Brian Sewell's Grand Tour of Italy

The Italian leg of the European “Grand Tour” that young English gentlemen took during the 18th century forms the itinerary for this 10-part series (first aired in 2005), hosted by Brian Sewell, a tart-tongued art critic (of the London Evening Standard), who followed the same route 50 years earlier. Moving down the western coast from the Alps through Turin, Milan, Cremona, Parma, Bologna, Florence, Siena, and Rome to Naples and the ruins of Pompeii and Paestum before turning northward again, this lushly filmed journey continues through Rimini, Ferrara, Mantua, and Padua (and various smaller locales) to Venice. At each stop, Sewell discusses local major works of art and architecture, making Grand Tour a serviceable introduction to many of Italy's most significant cultural artifacts. Some viewers will find Sewell's chatty, highly opinionated style affected (he enjoys shocking the audience with derogatory comments about well-regarded pieces, while also regaling us with bawdy anecdotes about his long-ago first tour), but others may consider him an engaging, if eccentric, travel guide. Presented in a four-volume boxed set, accompanied by a viewer's guide booklet (with bios of Sewell and some of the lesser-known artists, as well as historical background), this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)