4/4 White : A History of Art in Three Colours (Ep3)

• A History of Art in Th...
First broadcast: 08 Aug 2012.
Episode 3/3 In the Age of Reason, it was the rediscovery of the white columns and marbles of antiquity that made white the most virtuous of colours. For the flamboyant JJ Wickelmann and the British genius Josiah Wedgewood, white embodied all the Enlightenment values of justice, equality and reason.

[@pedroSilesia]

Art Documentaries you're the master of youtube. I love your uploads! Thank you so much.

[@taran333tula]

I love your appreciation !!

[@corneliaomir]

Wonderfull documentary! I thought of Niemeyer. He brought Le Corbusier architectonic ideas (and white fixation) to South America

[@Beautiful_Sacred_Land]

excellent series. thanks for uploading this episode

[@RIBALALTIST]

today we see white as a color of virtue a color of cleanliness of innocence, a color as pure as the driven snow. but in the history of art, white isn't as quite as pure as we think, white may just be the darkest color today we remain blind to whites darkest side, we still think of it as a clean blank canvas but look closer and that canvas is forever tainted with our own flours and failings white is the immaculate reflection of an impure world.

[@sunburnramthem2373]

the quarry is beyond my wildest dreams

[@ENLIGHTENMENTING]

Thanks for this serie of documentaries. In this case, I am impressed by the fact of the impurity manifestation of white in the fascist monuments (that still remains today!). Maybe, the purity or impurity is not in the marble but in the intentionality of the autor: may be is better to choose the artist of the renaissance in Italy or ancient greece than the fascist buildings. Nevertheless is a fantastic document. Thanks too by the formidable reference to Wedgwood pottery: I knew about him by an example of industry in the Samuel Smiles examples of great men. Thanks again and farewell.

[@1veggiemonster]

o m g! this guy wore the same suit in throughout the documentary!

[@1veggiemonster]

somebody start a fund-me account to buy this guy a proper wardrobe!

[@tubeberk08]

the color white has totally freaked out the narrator!... i thought he was gonna poop his pants while standing in Mussolini's marble city :))

[@candyjohnson4413]

Missing some of the sound 😕

[@TehNewV]

I think it's funny how the three colors of this series are like three different paths entirely according to him. All colors - Neutral/good in pure form White - Became bad due to racism Blue - Became good due to rarity and oppression of the color. Gold - Became bad due to greed but slightly redeemed because lol religion.

[@vitruviuspolio]

Alas! He confuses politics and aesthetics so badly at 8:17 that I hardly have the courage to carry on.

[@olivercuenca4109]

As if aesthetics are never influenced by politics... there's a whole world of academia on the subject of fascist aesthetics. You can't confuse aesthetics and politics. Aesthetics are by their very nature inherently meaningful, and yes that includes in a political sense.

[@IvanBuck]

First to comment. Fantastic series!

[@deepblue1909]

the only pure white thing that I loved was your cute face Dr JJames

[@cassandranightingale2880]

Nice documentary series, really, but some things annoy me nevertheless. The political correctness of it and the highly subjective opinion of the presenter, all just to get to the desired (very disputable) conclusions. And why is he whispering whenever he is close to work of art or a manuscript? And why keep glancing at Duchamp's urinal while talking about it, as if there is something to see there that needs constant attention. Bit ridiculous, in my opinion.

[@georgebotelho288]

I'm happy that I'm not the only one. I thought (by the way... I'm whispering during this sentence...) it was only me, who is thoroughly disgusted by the way that information is only available, if you're willing to digest it along with as much dramatized subjectivity as possible. It's like the only way you're allowed to eat vegetables, is if you're willing to drink a gallon of Ranch dressing, with every bite. Soon.. you won't even notice it.

[@olivercuenca4109]

@@georgebotelho288 Oh well, welcome to the world of art documentaries. The whole point of having a presenter is to attempt to interpret the art. The alternative is to just look at a series of static images with no commentary whatsoever and try to interpret things on your own without the benefit of being an expert on art history. I'm not saying don't look at the art, but complaining that there's someone presenting the show and interpreting the art defeats the whole point of having a show.

[@olivercuenca4109]

Must be a lot of people out there who would be very embarrassed to read their moronic comments from five/six years ago. Hopefully they've grown up in the meantime.

[@yucafries7681]

Who knew white was the darkest color 🤦🏼‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@allenrodgers1577]

This is the dumbest series about art (not even about art) I have ever seen. It's factually wrong and twists a natural phenomenon called color into a story that cherry picks its supporting arguments for sensationalized TV. This host is a want to be Terry Jones. He thinks he is telling an untold story, but it's just absolute nonsense. Something that is bugging me that must be said, Whistler was a fantastic painter.