The Untold Darkness of Renaissance Art | Perspective 

Waldemar on a Saturday afternoon. Perfect.

If we had all had an art history teacher half as imaginative and exciting as Waldemar Janus., we would all appreciate and understand art so much more!

Love how dramatic this dude is about art. Makes me so hype

Waldemar's narration is throughly enjoyable.

every time I look at his docs , the language he uses, the way he walks, I'm too late to go to my bed.This man is a real genius in making docs...Much thanks !

I can't stop watching. His videos are filled with art and ideas that are startlingly new. Januszczak is a genius.

I am not only learning the classic arts, am also learning English from you. 👍

This docu is a great find for someone like me who's just gone back to art @ 63 years young!

"This isn't the handiwork of a particularly clever scientist, it's the handiwork of a particularly pessimistic visionary; in the mind of Leonardo da Vinci, exquisite knowledge had turned into exquisite despair." @ 12:51 Brilliant, Waldemar, simply brilliant!

Bravo for not bluring out the nudity in the artwork!! Thank god some people understand art for arts sake.

I took art history at university. I remember mannerism being described as a distorted style that grew out of the Renaissance period. This lecture explains it better. Thank you.

I can watch Waldemar all day. I love it when they release a new film.

I really like Waldemar. He is such a down to earth and sensible guy.

These are the type of videos that are good enough to be saved for when I have peace and quiet

As a student of Medieval history, your works on art history of those times has enriched my understanding of religious complexities of the era. Thank you.

I am spoiled by Waldemar's documentaries. I add him to Mary Beard, Joann Fletcher and Tony Robinson.

This is the second best thing that can happen on Saturday evening. Waldemar has opened my eyes to art better than anyone ever. He is an art god 🙏

Absolutely the best explanation of the seminal importance of El Greco to Picasso that I have ever heard. Thank you. I spent my childhood poring over my mother’s art books, and El Greco was always a puzzle and a weirdly entrancing painter. He made me feel uncomfortable, but I couldn’t stop looking at his work.

These docs are SO GOOD. So well done. Can't stop watching.

Oh come on, these productions are overwhelmingly charming. Humorous, educational and exciting ! 👌

I found the deluge drawings when I was young and was so drawn to them, I would stare at them for hours. I viewed them as the world being destroyed by water and they really spoke to me. In 2012 when the same effect that he had drawn was strangely yet again repeated, I felt oddly comforted -it was literally the worst year of my life so it felt like it made sense. Thank you so much for including them! And Bosch! He is one of my first loves in art. I could not believe the precise, horrific perfection of his paintings. They still fascinate me.

to be honest..I can't get enough of his vlogs! I studied art history and became an architect, and a LOT of what he is telling me goes against the teachings I've been tough. How can no informed historian figure out that the Van Eyke was not a wedding contract... I love this guy

I tried listening to all the other "Perspective" videos on RU-vid. But, I can't!!! If it ain't got Waldemar, I just can not give a goll darn! I can only hope and pray that I will get more art docs from this great educator/critic/historian. An effing genius.

@ 49:17 ~ "Mannerism wasn't a reaction, it was a continuation, an enlargement. Instead of looking down on it as a decline, we should be looking up at it as a fabulous climax!" **swoon** Oh, Waldemar, you and your honeyed words.

Thank you Waldemar for speaking up for poor reptiles (and actually holding them as well). They are my pet of choice, and as an artist I've always felt they were given a bad rap. You rock!

I had a great art history teacher. He took us to Siena for one week to study roman, barbarian, medieval and Renaissance art. It made my life interesting. Thanks Sutter.

Waldemar, the crunching of your footsteps makes my hair on my back stand straight up.

Fabulous! What a treat to see through Waldemar's eyes. His psychedelic (in the mind expanding sense) vision has been a joy to experience. And I've been introduced to artists that I've never had the pleasure to enjoy. Heartfelt thanks.

What a beautiful series. I don`t believe it could be done better.

Waldemar is even better when he’s had a few cocktails.

With every episode I laugh out loud, look a little closer, and most importantly, rethink many ideas I've held all of my life.

