A week of television dedicated to art, featuring the great masters, Italian cultural heritage, archaeology, and contemporary art. Rai Storia, Rai 5, and Sky Arte are presenting programs dedicated to Guido Reni, Saype, Raphael, Michelangelo, and numerous other key figures in art history. The schedule runs from September 6 to 12, 2026.
On Tuesday, September 8, at 8:05 p.m., Rai Storia will air a new episode of *Italia: viaggio nella bellezza*(Italy: A Journey Through Beauty), the series dedicated to Italy’s cultural and artistic heritage. The episode, the thirteenth of the 2026 season, is dedicated to Guido Reni. The episode will last approximately five minutes and is scheduled to air until 8:10 p.m.
On Saturday, September 12, from 12:38 p.m. to 1:34 p.m., Rai 5 will air a new episode of *Art Night*, the series dedicated to art and culture. The episode, S2025 E11, is dedicated to Saype, an artist known for his monumental installations created directly within the landscape.
Sky Arte ’s programming for the week of September 6–11 features a lineup focused primarily on Italian art, history, and archaeology, with documentaries and in-depth features on great masters, works of art, and key figures in culture.
On Sunday, September 6, the day begins late at night with two programs dedicated to the great artists of the Renaissance. At 12:30 a.m., *Raphael: The Divine Beauty* airs—an episode from the *Italian Season* series that explores the mystery of the woman portrayed in the famous *Fornarina* and delves into the life of Raphael. At 1:15 a.m., it’s time for *Michelangelo’s Pietà*, dedicated to the theme of the Pietà in the artist’s body of work. At 2:05 a.m., the spotlight turns to Italian music with *Sound Gigante: An Alternative History of Italian Music*, which traces the year 1964 and the convergence of spaghetti westerns, Ennio Morricone’s soundtracks, and the evolving tastes of the younger generation.
The arts programming resumes at 8:10 a.m. with *Hopper: An American Love Story*, exploring the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works. At 9:50 a.m. , the documentary *Elizabeth Taylor: The Last Diva* chronicles the famous actress’s life through previously unseen interviews and material from her personal archive. At 11:35 a.m., the focus shifts to ancient Egypt with *The Mysteries of Cleopatra*, which follows archaeologist Kathleen Martinez’s research and investigations into the life and world of the Egyptian queen.
At 12:25 p.m., Leonardo da Vinci takes center stage in *The Ladies with the Ermine*, a documentary dedicated to the history of the famous painting and the women whose fates became intertwined with that of the work. In the afternoon , *Raphael: Divine Beauty* returns at 1:45 p.m. and *Michelangelo’s Pietà* at 2:35 p.m. At 3:25 p. m., *St. Peter’s and the Papal Basilicas of Rome* offers a journey through art and history via previously unseen footage of masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s *Pietà* and the dome of St. Peter’s, accompanied by texts by Stendhal narrated by Adriano Giannini. At 5:05 p.m. , the rivalry between Francesco Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini takes center stage in *Borromini and Bernini: The Challenge for Perfection*, while at 6:50 p.m., *The Divisionists* traces the pictorial revolution of Divisionism.
Prime time continues at 7:55 p.m. with *Art and Propaganda*, a reflection on the relationship between art, persuasion, and power, and on the evolution of the artist’s role—from court propagandist to critical and dissident voice. At 8:55 p.m., in its TV premiere, *Il Telegiornale dell’arte* features Arturo Galansino, general director of the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, who reflects on the role of contemporary museums amid scientific rigor, sustainability, and their relationship with an ever-wider audience. At 9:15 p.m., *Art Vs. War. “Banksy and C215 in Borodyanka, Ukraine” chronicles the two artists’ interventions in the war-torn Ukrainian city. At 10:20 p.m., “The Dove of Peace” traces a journey through art, memory, and rebirth, from the Nazi eagle to Pablo Atchugarry’s dove of peace. The day concludes at 11:15 PM with *Hitler’s Great Fear: The Trial of Degenerate Art*, dedicated to Nazi censorship and the role of art as a form of resistance.
On Monday, September 7, the late-night lineup resumes at 1:00 a.m. with *Art and Propaganda*. At 5:25 a.m., *Jago. The Rock Star* airs, chronicling JAGO’s artistic journey and set in the halls of Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome. At 6:30 a.m., the series *Fashion: An Italian Revolution* explores, in the episode “Who Wears the Pants: 1900–1945,” the relationship between clothing, women’s emancipation, and social transformation.
