The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC was founded as a gift to the people of the United States by Andrew W. Mellon, a financier and art collector who served as Secretary of the Treasury under four presidents from 1921 to 1932.  With a collection of more than 150,000 paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings, the gallery serves as a center of visual art, education, and culture.

The gallery provides high-quality TV programming exploring artists and their works from the Renaissance period to modern times.

High school and above. Each show is approximately 30 minutes long, with some one hour in length

Program descriptions:

Arcimboldo: Nature and Fantasy

Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes

El Greco: An Artist’s Odyssey

Gauguin: Maker of Myth

George Bellows

Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape

Los Angeles to New York: Dwan Gallery

Stuart Davis: In Full Swing

Tintoretto: Artist of Renaissance Venice

Verrocchio: Sculptor and Painter of Renaissance Florence

John Wilmerding Symposium on American Art 2020 - A Tribute to David C. Driskell (1 hr. total)

Part 1: Joy Cometh in the Morning
Part 2: Studio Visit with Curlee Raven Holton
Part 3: Torchbearer of a Legacy
Part 4: The Cultural Cartographer: The Invaluable Art Roadmaps of David C. Driskell

Artists at Work

2023 (20 minutes total)

• Teresita Fernández's Stacked Landscapes
• María Magdalena Campos-Pons’s "When We Gather"
• Mario García Torres’s "Today (News from Kabul)"

2024 (28 minutes total)

• John Hitchcock's "Impact vs. Influence" fuses family, military, and nature
• Unveiling Daniel Lind-Ramos's Symbols of Power
• Dalton Paula - Portraits for the Future
• Sarah Cain's Favorite Season
• Kay Rosen - Who is really saying "sorry"?
• Avish Khebrehzadeh's Seven Silent Songs

Forward 54th!

Stage production about the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, one of the first regiments of African-American soldiers formed during the Civil War, which was honored with sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens' large bronze monument on Boston Common.

Edward Hopper

The story of one of America's most admired artists, who captured 20th-century life with poignancy and enigmatic beauty. 

Romare Bearden

A look at the talented and versatile Romare Bearden, known for his intellect and social activism as well as his artistic abilities during the Harlem Renaissance and beyond.

European Art

Ginevra's Story - A look at Leonardo da Vinci's first known portrait, the magnificent and mysterious Ginevra de' Benci. Technology unveils insights about the painting, Ginevra, and Leonardo. Narrated by Meryl Streep. 57 minutes

Anthony van Dyck - Follow the career of Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyck from child prodigy to assistant to Peter Paul Rubens to the most famous artist in Europe. Hi talent was sought out by royalty and the most distinguished patrons of the day. 21 minutes

Vermeer: Master of Light - Explore Johannes Vermeer's intriguing paintings, using technology to examine his mesmerizing use of light, color, proportion, and scale. 57 minutes

American Art, 1785–1926: Seven Artist Profiles:

John James Audubon: The Birds of America
Audubon's artistic development and his uncompromising devotion to publishing The Birds of America.  29 minutes

An American Impressionist: William Merritt Chase at Shinnecock
Highlights Chase's years at Shinnecock, on Long Island, New York, where in 1891 he established the first important outdoor summer school of art in America.  26 minutes

The Landscapes of Frederic Edwin Church
Church's heroic depictions of the natural wonders of the Americas made him the nation's most celebrated landscape painter.  29 minutes

Winslow Homer: The Nature of the Artist
Covers the artist's early illustrations of the Civil War, his picturesque and charming scenes of the country and shore, as well as his powerful images of nature.  29 minutes

Thomas "Yellowstone" Moran
Tells the story of Moran's involvement with the government-sponsored survey expedition to Yellowstone in 1871. 12 minutes

Important Information Inside: John F. Peto and the Idea of Still-Life Painting
Explores Peto's art in the context of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he trained, as well as his design and object collections - the very forms found in his paintings. A survey of the development of still-life painting in American art is also included. 28 minutes

James McNeill Whistler: The Lyrics of Art
Follows the controversial and fascinating artist's life and career in America, London, Paris, and Venice. 20 minutes

Like a Great, 2025

(compilation - 30 minutes)

Immerse yourself in the profound connection between present-day artists and the artists of the past who inspire them. This collection of videos showcases the talents of contemporary artists who emulate the techniques of artists from centuries past.

• See a sculptor recreate Antonio Canova’s “Venus” step-by-step, from clay to marble | Time Lapse Art
• How to make mosaics inspired by Alma Thomas's "Pansies in Washington"
• Can a present-day artist capture the essence of Dorothea Lange's iconic photography?
• 5 Simple Ways to Create FASHIONABLE Fabric Stamps Inspired by Matisse
• Paint Like a Great: John Singer Sargent