Thanks be to Waldemar for getting us through covid misery! 😍

Waldemar is THE best

Waldemar, this was just brilliant! I, as an arts teacher and very into arts theory and art history, am surprised every time I see one of your episodes (love them all!) about the way you explain the worldview of a time period, which then condensates in art. I also love the way you show all the places and literally go there “where it has happened”. But especially in this series, I think you didn’t dig deep enough. There’s always been an underlying vibe of irrationality in Europe’s art after the age of antique Rome, maybe because the subjects were so much about imagining transcendent topics in religious works. Especially in the time around 1500, I think there was a huge change of the worldview, which made people (and artists) feel quite disoriented. There was the reformation, a whole system of belief got torn upside down, the plague raged in Europe, fear of the Apocalypse coming in 1500, the “Sacco di Roma”, a kind of “mini ice-age” led to famines, Christoph Columbus “discovered” America, Galileo Galilei replaced the earth with the sun as center of the solar system. You can find all these conflicts between traditional and new thinking in the work of Albrecht Dürer - a true Renaissance man in a lot of his paintings- but look at his Apocalypse prints: how gothic and middle-aged are these! Or Mathis Grünewald and his great altarpiece at Isenheim. Renaissance way of seeing the human being mixed with deeply middle-aged mysticism. And look at these colours! It’s obvious that Italian / Renaissance way of painting clashes there with a deep late-gothic mysticism and way of thinking. I loved you look at Tilmann Riemenschneider, and I’d really love you to look at Dürer and Grünewald. Please keep up your fabulous work - this really is a treasure for me and my pupils and it really is a pleasure to learn from you!

Mr. Januszczak can make anything and everything fascinating and " absolutely fabulous." His unique intellect/ personality supersedes the content of his documentaries.

i could watch and listen to Waldemar for eternity. Bold, questioning, thoroughly engaging and bloody funny!

Great hour of art history. I can't help reflect it off my art history sessions as a freshman in college and this was premium. It also gives me so depth on the emotions that affected my Huguenot ancestors, some of which are still rather intense.

Brilliant. I was about to skip this segment because the Renaissance was my least favorite period in paintings. This narrator proved me wrong through his informative and thoroughly enjoyable narration, made more so by his wry, insightful commentary . Bravo, you’ve gained a new subscriber.

Many of these artworks have struck me as being surrealist, hundreds of years before Dali. I've seen some of them in art history books. Thanks for expanding my knowledge beyond that.

As always, very interesting and eyes opener. Thank you, пане Waldemar! Great series. Greetings from Ukraine.

Waldemar on a Sunday morn' is better than a second cup of coffee to give you that extra jolt. What a gas!

If only art was taught this way in schools, thank you!

was never really into art but listening to and watching Waldemar’s enthusiasm for a while now has me converted

I can't stop watching them either. They are the best..learned so much!!!

Waldemar strikes back! 10 points, 10 stars or whatever you want to call it. Call them like you see them Waldemar! Brilliant!

When I look at these pictures that have the caves and mountains in the background and different subject matter in the foreground, I'm reminded of Queen's song called Bohemian Rhapsody. Allegedly, Freddie Mercury had three separate compositions he'd been working on for years and he finally put them all together, even though they were very different, in the one song. It makes since that a visual artist would do the same thing!

I’ve binged on this genius who studies geniuses! On top of all this wit and down to earth humor I find out he’s Polish!! I’m so proud to be Polish too and know that my ancestors came from the same place. I can’t wait to learn more about art from someone who belongs on real TV not just RU-vid

love love love all of these Perspective videos! Leonardo, Bosch, Arcimboldo and my Palazzo Te! I am from Mantova and know that palace very well, I try to go there at least one/two times a year and it never ceases to amaze me, thanks so much!

Such a wonderful series, thank you so much!

I know it. Do you know it?Are you like me? Well...I'm addicted to Waldemar Januszczak's documentaries. Magnifico! Bravo! Bravo! How about you? I thought so!! You too, huh?!! Who could resist?! We can't...!! Give in peeps and watch!!

Fearlessly, Bosch dove deep into the depths of imagination.

Love the analysis of Leonardo in the Mona Lisa and the landscape within...fascinating. Thank you.

Such an untrivial and captivating narration🙏 we are so lucky to have watched it

Excellent! Thank you for making art so entertaining and informative

This was a pleasure to watch!

Informative,educational,entertaining and knowledgeable. Also highly addictive. I wanted more of this from the first taste.

His fantastic love of art forgives all things. it’s contagious if over interpreted. Hooray!!

I am totally knackered ( if thats the right word ), because I have skipped a night sleep, but after seeing this fabulous program I'm inspired and tempted to continu working in my studio !! But my head tells me it would be wiser to go to bed now. . .

Excellent docu -- just wish the ending wasn't chopped off.

I like how Waldemar truly seems to like what he is doing. He is very easy to watch. Well done. FYI.. before we had salt shakers you had salt cellars. You would have a master cellar and each place setting would have an individual salt cellar. You would pass the master around and spoon some into your salt cellar. They would have little spoons with them, matching sometimes. My mom's been collecting them since I can remember, I'm 55. Yep, lots and lots of salts. LOL

Waldemar is an international treasure!

He says everything sarcastically, like every word in the script is in air quotes. I'm here for it

Again excellent (like all his documentaries). Waldemar Januszkzak with his explanation is the first one who let me have a glimpse of understanding of the smile of the Mona Lisa.

I literally watch every video this guy does

I am thrilled to have stumbled upon Perspective!! Amazing, on every level. Thank you!!!

I'm beggining to think Perspective hired 5-6 folks to comment on how wonderful they are.

I love the tales you spin. They are wonderful.

