Begun in 1337, the ground floor of Orsanmichele church in Florence, Italy, was originally a loggia-style market. When it was transformed, the inside was decorated with paintings of saints and the outside with statues by artists such as Donatello, Ghiberti, and Verrocchio. Today, the upper floor of Orsanmichele is a museum where all but one of the original sculptures are on display. Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights this museum and its treasures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, political history curators from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History are gathering materials and memorabilia to document this election cycle for the national collections. Curator Jon Grinspan covers why he’s been attending Democratic and Republican contests and rallies throughout the year, looking for materials that reflect debates, protests, and on-site and digital campaign activities—and how they provide insights into the evolving spirit and complexity of our political landscape.
Take what you know and apply it in a museum as you study and dissect works of art in the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden’s anniversary show. Further examine the fundamental concepts of composition as you analyze and appreciate visual art. This is a companion class to Composition Studies. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The word “psychotherapy” is derived from the Greek psyche, meaning soul, and therapiea, meaning healing. Thus, psychotherapy is “soul healing,” the term used by ancient philosophers to describe important functions of philosophical reflection: to help people live a good life, seek answers to vexing personal questions, and bring their souls into consonance with the nature of existence. Philosophical counselor Samir Chopra explores the history of philosophy understood as therapy and explains the methods of modern philosophical counseling.
Many consider Leo Tolstoy’s epic 19th-century War and Peace, the story of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia, to be the greatest novel ever written. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, leads participants through an in-depth consideration of the themes, historical issues, literary elements, and cultural conditions that give Tolstoy’s work its legendary aura.
In the summer of 1862, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee devised a strategy to defeat the two Federal armies that he and his Army of Northern Virginia faced in Virginia. His plan led to a return to Bull Run and the Battle of Second Manassas. Civil War tour guide Marc Thompson leads a full-day tour of sites associated with the battle.
The stamp of prolific chef, author, and TV personality Bobby Flay can be felt in restaurants across the country, as well as at the dinner table in many families’ homes. Join him, in conversation with Washington Post’s Joe Yonan, as he discusses his newest cookbook, Bobby Flay: Chapter One, shares insights into his personal and professional experiences and offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the culinary world that shaped him.