The_Movie_Cat

This documentary about the life and work of Rubens is undoubtedly informative, giving an understanding not just of Ruben's art, but also his life, his inspirations, and the political and historical backdrop that made up his world.

Sadly, it's slightly marred by the modern trend of presenters "doing a turn", and trying to engage audiences with a deliberately mannered, quirky style.

Waldemar Januszczak is a knowledgeable presenter (although the programme has researcher credits), but it's as if the programme makers felt that audiences would struggle to engage with a study of Flemish baroque art of the 17th century unless it had a few jokes in it.

So it is that Januszczak takes up almost as much screen time as the paintings, gesticulating, adopting a stumbling gait, and telling us about paintings that "sing" or are like "happy dogs", almost as if he's presenting Top Gear.

It's a shame, because a less self-consciously humorous approach would have suited the material better, and the finer moments come with an interview with a painting restorer, with more serious responses.

In all, this is a well-researched piece with a great deal of information to take in. I gave it 6/10, but at its heart it's an 8.