This channel has such an Energy. He says everything with spite, delightful

The late 1400s were a period when the population of Europe was still recovering from a series of devastating plagues. The aristocracy's complacency and security had been rocked. Little wonder that the sponsors of art felt compelled to stare into the pit of despair. Despair was something everyone had faced. Insecurity was combined with the opportunity presented by the destruction of old social orders and improved regard for the poor, so few in number had they grown. The great compost heap that was society in the latter half of the 1400s could explain a lot of the deep desire to express turmoil and to acknowledge vulnerability.

Waldemar is a work of art himself. Bravo!

Thank you so much, Waldemar. You are my favorite art historian presentator and Perspective is my favorite art history channel. Looking forward to your wonderful and humorous episodes.

Pallisey in an art series.Never thought I would see the day.....

We need more Waldemar Januszczak! Binch watching all of 'em ;)

This guy is top-notch, he needs to narrate all my documentaries videos I watch

How coincidental, I just watched an episode of a show that featured Rudolf II and his affinity for odd art and alchemy. I hadn't heard of him before that show, and now I learn even more about him shortly after!

Excellent presentation, The mysticism of Mannerism nicely described. Every picture has a story and you are invited to make what you can of it.

I am a big fan of Mr. Januszczak and I think everyone who enjoys art documentaries should watch all his. But I just want to mention Sister Wendy for anyone who has not watched Sister Wendy's story of painting series. They are all on youtube and they are really enjoyable.

Agreed on your comment about Leonardo... With every stroke of genius, there is always madness.

Omg, this guy makes art so much more fun and interesting. 💗 I would date him and I don't even date men.

I've gone through all Waldemar content on this website please upload more, more, more!

Amazingly Done. Waldemar’s voice is right up their with David Attenborough! LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!!!!

you make art history interesting. i have been watching for days! thank you so much

Overwhelming informative , brilliant delivery, thank you.

Artfully presented and just as twisted as the artists themselves. Bravo!

I’ve gone to the Met about once a month since 2002, but I’ve never seen The Opening of the Fifth Seal, since I’ve been daft or it’s been in storage for so long. This week the pre-1800 European painting galleries are open to the public after their long restoration, and this El Greco is hung right next to a Picasso (The Actor, from his rose period). It’s not MoMA’s Les Desmoiselles d’Avignons, but it’s a great art historical touch to link these two artists-Picasso doesn’t belong in these pre-1800 galleries-that I didn’t know until the first time I watched this series. I’m so excited to see this El Greco in person in two days, much more than if I’d never watched this again and again. Thanks!

The narration is so ominous. He's hilarious!

Thanks so much for posting.

He is my hero. Watched over and over.just love his perspective

The importance of this painting he was one of first that modeled the light on her body in graduated shading rather than outlining. A technique later called “Sfumato”.And used atmospheric perspective (dark to light) to evoke the distance.

Great stuff, awesome job on this one, Waldemar! Thank you!

And how in the world did you get access to the Madama La Gioconda?! WOW! No hundreds of peeps trying to catch a glimpse - you and Lisa Ghiardini - just the two of you!! I am jealous! Good for you and even better for us. Connections can be awesome. Especially, if they are for the "right" reason!!

Amazing whole heartedly done documentary!

That document ary made my day, great narration by Mr Waldemar!

The Deluge images should be addressed and discussed more often. The portraits and inventions and studies are of course great and deserve their attention, but these drawings are underrated.

Bosch and drugs - to be honest, I think it quite possible that his style emerged from either: psychedelic tryptamines or psychosis. I despise the attribution of artistic vision to mundane causes, but in this case his visions are so distinctly characteristic of these states of consciousness and so divorced from any prevailing style of his time, that I wouldn't be at all shocked. Psilocybin mushrooms grow everywhere, and it is perfectly possible that a decent percentage of people over the course of history have accidentally eaten a whopping dose and had an experience never to be forgotten, one a member of an artistic family would find hugely valuable in creating his art. Likewise, psychosis, which can open up similar states, just for longer and in personally destructive ways, has been fairly common in all times and places. Bosch may have experienced periodic psychosis that in no way inhibited his ability to work as a successful artist. Neither of these routes to radical visions is somehow less authentic than any other mode of imagining. Exogenous neurotransmitters are no less real than the endogenous variety, and psychosis is no less legitimate a mode of perception - it merely mixes the interior and the exterior in ways that can be harmful to one's functioning in the world. Don't get me wrong, Waldy's cautious and thoughtful reading of the painting is an excellent corrective to silly speculations.

Thank you! That was absolutely fabulous! I learned more from this presentation than I had from all the Art of the Renaissance programs I have seen! Well, mostly. But I am grateful for you perspective and looks at art of that period I had never seen or heard about. Thank you again.

Huge fan. Grateful for the increased understanding.

Excellent, thank you.

Fascinating....carry on dude!!!! 🙌

Thank you for these wonderful documentaries - they are so educational, entertaining and utterly fascinating 🖌