Face of Britain

BBC Two is to inflict Simon Schama on its viewers in a new five-part series beginning on 30 September: Simon Schama’s Face of Britain (CLICK). The accompanying exhibition has already opened at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Schama and its curators devised a cross-period exploration of the history of Britain through portraiture. It's a mixed bag of paintings and photos presented under five themes: Power, Love, Fame, Self and People (CLICK). Shown is a detail from John Robert Parsons's excellent profile photo of Jane Morris (née Burden). Prof. Sharma is a pompous and opinionated presenter who loves the sound of his own voice. I watched his Power of Art series on BBC Two in 2006 and thought his attitude toward Caravaggio was pig ignorant.