A Dynamic Lecture Series
Power of Art (2006) is a three-disc DVD set containing eight hours of programming originated by the BBC. The creative force behind the series was the often brilliant Simon Schama, professor of art history and history at Columbia University.
I thoroughly enjoyed Power of Art, which felt to me more like a dynamic college-level lecture series than a documentary. The series mixes art photography, location shooting, and dramatizations with Schama's lectures. His intelligence and insight were what made the series sparkle for me. The lectures are lively and not overly reverential. Also, the lushly photographed art work and cinematic location shooting were outstanding. However, the weakest components in the series were the dramatizations, which often felt forced.
Compelling Stories About Eight Artists
The series is made up of eight episodes, each about an hour in length and focusing on a single artist. One of the things Schama was most successful in was making each episode a compelling story. The best episodes have an almost literary complexity.
Strongest by far were the episodes on Jacques-Louis David and Pablo Picasso, probably because they are about the intersection of art and politics. David was a propagandist for the French Revolution and painted a picture of the fanatic Jean-Paul Marat that made him appear to be a martyr. Picasso's large work Guernica took a firm stand against the brutal fascist regime of Francisco Franco.
The episodes on Bernini and Rembrandt are also quite illuminating. For a church in Rome, Bernini created the marvelous Baroque sculpture The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, and from the expression on the saint's face, it is unclear if the nature of her bliss is spiritual or physical. Rembrandt painted a large work depicting the founding of the Dutch nation, but the government didn't want it displayed on grounds that the proto-Dutchmen in the painting come across as primitive.
Other artists explored in the series are Caravaggio, Turner, Van Gogh and Rothko. In dramatizations, Andy Serkis portrays Van Gogh and Allan Corduner plays Rothko. Corduner is particularly effective in his role.
An Interview and Three Audio Commentaries
The DVD comes with a few extras. The one I enjoyed most was the 23-minute interview with Simon Schama. Also, the episodes on Bernini, David and Van Gogh provide audio commentary tracks.
The Power of Art Region 1 DVD set is scheduled to be released June 19, 2007.
