You can
tell we’re nearing the end of my PC stores –lately, we’ve been getting
documentaries without much acting and radio programs with only voice work. A
Portrait of Scotland is a TV documentary, like “Who’s Afraid of
Machiavelli?” but PC has the role of presenter instead of reader, complete with
picturesque walk-and-talk narration and participants to interview.
PC
takes us on a tour of Scottish art, particularly its rich history of portraiture. He discusses works classic and contemporary,
painted in myriad styles for a variety of purposes. He meets curators and artists, and he tries
to connect with and sketch the subjects of the paintings – from wealthy
monarchs to cherished lovers to incidental peasants. It’s an interesting documentary that pulls in
a lot of things that have influenced Scottish art over the years (religion,
philosophy, science, poetry, history, even tourist fads,) and it’s still accessible
for a novice like myself.
I’m
always interested in the dynamic between England and other lands within the
U.K., and that’s touched on here. Lines
are drawn between English painters working in Scotland, Scottish painters
popular in England, and Scottish painters popular in Scotland. As PC gets to the Victorian period and
beyond, these divisions become especially important; each group sees Scotland
and its people in different ways and has different aims in mind when painting
them.
Overall,
PC takes nicely to his presenter duties.
His narration is well delivered, and he skillfully draws out the people
he’s interviewing. In the interview
sequences, it’s hard to know how much he’s been instructed/guided, but it
certainly looks natural, and he seems to ask excellent questions. Most important, though, is his obvious enthusiasm. He pores over the paintings, gushes over the
living artists, and generally geeks out over little details – there’s a
fantastic scene of his delighted reaction to seeing the actual jacket worn by
an earl in a 250-year-old portrait.
It
seems so much of what PC loves can be found in his career. The former art-school student presented
documentary about art (and sketched throughout,) along with playing artists in The Shadow of the Noose and Modigliani. The former punk-band front man played a famous
rock star in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries
and has played several other characters that dabble in music. And of course, we know how things have turned
out for this lifelong Whovian – not too shabby.
Accent Watch
Scottish,
obviously.
Recommend?
In
General
– Maybe, if you’re into art history. I
found it interesting.
PC-wise – For major fan of
the man himself, I’d say yes. Not
necessarily for everyone.
Warnings
Naw, it’s
clean.
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