Made by the German company WDR between 1980 and 1994 under the rubric 1000 Meisterwerke aus den grossen Museen der Welt, this ambitious series comprised of 10-minute shorts—offering scholarly analyzes of individual artworks and profiles of artists—has witnessed numerous permutations on disc. Many compilations have been devoted to particular historical periods or styles, while the recent 1000 Masterworks: Renaissance to Postmodernism (VL Online-9/14) was arranged by museums where the profiled pieces are currently held. 300 Minutes of Art—the first Blu-ray release—is a sampler surveying 30 works (some famous, others more obscure), ranging from the 15th century (Andrea Mantegna's “Crucifixion of Christ” of 1456–59 and Leonardo da Vinci's “Portrait of Ginevra de' Benci” of 1474–78) to the late 20th (Andy Warhol's “The Texan” of 1963 and Willem de Kooning's “Morning: The Springs,” from 1983), although the emphasis is on the 19th and especially the 20th centuries (oddly, no works hail from the 18th). While one might quarrel with the choices, all of the segments are characterized by excellent camerawork that spotlights important details, while the analyses (presented in German, English, and French) offer intelligent interpretations, fine thumbnail biographies of the artists, and insightful comparisons with an individual's other works, as well as those of predecessors and contemporaries. As a taste of a fine series that may whet viewers' appetite for more, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
1000 Masterworks: 300 Minutes of Art
(2014) 300 min. Blu-ray: $39.99. Arthaus Musik (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 30, Issue 2
1000 Masterworks: 300 Minutes of Art
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