Speaking at the The Founders Lecture he said the title was a bit of a millstone and inevitably invited comparisons with Kenneth Clark’s landmark series first broadcast in 1969.
Using slides to illustrate his talk Schama explained that throughout history during great upheaval and periods of profound hostility artistic expression has offered our best hope for empathy and understanding.
He said, “What survives of us is Art. Where Art and love meet at the same place, that will survive.” He added that Art enables people to live life as fully as possible, and that humans create art both to express themselves and to leave behind a legacy.
The endless curiosity and cultural connections that exist throughout history are something that fascinated him and working on Civilisations enabled him to show the “wiring” that connect different cultures through the ages.
In his talk he explored the ways artists like Picasso and Rembrandt built on the artistic ideas and references of other artists who came hundreds of years before them from different countries and cultures.
If you missed this you might like to go to Event 218 China: A History in Objects on Wednesday, 30 May at 10am