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Over the past 2,000 years, Samarkand—located in what is now Uzbekistan—has absorbed the wealth and labors of Sogdian merchants, Manichean priests, Islamic astronomers, Mongol khans, Timurid emperors, Russian czars, and Soviet officials, all of whom attempted to use the city as a base from which to conquer Central Asia. Historian Justin M. Jacobs analyzes the cultural achievements of each of these historical groups.
Join naturalist Keith Tomlinson on a virtual Great Western adventure that extends from the Badlands of South Dakota to the mighty heights of Yellowstone National Park. He highlights geology, wildlife, biogeography, conservation initiatives, native peoples, and recreational opportunities along the way.
Looking for a choral program that celebrates memorable music across the decades? This is the one. Conductor Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the hits you know and love such as favorites by ABBA, Dolly Parton, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, and others. No auditions are required, and singers receive instruction in vocal techniques that include exercises in healthy breath management and improving your tone and range. Rehearsals culminate in a free performance for invited guests.
No art better exemplifies the Belle Époque than the lavish portraits of the rich, famous, and fashionable on both sides of the Atlantic created by John Singer Sargent. Art critic Judy Pomeranz presents an overview of Sargent’s range of work in the context of his time, as well as an examination of the stylistic and formal elements that set his paintings apart from those of his contemporaries and even successors. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The psychology of nostalgia and similar forms of mental time travel is the focus of a lecture by Jeffrey Green, professor of psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Green tackles questions such as what nostalgia is and whether it is a dysfunctional, maladaptive denial of the present or a healthy, adaptive emotion.
Both built in the late 1940s, Phillip Johnson’s Glass House and the Edith Farnsworth House by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe have an intertwined history that reaches from their beginnings into the present. These glass pavilions became the most written about and photographed International Style homes in the United States, if not the world, and eventually were acquired by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The executive directors of each site, Scott Mehaffey (the Edith Farnsworth House) and Kirsten Reoch (The Glass House), discuss the fascinating connections that link these icons of Modernism. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
In September of 480 B.C.E., Greek warships faced an invading Persian armada at the narrow Salamis Straits in the most important naval battle of the ancient world. Overwhelmingly outnumbered, the Greeks triumphed through strategy and deception. The victory changed the course of Western history, halting the advance of the Persian Empire and setting the stage for the Golden Age of Athens. Historian and classicist Barry Strauss brings the battle to life.
As the American Revolution broke out in New England in the spring of 1775, dramatic events unfolded in Virginia that proved as decisive as the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill in uniting the colonies against Britain. Journalist and author Andrew Lawler offers a new perspective on the roots of the American Revolution as he describes the impact of the actions of Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia.
Two decades after the devastation of the Blitz, the youthquake of the 1960s transformed staid London into Swinging London—the epicenter of a new world of fashion and entertainment. Carnaby Street set the styles; Soho’s nightclubs were the place to dance the night away; the British Invasion in music sent the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and other groups to the top of the charts and the country’s films outdid Hollywood as they tackled taboo topics of abortion, homosexuality, and interracial sex. Historian Julie Taddeo explores how London—and the nation—rebranded itself as a with-it world powerhouse.
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, or Cathedral Museum, in Siena, Italy, houses works of art and architectural fragments that were formerly in, or a part of, the Duomo of Siena (Siena Cathedral). These include a number of Italian Gothic sculptures by Giovanni Pisano and his school from the façade of the cathedral; the Maestà of Duccio di Buoninsegna, which was the altarpiece for about 200 years; and works by Ambrogio and Pietro Lorenzetti. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights this lesser-known museum and its treasures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
