With a tiny and delicate paintbrush, Jean Fouquet adds the golden threads of a tentative humanism to "The Martyrdom of Saint Apollonia" (circa 1450) and unveils a glimmer of the modern era, crouching behind the horizon of the Middle Ages. This film analyzes the illumination for clues of what Fouquet sought to convey to viewers. Completed for a book of hours commissioned by one of Charles VIII's financial advisors, it portrays Apollonia's martyrdom...

Presents lectures on the history of Impressionism.

Arguably the greatest of all the Impressionist artists, Pierre August Renoir's brilliant Le Moulin de la Gallette created immense controversy in its day. Famous for his use of hot reds, orange and gold to portray nudes in sunlight, Renoir's later life was blighted by arthritis, which crippled his hands. This fascinating story of the man and his work includes a visit to the artist's home Cagnes-sur-Mer on the island of La Grenouillere, and unique footage...

This is the story of the life and work of Camille Pissarro, the West-Indian born leader of the original Impressionists and the only artist from that school to exhibit at all eight of the exhibitions from 1874 to 1886. A considerable influence on Cezanne and Gauguin at the beginning of their careers, Pissarro's great works include the famous Boulevard Montmartre which hangs today in the National Gallery, London.

This program is an entertaining and informative profile of Georges Pierre Seurat, the inventor of the technique known as Pointillism in which a whole picture is made up of tiny rectangles of pure color, which merge together when viewed from afar. Seurat completed only seven canvasses in this hugely complex technique, including the superb Une Baignade. This is the story of an artist who achieved much in his short life.

The sunny landscapes and shimmering portraits of the 19th century impressionists adorn candy boxes and designer T-shirts. But as critic Waldemar Januszczak reveals in this four-part documentary, the artistic movement didn't always enjoy the widespread popularity it has today. In their time, impressionists were artistic rebels who threw out the rules set by Paris's prestigious art salons. As Januszczak visits the studios, hot spots, and rustic vistas...

"Who were the Impressionists? Why did they become so famous? What do you need to know about their pictures, their way of painting and what made them so exceptional? In this book, you will get to know the most important Impressionists and their masterpieces. Easy-to-understand explanations and stimulating ideas will introduce you to these painters and their times."