Ah, he's one of those, "See the magnificent variants in my tonalities, don't you see the savage commentary on gender relations?"

I truly do not get modern art.

edit: and I'm probably unfair to Rothko, those two landscapes are cool. I wonder which one Schama will rip apart.

I truly do not get modern art.

You and me both, connie, you and me both. That one landscape called "Sky" was nice, but nothing outstanding IMO.

But if it's PBS I suppose it's very likely that they'll repeat at some point.

You can often get these at the library after a bit, as well.

Most BBC series airing on PBS are also already on DVD.

I said it in natter, but I guess I can repeat it here. The Bernini episode of the Schama series is wonderful. (An episode not at all harmed by the intensely good looking actors playing Bernini and his brother.) I was confused by connie's post, were you saying that Schama is too austere for Bernini's Ecstasy sculpture? Because he was pretty gaga for it.

I think my favorite type of art is the intricate Old Master type, especially of the ilk of Durer [link] where you can admire the technique and consider the composition and the choice of elements and look at the picture itself and the story it's telling.

When I was working at the Huntington Library once month years ago, I was wandering the Renaissance section one afternoon and explaining to a bored guard about the elements of some medieval icons. I turned around, and a school group was standing behind me listening intently. Some of them were taking notes. it was kind of fun

I was confused by connie's post, were you saying that Schama is too austere for Bernini's Ecstasy sculpture

He seemed too tittilated by it. To be fair, I only saw the preview, but after sitting through his Carravagio episode and getting tired of what felt like a salacious enjoyment of the artist's troubles, his approach to the Bernini just felt too "Look! Sex! In a church! Tee hee!" for me.

The one time I've been to the National Gallery of Art in DC (20 years ago--I've gotta get back to DC soon!), the Impressionist wing was closed for renovation which bummed my mom out, but I was able to hang out in the medieval wing for a sadly brief period of time (we had tickets for a play that night). Loved looking at the tryptichs (that can't be spelled right...) that were on display.

DC is the only city I've been to more than once with no immediate family/close friend nearby to draw me there, and I want to get back ASAP to check out all the museums again!

I think for Rothko you need to be there so that your world disappears into those fields of color.

It's fun in museums to be told "you're standing too close." "I was looking at the brushstrokes on the robes!" "You're still standing too close."

Some of the Rothkos are pleasing in the combination of colors, but I don't know what else is supposed to be going on other than an interesting combination of color.