The Private Life of a Masterpiece (2001) is a documentary web series in English. On MovieLinkBD: full story, cast, ratings, season & episode guide, official trailer and where to watch The Private Life of a Masterpiece online in HD.
The Private Life of a Masterpiece — Storyline
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.
Cast & Crew
- Starring: Samuel West
The Private Life of a Masterpiece — Series Details
| First Air Date | 2001-12-08 |
| Seasons | 9 |
| Episodes | 34 |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Language | English |
| Network | BBC Two |
| Status | Ended |
| Rating | 5.8/10 (5 votes) |
The Private Life of a Masterpiece — Episode Guide
Season 1
- E1: Edvard Munch: The Scream (2001-12-08) — First of two films on the stories behind famous artworks. This documentary traces the eventful existence of Edvard Munch's notorious piece, from its late-19th-century origins to i
- E2: Michelangelo: David (2001-12-15) — It is one of art's most noted pieces, but it took failures by two sculptors before Michelangelo Buonarroti completed the work in the early 16th century. This documentary reveals th
Season 2
- E1: Édouard Manet: Le déjeuner sur l'herbe (2003-01-18) — Painted in 1863 by Edouard Manet , this radical work broke every rule in the book as it irrevocably changed the way nudes were painted. Then, as now, audiences were bemused by the
- E2: Diego Velázquez: The Rokeby Venus (2003-01-25) — One of the most widely reproduced images in the world is examined in the second of two films on famous works of art. The Rokeby Venus was painted by Diego Velazquez , court painter
Season 3
- E1: Auguste Rodin: The Kiss (2004-01-19) — Auguste Rodin 's Kiss has had a more colourful life than most sculptures. At the time of its conception 100 years ago the intertwined lovers' erotically charged embrace was seen as
- E2: Francisco Goya: The Third of May 1808 (2004-01-26) — Goya's greatest painting is a nightmarish image of anonymous men being shot at point blank range by a robot-like firing squad. Commissioned to commemorate a heroic moment in Spanis
- E3: Auguste Renoir: Dance at the Moulin de la Galette (2004-02-02) — Was the Moulin de la Galette dance hall really the joyful haven depicted in Renoir's celebratory painting of 1876? Certainly, the Paris of the period was emerging from a violent, b
- E4: Rembrandt van Rijn: The Night Watch (2004-02-09) — The secrets behind the celebrated Rembrandt painting of a group of part-time soldiers are revealed. How did the artist achieve the extraordinary effects of his finished work? Plus
- E5: Sandro Botticelli: La Primavera (2004-02-23) — The title of the Florentine artist Sandro Botticelli 's exquisite painting translates as "Spring", yet this huge allegorical tableau, with its mythological characters and themes of
- E6: Katsushika Hokusai: The Great Wave (2004-04-17)
- E7: Edgar Degas: Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (2004-04-24)
- E8: Vincent van Gogh: Sunflowers (2004-05-01)
- E9: Pablo Picasso: Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (2004-05-15)
- E10: James McNeill Whistler: Whistler's Mother (2004-05-22)
Season 4
- E1: Katsushika Hokusai: The Great Wave (2004-04-17) — Arguably the most recognisable image in Far Eastern art, this Japanese magnum opus is an accurate portrayal of the waves sailors swore they had encountered, despite universal scept
- E2: Edgar Degas: The Little Dancer (2004-04-24) — Edgar Degas 's bronze sculpture of a ballet dancer wearing a real tutu has become one of the most widely appreciated European works of art. But when the original tinted wax version
- E3: Vincent Van Gogh: The Sunflowers (2004-05-01) — Viewed as one of the most famous works of art in the world, few people know the history behind Vincent Van Gogh 's painting. Inspired by a bunch of flowers that the artist found ly
- E4: Pablo Picasso: Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (2004-05-15) — "My Brothel" is the title Pablo Picasso gave to his depiction of five prostitutes – a painting that shocked even his friends when they first saw it. But how did the piece arise fro
- E5: James McNeill Whistler: Portrait of the Painter's Mother (2004-05-22) — Whistler's portrait of his elderly Puritan mother is one of the most satirised paintings of all time. Yet when his sombre masterpiece was first unveiled, it was seen as a radical d
Season 5
- E1: Eugene Delacroix: Liberty Leading the People (2005-04-02) — The series that reveals stories behind famous artworks returns, beginning with an examination of Eugene Delacroix 's response to the July revolution of in France. Delacroix's vibra
- E2: Johannes Vermeer: The Art of Painting (2005-04-09) — The series that reveals the stories behind famous artworks continues with an examination of the favourite picture of the artist who painted it – the 17th-century Dutch master Johan
- E3: Paolo Uccello: The Battle of San Romano (2005-04-16) — An armoured knight in the thick of battle astride his white charger forms the central figure of a dramatic 15th-century masterpiece by Paolo Uccello. The painting, in three panels,
- E4: Georges Seurat: A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (2005-04-23) — "Bedlam", "scandal", and "hilarity" were some of the words used to describe Georges Seurat's portrayal of Parisians enjoying an outing on the banks of the River Seine. Now it is se
- E5: Gustav Klimt: The Kiss (2005-04-30) — This erotically charged and hugely popular example of Art Nouveau fused with Symbolism has been the subject of intense speculation since its unveiling in 1908. Who are the two love
The Private Life of an Easter Masterpiece
- E1: Leonardo da Vinci: The Last Supper (2006-04-13) — The stories behind three paintings that encompass traditional Easter themes. The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. Dan Brown 's blockbuster The Da Vinci Code may have brought the
- E2: Salvador Dalí: Christ of Saint John of the Cross (2006-04-14) — This extraordinary crucifixion scene – inspired by a weird mix of Spanish mysticism and nuclear physics – is often called the 20th century's greatest religious painting. Yet the ar
- E3: Piero della Francesca: The Resurrection (2006-04-17) — A masterpiece of composition, Francesca's widely admired painting depicts the risen Christ – wearing the expression of "a sturdy stevedore", as one art critic put it – while beneat
Frequently Asked Questions
How many seasons does The Private Life of a Masterpiece have? 9 season(s) with 34 episodes.
Where can I watch The Private Life of a Masterpiece? See the Where to Watch section above for current streaming options.
