Paintings of the World

Watch Paintings of the World

  • 1969
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Paintings of the World is a visually stunning documentary series created by Janson Media that takes viewers on an intimate tour of some of the most iconic paintings in history. Hosted by renowned art historian Tim Marlow, the show explores a variety of art movements and styles while giving an in-depth look at the techniques and inspirations behind each masterpiece. With each episode focusing on a different geographic region, Paintings of the World is a wonderful opportunity for art lovers to experience the beauty of paintings from all over the globe.

The series begins with an exploration of the art of European masters, including Raphael, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh. As Marlow notes, these artists created work that is still beloved today because of their ability to capture the essence of the human experience. For example, viewers learn about Raphael’s Madonna and Child, which features a softness and tenderness that was revolutionary for the time. Similarly, Rembrandt’s The Night Watch is a painting that not only immortalized the members of the Amsterdam militia but also revolutionized the way that groups of people are depicted in art.

Paintings of the World then moves on to Asia, where viewers get a chance to explore the work of iconic painters such as Hokusai, Li Cheng, and Wu Guanzhong. In this episode, Marlow explores the way that Asian art often focuses on nature and the spiritual world, rather than the human form. For example, viewers learn about Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa, a painting that is now recognized as one of the most famous works of Japanese art. This iconic image captures both the power and beauty of the ocean, while also drawing heavily on traditional Japanese motifs and themes.

From there, Paintings of the World takes viewers to Africa, where they get the chance to explore some of the continent’s most compelling artistic traditions. In this episode, Marlow highlights the way that African art often features bold, dynamic designs that are inspired by the beauty and power of the natural world. One of the key works explored in this episode is the Benin Bronzes, a series of intricate sculptures that were created as a tribute to the rulers of the Kingdom of Benin. These works of art, which feature intricate detailing and powerful symbolism, are still celebrated today for their beauty and cultural significance.

Next up is South America, where viewers are treated to a selection of vibrant, colorful paintings that explore the rich cultural heritage of the continent. In this episode, Marlow introduces viewers to the work of such iconic figures as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Fernando Botero. Through their art, these painters worked to capture the essence of their own culture, highlighting the vibrancy and complexity of South American life. One of the key works featured in this episode is Kahlo’s self-portrait, The Broken Column, which speaks to the artist's ongoing struggle with health issues and the limitations they placed on her life.

Finally, Paintings of the World ends with a look at the art of Oceania, where viewers discover the unique cultural traditions of the Pacific Islands. In this episode, Marlow explores the intricate carvings and symbolic patterns that have been popularized by the Maori people of New Zealand, as well as the powerful storytelling traditions of Aboriginal Australia. One of the standout works featured in this episode is Navigation Chart of the Marshall Islands, a beautifully intricate map that is used by the people of the Marshall Islands to navigate the seas.

Overall, Paintings of the World is an enchanting journey that celebrates the beauty and diversity of some of the most iconic artworks from around the globe. Led by the insightful and engaging Tim Marlow, this series is a must-watch for anyone who loves art, history, and culture.

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Viktor Vasnetsov
19. Viktor Vasnetsov
 
Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov was a Russian artist who specialized in mythological and historical subjects. He is considered the co-founder of Russian folklorist and romantic nationalistic painting, and a key figure in the Russian revivalist movement.
Vecellio Titian
18. Vecellio Titian
 
Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio, known in English as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. Titian was one of the most versatile of Italian painters, equally adept with portraits, landscape backgrounds, and mythological and religious subjects.
Vasily Surikov
17. Vasily Surikov
 
Vasily Ivanovich Surikov was the foremost Russian painter of large-scale historical subjects. His major pieces are among the best-known paintings in Russia.
Sandro Botticelli
16. Sandro Botticelli
 
Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi, known as Sandro Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. He belonged to the Florentine School under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici, a movement that Giorgio Vasari would characterize less than a hundred years later in his Vita of Botticelli as a "golden age".
Salvador Dal­
15. Salvador Dal­
 
Salvador Dal­, was a prominent Spanish surrealist painter born in Figueres, Catalonia, Spain. Dal­ was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork.
Raphael
14. Raphael
 
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, known as Raphael, was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual achievement of the Neoplatonic ideal of human grandeur. Together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, he forms the traditional trinity of great masters of that period.
Lucas Cranach
13. Lucas Cranach
 
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is known for his portraits, both of German princes and those of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation.
Konstantin Makovsky
12. Konstantin Makovsky
 
Konstantin Yegorovich Makovsky was an influential Russian painter, affiliated with the "Peredvizhniki (Wanderers)". Many of his historical paintings showed an idealized view of Russian life of prior centuries. He is often considered a representative of a Salon art.
John Atkinson Grimshaw
11. John Atkinson Grimshaw
 
John Atkinson Grimshaw was a Victorian-era artist, a "remarkable and imaginative painter" known for his city night-scenes and landscapes.
Ivan Shishkin
10. Ivan Shishkin
 
Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin was a Russian landscape painter closely associated with the Peredvizhniki movement.
Ivan Aivazovsky
9. Ivan Aivazovsky
 
Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky was a Russian Romantic painter. He is considered one of the greatest marine artists in history.
Isaac Ilyich Levitan
8. Isaac Ilyich Levitan
 
Isaac Ilyich Levitan was a classical Russian landscape painter who advanced the genre of the "mood landscape."
Ilya Repin
7. Ilya Repin
 
Ilya Yefimovich Repin was a Russian realist painter. He was the most renowned Russian artist of the 19th century, when his position in the world of art was comparable to that of Leo Tolstoy in literature. He played a major role in bringing Russian art into the mainstream of European culture.
Claude Monet
6. Claude Monet
 
Claude Monet was a founder of French Impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting.
Camille Pissarro
5. Camille Pissarro
 
Camille Pissarro was a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter. His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
Alfred Sisley
4. Alfred Sisley
 
Alfred Sisley was an Impressionist landscape painter who was born and spent most of his life in France. He was the most consistent of the Impressionists in his dedication to painting landscape en plein air (i.e., outdoors).
Alexey Bogolyubov
3. Alexey Bogolyubov
 
Alexey Petrovich Bogolyubov was a Russian landscape painter.
Albrecht D¼rer
2. Albrecht D¼rer
 
Albrecht D¼rer was a painter, printmaker and theorist of the German Renaissance. Born in Nuremberg, D¼rer established his reputation and influence across Europe when he was still in his twenties, due to his high-quality woodcut prints. His vast body of work includes engravings, his preferred technique in his later prints, altarpieces, portraits and self-portraits, watercolors and books.
Albert Anker
1. Albert Anker
 
Albrecht Samuel Anker was a Swiss painter and illustrator who has been called the "national painter" of Switzerland because of his enduringly popular depictions of 19th-century Swiss village life.
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