The Rococo Era: The Art Of Pleasure And Madness

Rococo: The "Crude" Art Of Pleasure (Waldemar Januszczak Documentary) | Perspective

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Waldemar looks at the pursuit of pleasure in the Rococo age, to which a huge amount of cultural energy was devoted. For the first time in history, pleasure and happiness were seen as unalienable human rights that everyone was free to pursue and is reflected so poignantly in the art of Boucher, Watteau, Gainsborough and Tiepolo. In its boundless search for delight it often went too far, but, put crudely, Rococo art stopped tasting like medicine and started tasting like cakes.

Following the grandeur of Baroque, Rococo art is often dismissed as frivolous and unserious, but Waldemar Januszczak disagrees. In this three-part series he re-examines Rococo art and argues that the Rococo was actually the age in which the modern world was born. Picking three key territories of Rococo achievement - travel, pleasure and madness - Waldemar celebrates the finest cultural achievements of the period and examine the drives and underlying meanings that make them so prescient.

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From Rococo: Before Bedtime

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[JoelMBarr-hhvs]

People at work ask me what I do on my weekends. I can't decide if I should tell them that I'm enamored with every documentary that Waldemar Januszczak produces and I thusly spend hour upon hour of watching these documentaries. Social life? Who needs it? I have these treasures to indulge upon!

[susanthoms]

Wish I had Waldemar as a professor when I was at college!! I cannot get enough of art history taught by this wise and witty man.

[baylorsailor]

Waldemar laying on the couch while describing Rococo art is the best part 😆

[abielcotto]

I guess it happened to all of us! we all share something similar, I was looking for something on Van Goh and found Waldermar 7 days later I had watched almost every documentary that he's been on Youtube. He makes you feel like a kid on a tour being hosted by a marvellous storyteller... Kudos to Waldermar and the whole Perspective crew for this well arrange art documentary...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!!

[aelyn]

That pink nail polish on a copy of the Declaration of Independence, love it. Get it my boi, get it. Declaring that the Declaration of Independence is a Rococo manifesto is brilliant and hilarious. I nearly double majored in Art History, and we need more professors such as Waldermar- more folks might actually get degree's in it!

[bzxshormpts]

Waldemar---one of the most unpretentious and best presenters of Art History. No bullshit about him .Honest and knowledgeable

[danacomstock]

I screamed when he splayed himself on the couch. Love this guy!

[Silburific]

"Rococo manga"

I will never think about classical art the same way again.

[Hvitserk]

A documentary with Waldemar Januszczak as presenter is always worth spending time on. It is interesting, free-thinking and uplifting as well as humorous in a rather sophisticated way. For me, Waldemar has undoubtedly been a door opener for classical art. What was dry and relatively boring suddenly became interesting and exciting, as it should be and is.

[jackiecorley]

I love how he points things that my teachers did not.

[granthurlburt]

One of my favourite presenters. Enthusiastic, ver knowledgeable, and just the right amount of humour. His genuine enthusiasm at learning and communicating new ideas and knowledge is stimulating

[xplodinggrrrl]

Am I the only one who felt cheated when Mr Jasnuszcak posed on the couch... fully clothed? ;)
Brilliant episode!

[s.v.]

For me, Waldemar J. is one of the best art historians and teachers the 20yh c has produced. Thoughtful, well-researched, balanced he is not afraid to stretch his thinking (and ouers) beyond the limits of proscribed tradition and even, at times, break the rules. When doing so there is always an exploration of the subject, an explanation based on much more than "feelings" or "I think this way therefore it must be true." Rather, he leads us, point by point, (at times digressing to enhance the explaination). Drawing tightly the strings, anchored in each point, he neatly pulls them together into us an alternative solution, or manner of looking at a culture, a painting or even a dictator. I, a life long scholar, have learned much from his videos. I am deeply grateful.

[DelightLovesMovies]

I love how Waldemar does his job with so much glee and enthusiasm.

[Alla.Nikonova.]

This film is a chef-d'œuvre. The bits and pieces of rococo art, history and art history that I've been studying and admiring for dozens of years suddenly became a whole, skillfully narrated and gracefully illustrated, profound and lucid philosophical story. Bravo!

[five_more_minutes_please]

Such a great program, knowledgeable, interesting. I adore The Host, his bright humor is delightful!

[blue]

The host of this documentary is really amazing, he really makes me interested in art history, I love how he uses humor to present the stories being the paintings

[StephiSensei]

One year later and I'm still laughing! Thank you Waldemar!🤣 Killer funny!

[merkyw]

I have only recently discovered this marvellous person who has truly blown away any cobwebs on my introspective love of art..he is so good and so funny and should be honoured with many an award as an educator to the masses

[musicartgeek]

Warning: you’re about to see Waldemar sprawled on a couch imitating Boucher’s “Portrait of Marie-Louise O’Murphy”, and you won’t be able to un-see it