Join a live virtual tour that examines works by Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and other painters in a way that you—and even visitors to the Barnes—have never experienced. High-definition Deep Zoom technology offers closeup looks at the canvases that reveal their surfaces and details in ways that bring the art and the artists to vivid life. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art. Join Mary Hall Surface, founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, for a series that explores the essential elements of close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative writing through the lens of four paintings that span centuries and styles. This session explores story.
Join author Melanie Choukas-Bradley for an intimate virtual experience and explore your surroundings through all your senses. Plug your headphones or earbuds into your smartphone, get comfortable in your backyard or a favorite natural area, and immerse yourself in nature through a rejuvenating morning forest-bathing program.
Christian churches and other world religions are increasingly incorporating environmentalism into their teachings. Ethicist and author William Barbieri explores how and why these religious traditions are responding to ecological challenges, and what we can learn from this process regarding the role of religions in the modern world.
Beyond its dazzling sunsets and whitewashed stucco, the Aegean island of Santorini boasts one of the best-preserved archaeological sites of the late Greek Bronze Age. Art historian Renee Gondek covers the history of this period and offers a detailed examination of the island and the colorful frescoes found in many of its ancient structures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Explore the art and architecture of the Middle Ages through four transformational moments in history. Art historian Judy Scott Feldman examines the art of the thousand-year period between classical antiquity and the Renaissance and its relationship to a diverse society infused with faith and spirituality. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)
Opera and classical music expert Saul Lilienstein surveys Stravinsky’s major accomplishments, from his early ground-breaking music for the Ballets Russes, through the neoclassical masterworks that culminated with The Rake’s Progress, to the far-reaching modernism of his later years.
Great art is timeless. Paul Glenshaw examines the iconic painting The Railway by Edouard Manet, exploring its historical context, delving into the era of its artist, the present he inhabited, and what shaped his vision and creations. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
For Picasso, Paul Cezanne was simply “the father of us all.” Art historian Joseph Cassar examines key works that reflect how this pioneer of modernism pointed to future developments in art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin combines presentations and piano demonstrations to examine the lives and work of Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, and Richard Wagner.
Don’t throw away those seeds! Meredith Epstein and Meg Smolinski, directors of University of Maryland Community Learning Garden, share tips to successfully grow the same great produce in your garden year after year by saving and preserving seeds.
Though voters usually hear that the current one is “the most important ever,” some presidential elections have proven more consequential and historic than others. As the 2020 vote approaches, historian Ralph Nurnberger looks back at memorable 19th-century contests that led to landmark political shifts, the dissolution of major political parties, changes in national policies, and some unexpected losers and winners.
Great art is timeless. Paul Glenshaw examines the iconic painting Gassed by John Singer Sargent, exploring its historical context, delving into the era of its artist, the present he inhabited, and what shaped his vision and creations. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Though voters usually hear that the current one is “the most important ever,” some presidential elections have proven more consequential and historic than others. As the 2020 vote approaches, historian Ralph Nurnberger looks back at memorable 20th-century contests that led to landmark political shifts, the dissolution of major political parties, changes in national policies, and some unexpected losers and winners.
Great art is timeless. Paul Glenshaw examines the iconic work The Shaw Memorial by Augustus Saint Gaudens, exploring its historical context, delving into the era of its artist, the present he inhabited, and what shaped his vision and creations. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The Renaissance, a genuine rebirth of culture in Italy between the late-15th and mid-16th century, saw extraordinary artistic accomplishments in painting and sculpture. In a two-day series, art historian Janetta Rebold Benton highlights a quartet of geniuses of the Early and High Renaissance whose work defines the time. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)
Did Britain’s Lord Elgin rescue a 24-foot marble frieze from the ruins of the Parthenon in the early 19th century or did he steal it? Art historian Joseph Cassar explores the history of these ancient sculptures and the issues that have swirled around them since they left Greece. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
From its origins in the ancient civilization to the present, the complex culture of South Asia has given rise to some of the world’s most remarkable art. Art historian Robert DeCaroli highlights the artistic traditions and historical changes within the Indian subcontinent from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)
The pianist, vocalist, and humorist extraordinaire pays tribute to the composers whose work defines the Great American Songbook including Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, and George Gershwin.
