Samuel West
The Private Life of a Masterpiece (2001)
The Private Life of a Christmas Masterpiece
Private Life of a Masterpiece is a BBC arts documentary series that tells the stories behind great works of art reaching from the Renaissance to modern art. David by Michelangelo, The Scream by Edvard Munch, The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya, The Night Watch by Rembrandt van Rijn, Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso, The Annunciation by Jan van Eyck, ... The Art of Painting by Johannes Vermeer. For behind the beautiful canvases and sculptures are tales of political revolution, wartime escapes, massive ego clashes, social scandal, financial wrangling and shocking violence. The series reveals the full and fascinating stories behind famous works of art, not just how they came to be created, but also how they influenced others and came to have a life of their own in the modern world.
Released Dec. 8, 2001
Episode 50 min
None+
Genres: Documentary
Keywords: imdb.art-documentary, imdb.female-nudity, imdb.female-frontal-nudity, imdb.female-pubic-hair, imdb.female-rear-nudity
Production Companies: Fulmar TV & Film
Network: BBC Two
Country: United Kingdom
Languages:
English
S7E1 - Jan van Eyck: The Annunciation
The first moment in the Christmas story is the arrival of the Archangel Gabriel to tell Mary that she has been chosen to give birth to the son of God. Many painters have depicted this miraculous event, but none better than the great Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck. As befits a man who seemed to mix espionage with painting for his patron, Eyck's picture is full of symbols and half-concealed messages.
Dec. 24, 2006, midnight
S7E2 - Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Census at Bethlehem
A closer look at the image that inspired a thousand Christmas cards: Brueghel's Census at Bethlehem. It depicts Mary and Joseph's arrival in the town - but also offers a glimpse into life in a Netherlands village under the rule of foreign invaders.
Dec. 25, 2006, midnight
S7E3 - Paul Gauguin: God's Child
The series concludes with a look at Paul Gauguin 's interpretation of the Nativity scene, a distinctively modern piece in which he depicted the Madonna as a young Polynesian woman, using his pregnant mistress as his model. Far removed from traditional images, it has been hailed for its relevance to the contemporary world.
Dec. 26, 2006, midnight
Network: BBC Two
Episode Runtime: 50 min.
Season Runtime: 50 min.
Released: Dec. 8, 2001
Last Air Date: Oct. 25, 2010, midnight
Status: Ended
Certification: NR
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