How Art Changed The Way We Perceive Jesus Christ (Waldemar Januszczak Documentary) | Perspective

Imagine you're 4 years old, and you have Waldemar as your nanny / babysitter. And he begins to tell you story after story about history and art history in particular. What would you want to grow up as? An accountant? Nah! A banker? Nah! A Dentist? Nah!! An Artist? Well Duh! How could you want to be anything but an artist, after you'd listened to him expound its beautiful intricate historical tapestry and intrigue of the world of art? You listen to Waldemar, and all you want to do is run away with the circus, and paint your life away!

Waldemar, he's such a wonderful teacher. How fortunate we all are to have these great videos available to us.

There is NO ONE in my life like Jesus. My love for Him is so intense and so calming, that painting out my feelings about Him just feels right. I know people who say any images of Jesus/God are graven images and we shouldn't worship graven images. I agree that we should not worship these created images. My creations are simply visual love songs/homages to my MOST BELOVED. When Jesus said that if His devotees did not sing out their love for Him (Luke 19:40), the stones might cry out, I totally get this. My canvases are simply stones to spill out my feelings upon. They are not graven images to be worshiped.

I love his approach...like a bulldozer to history...let's see what else is under what we've been told! Fabulous! I can watch them over and over.

watching from Wyoming as well . we need all the culture we can get.

Thank you for the education. You make me think, which is not easy at times. More education Please.

i love how in every comment section of this entire series there seems to be a competition in praising Waldemar

Dear Waldemar, I started out learning history in elementary school. Then, in high school, ancient history. Again when I switched schools, I got the same cavalcade from my art teacher. Then again in art college, in my course, A Survey of Western Art...so I sort of went from cave paintings to counter- reformation three times over, and now I have found YOU! I'm a painter/ sculptor/romantic kind of average schmo, and I just simply love your documentaries. Is that what you'd call them? Lessons? Lectures with show and tell? Whatever, I can't pull myself away from these. This is my second go- round with this ROTAS installment, and I'm getting even more out of it. Thank you. It's a wonder to be getting into senior citizen age ( just 6 months shy!) And to be able to so sincerely congratulate a much younger person on a job so well done. I don't know how you ever studied so much, or thought so much about how to house the huge inventory of your knowledge in a package with dramatic structure and accessible narrative. You know, I daresay you have made high- level intellectual learning as easy and consumable as coronation street, or antiques road show, or the baking contests...you are that good! I hope you don't take offence by the comparison. I think you should host Saturday night Live, or moderate a presidential debate, or be the next Canadian prime minister. That's how high a place I'm putting you. If you were any better, you'd be demi- god. Way to go, Youngster!

This is so outstanding! So original, so informative! Thanks to Waldemar, who is sheer brilliance!

The "Dark Ages" were the pinnacle of western civilization. The "Renaissance" was not a "rebirth", but the continuation and final period of the Middle Ages.

As an agnostic, I loved your chronography of Christian art and its evolution from youth to grave.

This is one of my favorite Waldemar docs!

The rotas stone posted outside reminded me of the the Jewish mezuzah: In mainstream Rabbinic Judaism, a mezuzah is affixed to the doorpost of Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to "write the words of God on the gates and doorposts of your house" (Deuteronomy 6:9). (Wikipedia) That there were no Christian images in early Christianity makes sense given the 1st Commandment against such. I wonder why he didn't mention these things at the beginning. But ... it's interesting.

learned so much more than just art, thank you the Perspective team!

God gave us Jesus Christ but he gave us scientific knowledge as well. Exploring religions now from a scientific point of view we have to realize, they are all a compilation of warnings, of how we need to learn to build up a symbiotic relationship with the Holy Creation, it's not casual that human beings have this strong sense for beauty, we must get involved saving beauty before we lose everything, watching together such awesome productions might help a lot, l am the biggest supporter of yours guys

Recommended this to my friend in Split, Croatia, where they were celebrating the Feast of St. Dujm or St. Domnius who cathedral there was built in 300 or 400 AD on the very burial site of the emperor who martyred Domnius. This great video is on point for them.

A wonderful documentary, but I do wish it hadn't neglected the split between the Eastern and Western Churches, particularly in relation to the affect that had on the understanding of religious art. But, of course, that alone is a significant project by itself, and there were time constraints. When he touched on Gibbon I thought he might go there, but it is true that Gibbon himself only touched on a bit, though he did take it further than the documentary did.

Brilliant, insightful and worth every second. Rarely do I say that

Teenagers today: "Edgy! A SKULL ring! No one's ever worn one of these before!" Waldemar: "Hold my ancient-jewelry box."

I can remember my grandfather telling me they were called the Dark Ages, not because things were gloomy or the light was dim, but because not much was known about those times, since the obessive record-keeping of Rome was over, and Europe was not yet widely literate.