At 10:05 a.m., *Valorose* profiles Vanessa Bell, while at 10:55 a.m., *The Mystery of the Lost Masterpieces* reconstructs the story of Gustav Klimt’s *Medicina*, which was destroyed in a fire at the end of World War II. In the afternoon, at 1:20 p.m., *Art and Propaganda* returns, followed at 2:20 p.m. by *Art vs. War: Banksy and C215 in Borodyanka, Ukraine*. At 3:20 p.m. , *The Odd Couple: The Art of Gilbert & George* traces the career of the famous British artist duo.
The evening is dedicated to ancient Egypt. At 7:35 p.m., *The Fall of the Ancient Kingdom of Egypt* begins, analyzing the collapse of one of the most important civilizations of the ancient world. The second episode airs at 8:20 p.m. At 9:15 p.m., *The Treasures of Ancient Egypt* explores the golden age of Egyptian civilization, while at 10:15 p.m., *The Mysteries of Cleopatra* returns. At 11:05 p.m., *The Treasures of Ancient Egypt* is rebroadcast.
On Tuesday, September 8, at 10:05 a.m., *The Mystery of the Lost Masterpieces* reconstructs the story of Franz Marc’s *The Tower of the Blue Horses *, which was seized by Hermann Göring in the 1940s. At 10:55 a.m., another episode of the series is dedicated to Jan Vermeer’s *The Concert*, stolen in Boston in 1990. In the afternoon, at 2:15 p.m., *The Treasures of Ancient Egypt* returns, followed at 3:15 p.m. by *The Mysteries of Cleopatra*.
Prime time, on the other hand, offers a journey through Italy. At 7:45 p.m., *Magical Naples*, with Marco D’Amore, explores the soul of the Neapolitan city and the reasons for its uniqueness. At 9:15 p.m., *Grand Tour – Journey Through Italy* takes Alessandro Sperduti to Naples, while at 9:50 p.m. the journey continues to Sicily. Finally, at 10:25 p.m., Genoa takes center stage.
On Wednesday, September 9, at 10:30 a.m., *The Mystery of the Lost Masterpieces* examines the story of Vincent van Gogh’s *Vase with Five Sunflowers*, which was destroyed during the bombing of Osaka in World War II. In the afternoon, starting at 2:35 p.m., the three episodes of *Grand Tour – Journey Through Italy* return, dedicated respectively to Naples, Sicily, and Genoa. At 4:05 p.m., *The Lost Caravaggio* tells the storyof *Ecce Homo*, discovered in a home in Madrid and at the center of an international controversy over the possibility that it is a work by Caravaggio. Finally, at 5:25 p.m., *The Divisionists* returns.
On Thursday, September 10, at 10:00 a.m., a new episode of *The Mystery of the Lost Masterpieces* tells the story of Graham Sutherland’s *Portrait of Sir Winston Churchill*, which was destroyed by the former British prime minister’s wife. At 10:55 a.m., *Valorose* returns with a portrait of Vanessa Bell. In the afternoon, at 3:15 p.m., *Piero Manzoni, Artist* traces the career of the creator of *Artist’s Shit* through the testimonies of Damien Hirst, Massimiliano Gioni, and other leading figures in contemporary art. At 4:10 p.m. , *The Story of Milan: From Villages to the City, From the City to the Neighborhoods* traces the urban and social evolution of Milan’s neighborhoods.
In the evening, at 7:25 p.m., *Il Telegiornale dell’arte* revisits Arturo Galansino’s segment on the role of contemporary museums. At 7:40 p.m., it’s time for *St. Peter’s and the Papal Basilicas of Rome*. Prime time continues at 9:15 p. m. with *Michelangelo – Infinito*, a portrait of the man and the artist portrayed by Enrico Lo Verso. At 10:55 p.m. , *Raffaello – Il principe delle arti* presents a dialogue between cinema and art dedicated to the Renaissance master.
Finally, on Friday, September 11, at 9:35 a.m., the episode of *The Mystery of the Lost Masterpieces * dedicated to Van Gogh’s *Vase with Five Sunflowers * returns, followed at 10:25 a.m. by the episode on Vermeer’s *The Music Lesson *. In the afternoon, at 1:00 PM, *Michelangelo – Infinite* will be rebroadcast, while at 2:40 PM it’s time for *Raphael – The Prince of the Arts*, bringing the week dedicated to the two great Renaissance masters to a close.
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| Art on TV from September 6 to 12: Guido Reni, Saype, Raphael, and Michelangelo |
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