Arts
Ever wonder why art is the way it is today? In this episode, we go back into the beginnings of human culture and the birth of art through to the early 1800's. Art is broken down to its role in society and the question of "What Is Art?" is asked. This episode looks at art through the lens of power structures in art and the roles of the artist in the past.From cave paintings to alter pieces, we look at the reasons for different civilization's needs for art and their ways in which artists existed in those times and their roles in society.Jan van Eyck's "Ghent Alter Piece" is juxtaposed with Diego Velazquez's "The Surrender of Breda" in how different ideals are displayed and where society's focus on art shifts within the two artworks.We finish the episode off with a look at the Realism Movement and Gustav Courbet as a leader in pronouncing individualism with an introduction into Impressionism.