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.

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!

aHEM. You're welcome to stay with me should you choose to visit.

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

And it is in fact already available at Netflix. Sometimes I'm an idiot.

Speaking of idiots: Based on my interest in the "Original Italian Version" of The Leopard, Netflix is recommending...

The Leopard (Dubbed English Version)

I truly do not get modern art

A lot of modern art really needs to be seen live. The surface is as important as what's on the canxas. I think modern art works if you think of it as akin to dance. A story ballet is about characters and plot and uses the movement to do that--often in an amazing way--but a modern dance piece is about the movement and rhythm and use of the stage. It isn't telling a story, but it is creating a piece which unfolds over time. It's about dance itself. Modern art is about the visual field and paint and canvas and shape and light and all the things which make up painting. Rothko is not my favorite, but I love the work of cy Twombley, for example. When you look at his aontings, you can actually feel the movement of the artist's hands and body in the line on the surface. It's like the line itself is alive. [link]

I think modern art works if you think of it as dance

Oh, dear, I feel my art cred slipping even farther, because even classical ballet only gets me in a "Wow, I didn't know the body could move like that" way. I have to watch it like gymnastics and listen to the music to stay with it. I can follow the broad strokes of a story, but that's about it.

I think I need to drink some wine-in-a-box and catch a re-run of Jeeves and Wooster to reassure my "cultural" self.

I think those are running on PBS again now too.