Face of Britain by Simon Schama

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Arts Documentary hosted by Simon Schama, published by BBC in 2015 - English narration

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Face of Britain by Simon Schama Simon Schama explores the history of British portraiture, revealing the stories behind the most compelling images in British art and examining the ways portraiture is used to make a statement. The historian explores the history of British portraiture, revealing the stories behind some of the greatest images in art. Throughout the series, he examines how the art form has been used as a declaration of love, to promote fame, to offer insight into the artists themselves and to capture the faces of the British people.

[edit] The Face Of Power

He begins by looking at the eternal power of portraiture, considering how people learn to read faces before they can walk or talk. This makes the portrait one of the most compelling forms of art. Schama looks at how a portrait commissioned to celebrate Winston Churchill's 80th birthday ended in disaster for both artist and sitter, discovers how portraits can involve a battle for control and demonstrates the importance of portraiture in fostering loyalty.

[edit] Faces of the People

Simon Schama explores the rogue strain of British portraiture, looking at the artists who have taken all aspects of humanity as their subject, not just the great and the good who pay to be flattered. In doing so, he examines the work of artists such as William Hogarth, John Kay and Ford Madox Brown.

[edit] The Face of Fame

The historian investigates what portraits of the famous of the past and present can reveal about Britain's national character. He explores the fine line between fame and celebrity, the depictions of women like Kitty Fisher and Emma Hart which put them in the public eye, and the inspiration behind the formation of the National Portrait Gallery.

[edit] The Look of Love

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The historian explores how portraiture has the power to immortalise love, and is instrumental in fulfilling the desire to keep loved ones close by fixing their faces in time. He begins with Sir Kenelm Digby's attempt to bring his wife back to life through a series of portraits, before looking at the portrait miniatures from the Prince of Wales's love affair with Maria Fitzherbert. He reveals art made for love not money with Thomas Gainsborough's portrait of his daughters, and Lewis Carroll's attempts to stop time in his photographs of Alice Liddell.

[edit] The Face in the Mirror

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Simon explores the complex motivations behind self-portraits, looking at what they reveal about the artists that produced them and the human condition. He investigates self-portraiture in a 13th century manuscript, including how the first self-portrait was created after artist Gerlach Flicke was incarcerated. Plus, he looks at William Orpen's paintings in the search for his own identity during the First World War, and visits Antony Gormley's sculpture Another Place; a collective self-portrait made up of hundreds of figures.