing by
Kevin Boland		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Valerie Ames	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Saverio Camporeale	....	sound editor (1 episode)

Series Visual Effects by
Kevin Boland	....	computer graphics designer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Saverio Camporeale	....	assistant editor (1 episode)

Series Music Department
Mitch Farber	....	composer: theme music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Val Ames	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Denise Hooker	....	series art consultant (unknown episodes)
David Maconochie	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Television South (TVS)
• Thirteen / WNET

Distributors

• Channel Four (1989-1990) (UK) (TV)
• PBS (1989) (USA) (TV)

Runtime:

UK:60 min (13 episodes) | UK:26 min (18 episodes) | USA:57 min (9 episodes)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Television South (TVS)

Magnificent! Now on DVD.

This 9-hour presentation, hosted by the illustrious Michael Wood, covers 2500 years of Western art, architecture, and sculpture, beginning with its indelible foundations in ancient Greece and Rome. The series took four years to produce, and and it visits 150 locations in 8 countries. From Greece and Rome, the series continues through the Middle Ages (the Romanesque and Gothic periods), the Renaissance, the Baroque, Age of Reason, and Rococo, and then the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and all of Modern Art including Cubism, Dada, Surrealism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, etc., and Post-Modernism through the 1980s.

This series is meant for any and all levels of knowledge from beginner to master, and even the confirmed art student cannot fail to learn a lot. I was most impressed with the earliest episodes -- I was unable to watch them without frequently exclaiming "Incredible!" "Extraordinary!" "Amazing!"

As the series approaches modern times, the choice of what to include and what to exclude becomes much wider, and it's possible that a viewer may disagree about what was excluded, so the latest episodes could possibly seem to some viewers somewhat sketchier or less well thought out. Still, learning opportunities abound, and doors are constantly opened to new levels of understanding and exploration. And the historical information that accompanies the series is flawless.

All in all, this is a magnificent document and a must-see for any art or architecture lover or anyone wanting to become more knowledgeable. It's available on DVD in the consolidated 9-episode U.S. version (rather than the 18-episode UK version of the same length), and also viewable online on Amazon streaming. It's possible to locate it elsewhere online, but the video quality will be very very poor (and after all, you're viewing it for the details of art), so stick to the DVD or Amazon streaming.

Please do check this out if you love art or long to appreciate it. You will not be disappointed.