The Greatest Painters of the World

Beginning in the mid-19th century, a few painters began adopting a new way of painting and of applying color.

They changed how perspective and shapes are perceived and broke free of academic painting, which conforms to very strict rules, to create the Impressionist movement. The greatest painters from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century are those whose paintings today fetch the highest sums in auctions at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. France has been the epicenter of all the great painting movements: Impressionism, Faufism, Cubism, Surrealism and many others.

This documentary series presents an overview of these different movements.