The year 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which met in 325 in the presence of Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor. The gathering of some 250 bishops was a momentous event and is remembered as the first ecumenical council, which composed the original Nicene Creed still used in modified form today. However, what really happened at the council remains controversial. Historian David Gwynn explores Nicaea’s disputed legacy for both Christianity and the Roman empire.
The Mediterranean island of Malta has a rich past that reaches back some 7,000 years—a culture that thrived well before the pyramids of Egypt. Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar, who was born on Malta, surveys its geography, history, and heritage as well as its vibrant modern and contemporary art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)
Learn the fundamentals of knitting, including casting on, basic knit and purl stitches, increasing, decreasing, and binding off. Students learn by practice and may start a knitting project during class.
Andrea Palladio’s villas, palaces, and churches encompass the mathematical harmony, classical inspiration, and humanist ideals that defined the Renaissance in Italy. His architectural language crossed eras and oceans, inspiring everything from English country estates to American civic buildings and even the White House. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo explores Palladio’s life, works, and philosophy, revealing how a former stonemason from Vicenza shaped the foundations of Western architecture. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Explore new approaches to artmaking while experimenting with a wide range of subjects. Start with quick sketches to refine your ideas, then build your work through layers of wet and dry media.
Exploring classic winter scenes, strategize the best techniques to capture the season’s unique qualities. Then go outside and take photos to share for review.
Join Tim Dolan, an actor and owner of Broadway Up Close tours in New York City, as he leads a virtual stroll that takes in the theaters at the northern end of the Broadway Theatre District from 47th Street to 54th Street. Along the way, discover how the stage was transformed in the 1960s and 1970s by the introduction of rock musicals with the landmark production of Hair, Via Galactica the first million-dollar show, and a belting orphan with a dog named Sandy.
Poland has 23 national parks, ranging from very small to well-known throughout Europe. Tour guide Christopher Skutela leads a visual journey to several of them, including a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the site of the country’s highest mountain, and a 220-square-mile park.
