Art Of The Western World

The Annenberg/CPB Project has come up with another low-priced quality series in this trenchant overview, hosted by popular historian/author Michael Wood (In Search of the Trojan War, In Search of the Dark Ages), of the history of western art. We sampled the fourth program in the series, The High Renaissance, which is divided into two 30 minute sections. Part I examines the period bridging the 15th and 16th centuries, the point where, says Wood, "the idea of the artist becomes synonymous with genius." Indeed, looking at the works of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, one can readily understand why the nobility and wealthy clergy commissioned these men to create some of the greatest masterpieces in the world of art. Art historian Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt discusses Leonardo's "Last Supper"; Michelangelo's "David," and the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; and Raphael's Vatican frescoes. Part 11 focuses on the artistic smorgasbord that emerged in Venice, looking at the works of Titian, Tintoretto, and the architecture of Palladio. An excellent, visually appealing, introduction to western art. Highly recommended for both high school and public libraries. (Available from: Annenberg/CPB Collection, P.O. Box 1922, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1922.)