Art of Spain 2of3 The Dark Heart

  • 6 years ago
Art Of Spain, three 60-minute programmes for BBC Four, broadcast in early 2008, celebrates the astonishing influence of Spain on European art.

Travelling from the unique Muslim contribution in the medieval south, through the golden age of El Greco and Velasquez in the heart of Spain, to the modern art of Picasso and Dali in the north, the series tells the story of some of Europe's most exiting and vital art.

Presenter Andrew Graham-Dixon immerses himself in true Spanish culture and meets the people who live and work with this artistic legacy.

The Dark Heart
Graham-Dixon journeys to the country’s scorched centre to explore Spanish art of the 16th and 17th centuries. From the mystical world of El Greco to the tender genius of Velazquez, this was a moment so extraordinary it became known as the Golden Age. But beneath the glittering surface was a dark and savage heart. Travelling from the architectural jewel of Toledo to majestic Madrid, Andrew Graham-Dixon traces the rise and fall of the Spanish Empire, the brutal conquest of the New World, and the religious madness of the Inquisition, to discover how a history so violent could produce some of the most beautiful art ever seen.

Recommended