Roman Gaul, the area of southern France that today includes Provence, is an important repository of Roman culture, with many works built in Gaul still standing. Art historian Christopher Gregg explores the history and the physical remains of sites, including the Amphitheater of the Three Gauls; a rare watermill; and a remarkably preserved cargo ship; as well as a variety of beautiful sculptures and mosaics. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Jackson Pollock revolutionized modern art with his pioneering style of Action Painting, creating expansive, nonfigurative webs of color that earned him the nickname "Jack the Dripper” and left an indelible mark on the art world. Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton delves into Pollock's life and enduring influence, exploring how he and his contemporaries challenged artistic conventions to open new avenues for abstraction and creative expression that continue to resonate in contemporary art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The late 18th century was a period rife with revolutionary fervor and transformative ideas that altered the course of history. The American Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776, and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, ratified in 1789, were radical manifestos that proclaimed new principles of governance and human dignity and challenged centuries-old political and social structures. Historian Alexander Mikaberidze explores these groundbreaking documents and the individuals who dared to imagine a new order that ignited flames of liberty that spread throughout the world.
Less famous than their Tudor cousins, the Stuart monarchs survived a plot to blow up the government and the only governmental execution of an anointed king in English history to restructure the nature of the monarchy and eventually join England and Scotland into a new nation. Historian Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines how four generations of Stuart monarchs—from James I to Queen Anne—led the country from the personal monarchy of the Tudors into the constitutional monarchy and the establishment of Great Britain.
Since the days of Christopher Columbus and the earliest European explorers, Italians have made their way to American shores. But only since the late 19th century have Italian immigrants by the millions made a major impact on American culture. Writer and lecturer Adam Tanner tells a personal story of uncovering the ancestry of his grandfather, who moved to the United States at the peak of this immigration boom. His broader narrative examines how Italian Americans changed our popular culture, politics, and, of course, food.
Men of Irish heritage played crucial roles in fighting the American Revolution. Their numbers included generals, thousands of enlisted men, and even spies—notably Hercules Mulligan, a major character in the musical Hamilton. Historian Richard Bell explores the Revolution from the perspective of the Irish and their descendants in America as he reconstructs the history of English and Irish antagonism; examines the role of Roman Catholic faith in decisions about loyalty and affiliation; and surveys the political and economic impact of the American Revolution on Ireland itself.
Commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo used the most universal artistic language available—the human body in all its configurations. From the spark of life given to Adam and Eve to the Last Judgment, his frescoes blazed a path toward secularism despite the chapel’s religious themes. Art historian Liz Lev examines the evolution of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a work so astounding it changed the course of Western art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are three influential philosophers whose ideas have significantly shaped political theory and the understanding of the social contract. In a fall series, join Georgetown professor Joseph Hartman as he explores these thinkers who offered distinct perspectives on the nature of human beings, the origins of political authority, and the formation of societies. This session focuses on Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
