ITV paints a picture with Great Art

Great Art airs on ITV in January

UK broadcaster ITV has ordered a five-part series from Seventh Art Productions celebrating the world’s most notable artists.

Great Art (5×50’), which launches in January, offers in-depth examinations of masters including Canaletto, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Introduced by curator and broadcaster Tim Marlow, artistic director of the Royal Academy of Arts, the show will feature a number of art experts throughout the series. Great Art is adapted from full-length feature films originally released in cinemas under Exhibition On Screen.

Phil Grabsky, executive producer at UK-based Seventh Art Productions, will produce the series, which was commissioned for ITV by Jo Clinton-Davis, controller of factual and Sue Murphy, head of factual entertainment.

Speaking to journalists at a present event to launch the show, Clinton-Davis said there was a “hunger for information” about art across the broadcast landscape.

“There are a lot of people watching television at 22.30  who are ready for something enriching, that will engage them,” she added.

A second season of the show has already been commissioned, with the Great Art project always being five episodes in season one and five in season two. The second run of the show is pencilled in for May.