New ‘Rick Steves’ Europe’ Series Spotlights Continent’s Art And Architecture

The latest series of “Rick Steves’ Europe,” presented by American Public Television, spotlights the continent’s architecture and art.

According to APT, “From climbing deep into prehistoric tombs on remote Scottish isles and summiting Michelangelo’s magnificent dome at the Vatican, to waltzing through glittering French palaces and pondering the genius of Picasso and Van Gogh, Rick Steves does for art what he does for travel, makes the television experience both fun and accessible.”

Steves said, “All my life, art has brought me great joy in my travels. And I’ve learned that the more we understand art, the more we appreciate it,” adding that he hoped the new series would “enrich your understanding and therefore your enjoyment of European art.”

The series episodes will feature, “Stone Age to Ancient Greece”; “Ancient Rome”; the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and “The Modern Age.”

APT said the episodes “will trace European art from cave paintings and mysterious stone circles through the rise and fall of great ancient civilizations, and the influential periods of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Through it all, new artistic styles emerged: stern Neoclassicism, unbridled Romanticism, sun-dappled Impressionism. The series concludes with an exploration of the art of the 20th century as artistic expression was pushed to new frontiers.”

Besides creating his series and writing guidebooks, Edmonds, Wash.-based Steves is the owner and founder of Rick Steves’ Europe, a European tour operator.

APT is a syndicator of programming to U.S. public television stations.