Simon Schama’s Power of Art

Around the world, certain great works of art exist that transcend time and space in order to leave a lasting impact on society as a whole. Simon Schama’s Power of Art is a personal, in-depth examination of eight of those transcendental works of art.

From Rothko to Rembrandt, Turner to Caravaggio, Power of Art follows historian Simon Schama as he unravels the history behind, motivation for, and impact of eight great works of art. He places each work in the historical content that gave rise to its creation, explores the place and time that each work would have been created, and unpacks the “why” behind each piece instead of just the “how”.

Some of the most famous works of art are also the most taken for granted, and it is this easy dismissal this series seeks to combat.