The Private Life of a Masterpiece

The Private Life of a Christmas Masterpiece

2006 · 3 episodes · 2h 30m in all

Episodes

1. 

   1. Jan van Eyck: The Annunciation

   24 Dec 2006 · 50 min

   The first moment in the Christmas story is the arrival of the Archangel Gabriel to tell Mary that she has been chosen to give birth to the son of God. Many painters have depicted this miraculous event, but none better than the great Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck. As befits a man who seemed to mix espionage with painting for his patron, Eyck's picture is full of symbols and half-concealed messages.

2. 

   2. Pieter Bruegel the Elder: Census at Bethlehem

   25 Dec 2006 · 50 min

   A closer look at the image that inspired a thousand Christmas cards: Brueghel's Census at Bethlehem. It depicts Mary and Joseph's arrival in the town - but also offers a glimpse into life in a Netherlands village under the rule of foreign invaders.

3. 

   3. Paul Gauguin: God's Child

   26 Dec 2006 · 50 min

   The series concludes with a look at Paul Gauguin 's interpretation of the Nativity scene, a distinctively modern piece in which he depicted the Madonna as a young Polynesian woman, using his pregnant mistress as his model. Far removed from traditional images, it has been hailed for its relevance to the contemporary world.