The Art of Russia

"Series in which fine art commentator Andrew Graham-Dixon articulates the unbelievable narrative of Russian art – its enigmatic splendor – and until now a story unseen on British television

He searches the beginnings of the Russian star from his origins in Byzantium and the original exalted Russian idol, Our Lady of Vladimir to the masterworks of the nation’s most renowned icon artist, Andrei Rublev.

Equally classic and breathtaking, and creating marvelous art, however primitive Russia could be a frightening location.

Out of Forest. crisscrossing the impressive countryside, Andrew goes to see the monastery established by Ivan the Terrible, wherever his preferred methods of torment obtained inspiration in religious art. One and only man would flash a light into Russia’s dark ages – Peter the Great who, astonishingly, received as his revelation Deptford in South London.

Road to Revolution. He investigates in what way Russia transformed from a medieval country of aristocratic overindulgence to a center of rebellion at the commencement of the 20th century and in what way art changed from being a slave of the state to a vehicle of its annihilation.

Smashing the Mould. The last leg scrutinizes governmental uprising and in what way art was at the foreground of tossing out 1,000 years of regal regime, from its initial radical times of passion and hopefulness when oil painting perished, the print was ruler and the machine-made prevailed over the handmade to the lifeless hand of Communist Realism."

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