9 Portraits
© 2000 Insula Multimedia
Stunningly beautiful in presentation, this CD-ROM showcases the lives and works of nine famous artists: DaVinci, Bruegel, Velasquez, Rembrandt, Goya, Monet, VanGogh, Picasso and Miro. With soothing music in the background, via narration and slides we learn about each artist's contributions. Aesthetically, this software earns high marks, as does its thoughtful commentaries. Unfortunately, it's devilishly hard to use. Navigation is very confusing (you have to hunt around to find menu bars) and there is no search function. There are innovative games to play in each artist's section (for instance, match the eyes to the portrait), but it is not always clear how to play. Note, too, that the software requires an unusual graphics setting— easy to do, but there is no prompt for this, you must figure it out for yourself. The bottom line: usability issues mar an otherwise lovely program.
$24.95, Win, Mac OS (CD-ROM)
Teaches: art, art history