Civilisation: The Complete Series

Kenneth Clarke’s eloquent and deeply personal documentary series exploring the cultural heritage of the western world, from the collapse of the Roman Empire until the birth of modernism, was groundbreaking television when first broadcast by the BBC in 1969. With it’s use of exotic locations, and it’s engaging presenter with his idiosyncratic style, it influenced much of what was to follow. Progressing from the cultural effects of feudalism in medieval Europe to the birth of the Renaissance in fifteenth-century Florence, from revolutionary politics in France after 1789 to the growth of materialism in artistic and scientific discourse, Clarke did not just examine ‘art’, but wanted to reveal the spiritual and humanistic motives behind it’s creation. Includes all 13 episodes.Synopsis
In 1966 BBC Television embarked on its most ambitious documentary series to date. The eminent art historian Lord Clark was commissioned to write and present an epic examination of Western European culture, defining what he considered to be the crucial phases of its development. Civilisation: A Personal View by Lord Clark would be more than two years in the making, with filming in over 100 locations across 13 countries. The lavish series was hailed as a masterpiece when it was first transmitted in 1969.
From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Industrial Revolution and beyond, Clark’s compelling narrative is accompanied by breathtaking colour photography of Europe’s greatest landmarks. This ‘history of ideas as illustrated by art and music’ remains the benchmark for the numerous programmes it inspired. This four-DVD set includes a specially written 36-page illustrated booklet of viewing notes.