She ruled for 63 years and brought respect to the throne. Her letters to her daughter reveal, in a new light, many of the important events of the late 19th century.

Festivals of life nourish us with ancient rituals in a fast-changing world, covering all facets of the human condition, the changing seasons, weddings, coming of age ceremonies, births and deaths, the worship of gods and the battle against evil spirits. This film showcases Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations that unite the living and the dead in feasting, dancing and decoration. In Oaxaca City, local artists create sand tapestries and enter an altar...

Part Two of Understanding Art: Baroque follows the Baroque movement to Spain, focusing on the route of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and featuring painters Velasquez, Caravaggio, and Zurbaran. Waldemar Januszczak explores how international the Baroque movement was, including its influences in Latin America, and follows the movement to Belgium and Holland where we see the works of Baroque celebrities Rubens, Rembrandt and Vermeer.