Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8430 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-05-30
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 290 minutes

DVD Description
Embark on a thrilling journey through time and five continents to the heart of creativity. Fusing social history, politics, science, nature, archaeology and religion, this international landmark series unravels a universal mystery - why the world around us looks like it does. Modern-day mysteries are answered by journeying back to the beginning of civilisation via some of the most amazing man-made creations in the world. A strong narrative thread drives through each film as exciting scientific demonstrations reveal how our minds, and those of our ancient ancestors, relate to art. Beautiful, surprising, compelling and above all, relevant, with a visual ambition worthy of its epic subject-matter, this awe-inspiring adventure will appeal not only to art lovers, but to anyone who has ever wondered about humanity's place in the world.

Special Features
Special Features * Behind The Scenes Footage * Series Interview with Dr Nigel Spivey & Mark Hedgecoe

Synopsis
Explores the impact of art upon the aesthetic construction of the world. How have ancient works of art determined the look of the modern world?

Customer Reviews

Simplistic but enthralling
This is great television, a real journey. Not since Kenneth Clark's epic televisual history of art, 'Civilisation', has there been such ambition and engagement with art from its inception and archaeological discoveries to the present day. It makes for fascinating television. While serious art students will find nothing new, for the general viewer and those with more than a passing interest in art history it provides arguments and conjectures concerning the 'why' and 'when' of art.

A few criticisms: Spivey, the presenter, presents some very personal views and it is clear that his favourite pieces are European, in fact Italian. Uncontroversial. More seriously, the tricksy editing and fancy photography sometimes works but is often too fussy. But it is never offputting, and we must remember this series is designed to have broad public appeal rather than sit in the Open University slot. All in all, a thrilling rollercoaster ride through milennia of art history, one that I will recommend to my (university) students as well as to my family.

Important Series - Highly Educational
This series really makes you think. It's a different take on art and why art is important to us all. I found that with each episode I was left with the clear understanding that I had actually learned something - the multidisciplinary approach really works too. Not every series does that for me. I found all the programmes interesting, educational and thought provoking. I highly recommend this important series to anyone, including those that believe they know about art.

Enjoyable enough, but a bit silly
This is an enjoyable series that is informative for an audience fresh to art theory. But there are some caveats. Firstly, its contention that the "images in people's minds" led to the development of agriculture, and therefore the modern world, is philosophical idealism of the sort that got shelved in the 19th century.

Secondly, it loves to builds up to absurd dramatic climaxes, wasting a great deal of time in the process. As another reviewer has pointed out, Nigel Spivey puts one rhetorical question after another, leaving the poor viewer begging for him to get on with it. A great chunk of programme five is dedicated to a huge build-up to the 'great storytelling secret' of the Aborigines, only to reveal that they combined stories with music. Oh.

Thirdly it makes a number of unfounded assertions, such as, "it was Augustus's use of images that enabled him to maintain his power". Actually no - his political actions did that. The images are another expression of it, but images just don't have that sort of power. Idealism again! Images rarely, if ever, change history, although they may seem to by reflecting the social forces that actually change things.

Still, you'll enjoy it so long as you keep a critical mind.