All upcoming Art & Architecture programs

Step back in time as Lynn O’Connell leads an exploration of how Christmases of yesteryear were celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia. As you walk through Old Town Alexandria, learn how John Carlyle, George Washington, and other city leaders of the 18th century marked the seasons and which new customs were brought to Alexandria in the 1880s and 1890s. Get the delicious details on the holiday feasts served at historic Gadsby’s Tavern in the 19th century, including George Washington’s favorite dish—and his rather boozy eggnog.

Philadelphia Art Museum curator David Barquist highlights the Arts and Crafts movement by focusing on Philadelphia artists who sought to correct what they saw as the poor quality of factory production by embracing the British Arts and Crafts movement's principles of handwork, simplicity in design, and what they called “truth to materials.” Despite their shared interest in Arts and Crafts principles, the artists created individual responses that were shaped in part by the size and organization of their workshops. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)

Led by regional historian Hayden Mathews, step into a world of elegance and holiday splendor in a journey through the historic Brandywine Valley, where the legacy of the du Pont family comes to life in grand estates filled with seasonal displays. Spanning Pennsylvania and Delaware, the region is home to some of the most opulent mansions and gardens in the country, each with a connection to the du Pont family, who shaped the cultural and economic landscape of the region and created a heritage of architecture, art, and horticulture.

Ponder the possibilities that the contemplative season of Advent provides inspired by Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting The Annunciation and a poem by Wendell Berry. Designed for writers of all levels, and for the curious, the workshop led by Mary Hall Surface invites you to look outwardly at art and to look inwardly through writing. These reflections can become creative fertile ground for memoir, poetry, and more. 

In 1734, the Duke of Parma (and soon-to-be King of Naples) had most of the extensive art collection established by his family moved from Parma to Naples. Filippo Borbone, who became Duke of Parma in 1748, was determined to hold on to what works were left. The collection eventually would become the National Gallery of Parma. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero delves into the museum’s artworks, including important pieces by Correggio as well as La Scapigliata by da Vinci. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The artistic ideals of James Abbott McNeill Whistler were informed by the Aesthetic movement and its emphasis on refinement, subtlety, and belief in the autonomy of art. His admiration for Asian art prompted experimentation with abstract color and composition. He also created visual arrangements and color harmonies that correspond to those in music. Art historian Aneta Georgievska Shine looks at how these ideals were expressed in Whistler’s works. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

As the Mexican Revolution drew to a close in 1920, Mexico’s new democratic government commissioned public murals depicting what the nation could look like. They were painted by many artists, most notably José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Soon works by the three artists and others influenced by them appeared outside Mexico, too. Using the imagery and influences of works painted by Orozco, Siqueiros, and Rivera in the U.S., Walters Art Museum curator Ellen Hoobler explores how the ancient Americas and modern politics intertwined in 1930s and ‘40s public murals in the United States. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

French Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin worked in Brittany’s Pont-Aven and later with Vincent van Gogh in Arles until he decided to travel to Tahiti in 1891. Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar discusses Gauguin’s many travels with the French Navy and his time as a successful stockbroker before committing himself to painting. Focusing on Gauguin’s main masterpieces and his legacy, Cassar also provides a critical analysis of the works created by the artist during his visits to Tahiti. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Step back in time as Lynn O’Connell leads an exploration of how Christmases of yesteryear were celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia. As you walk through Old Town Alexandria, learn how John Carlyle, George Washington, and other city leaders of the 18th century marked the seasons and which new customs were brought to Alexandria in the 1880s and 1890s. Get the delicious details on the holiday feasts served at historic Gadsby’s Tavern in the 19th century, including George Washington’s favorite dish—and his rather boozy eggnog.

Known for his lush jungle scenes and imaginative compositions, Henri Rousseau was a self-taught artist whose work defied convention and captivated generations of Modernists. Art historian Ursula Wolfman takes you into his vibrant world at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia with the special exhibition “Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets,” co-organized with the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris.