Palaces were the residences of monarchs, but they were also buildings where the business of state was carried out. Within their walls intrigues, murders, love affairs, and deaths—the full pageant of British history—took place and royal magnificence was displayed. Siobhan Clarke, a guide for the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, introduces the splendid corridors of royal power and pleasure through four significant sites: the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace, and Kensington Palace.

As one of the most significant categories of painting in Western art, portraiture offers a window into both individual identities and broader social and cultural values. In a 4-part series, art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine looks closely at a variety of aspects of portraiture in historical contexts, providing a deeper understanding of the significance of this pictorial genre. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

Created by the “heretic” Pharaoh Akhenaten as the center of the monotheistic cult of worship of a sun god called the Aten, the ancient city of Tell el-Amarna is one of the most exciting archaeological sites in the world. Its extraordinary level of preservation provides an unmatched window into the population’s daily life and religious practices. Egyptologist Jacquelyn Williamson, a senior member of the Tell el-Amarna archaeological team, examines the latest discoveries at the site.

At its peak, the Roman empire extended from Britain to the Sahara Desert, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates River. Yet in 476, the last western Roman emperor was deposed. In a 4-part series, historian David Gwynn analyzes the dramatic events which shaped the decline and fall of the Roman empire in the west, exploring the transformation from the ancient to the medieval world that laid the foundations for modern Europe. This session focuses on fifth-century historical events.

Within a few years of the Norman Conquest of 1066, a beautiful and intricate tapestry appeared that documented in remarkable detail the events of the Battle of Hastings. Scholars still study the Bayeux Tapestry for its expansive cultural value in understanding the complexity of the Norman–Saxon transition that carried within it the seeds of the Hundred Years War three centuries later. Historian Cheryl White examines its lasting impact as a work of art and historical documentary and how the Bayeux Tapestry speaks to the identity of a people, a kingdom, and ultimately, the role of art in reinforcing the dominant view by which scholars interpret the past.

The Olmec culture on Mexico’s southern gulf coast, best known for creating colossal stone heads more than 3,000 years ago, produced other distinctive artworks in a variety of materials. It also has left some of the earliest evidence of urban planning in North America and of a system of numbering and of glyphic writing. Cultural historian George Scheper explores the archaeological and sculptural wonders of the Olmec, along with their role in shaping the culture of Mesoamerica.

The South of France, with its glorious light and varied vistas, has long been a magnet for plein-air painters. Art historian Bonita Billman investigates the inspiration that places like Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, St. Remy, St. Tropez, and Nice provided for the brilliantly colored works produced by 19th and early 20th-century painters. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

Historian Sophia Rosenfeld explores how, between the 17th century and the present, the practice of making choices from menus of options came to shape many aspects of our existence, from consumer culture to human rights. Rosenfeld discusses the lives of women—who often have the fewest choices and who have frequently been the drivers of this change—as she examines how reproductive rights became a symbolic flashpoint in the contemporary struggles over the association of liberty with choice. She draws on sources ranging from the latest findings in economics and psychology to novels and restaurant menus.