What is your favorite film about painting?

This week’s question: films about painters and paintings. The movies have produced a number of provocative works that reflect on its older, sister discipline.  

Peter Greenaway’s 1982 period piece The Draughtman’s Contract is both thrillingly odd and features many original drawings by Greenaway himself. After being contracted to create twelve landscape drawings of a British country house, the draughtsman Mr. Neville has dalliances with Mrs. Herbert, which is part of the contract. Long scenes of Neville drawing follow, along with a murder mystery. 

And what does our host Richard Peña think? “Another topic with lots of possible examples: Peter Watkins’ epic Edvard Munch is an extraordinarily deep dive into the mind of the great Norwegian expressionist; and if you haven’t seen it, please watch Tim Burton’s wonderful Big Eyes, the story of Margaret Kean, creator of those creepy portraits of big-eyed children.”