Airs Tuesdays at 8PM beginning October 4th
Rick Steves Art of Europe is the culmination of three decades of Rick showcasing Europe’s great art and architecture on public television. This ambitious, six-hour sweep through the span of European art history weaves the greatest masterpieces into a fascinating story that’s both entertaining and inspiring. Climbing deep into prehistoric tombs on remote Scottish isles, summiting Michelangelo’s magnificent dome at the Vatican, waltzing through glittering French palaces, and pondering the genius of Picasso and Van Gogh, Rick does for art what he does for travel — makes it fun and accessible.
This six-part journey vividly tells the story: From the earliest European art with its cave paintings and mysterious stone circles, we follow the rise and fall of great civilizations from the massive pyramids of Egypt to the ethereal temples of Greece, to the grandeur of ancient Rome. After a thousand years of Middle Ages — with mighty castles, soaring cathedrals, and radiant religious art — we gaze into the eyes of David and witness how the beauty of ancient times was reborn in the Renaissance. Europe’s divine monarchs — with their awe-inspiring palaces and exuberant art — were eventually countered by the Enlightenment and revolution…bringing a flowering of new styles: from stern Neoclassicism, to unbridled Romanticism, to the sun-dappled canvases of the Impressionists. We’ll finish by careening through Europe’s tumultuous 20th century, exploring ever-wilder frontiers of artistic expression. Through it all, we’ll celebrate the joy of European art as it both connects us to the past and points the way forward.
