IF YOUR INABILITY to tell a Gauguin from a van Gogh is rendering you a pariah with the smart set, never fear: The following CD-ROMs will have you spouting artspeak in no time.
Passion for Art. In the '20s, an eccentric entrepreneur, Dr. Barnes, began acquiring some of the world's great Impressionist and Postimpressionist masterpieces -- and kept them out of the public eye for many years. Corbis Publishing now brings this private collection to the masses with a new CD-ROM called A Passion for Art: Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse and Dr. Barnes. Walk through a virtual gallery to see the paintings of the Barnes Foundation displayed in sizes and positions relative to their actual wall locations, or go on a guided tour with noted art historians. Distributed by Maxis. $50. 800-526-2947 or 206-562-6000.
Starry Night. Van Gogh captured our imaginations with his depiction of a predawn night sky. However, art historian Albert Boime believes the painting may have been van Gogh's attempt to capture the many technological and cultural changes occurring in 1889. Voyager brings Boime's theories to life with its new CD-ROM Van Gogh: Starry Night. Art connoisseurs and novices alike can listen to more than 90 minutes of audio, read van Gogh's correspondence, view more than 200 images, and check out the full text of Boime's lecture. $40. 800-446-2001 or 212-431-5199.
With Open Eyes. It's never too early to start developing your kids' appreciation for the arts. The new CD-ROM With Open Eyes, also from Voyager, allows young children to view more than 200 works of art from The Art Institute of Chicago at a pace that is more their speed than the usual trip to the museum. Kids can traverse a globe to find out the country of origin of a particular piece, zoom in to one of several "hot spots" on a painting to get a closer look, and make a scrapbook of their favorite works. $40. 800-446-2001 or 212-431-5199.
