All upcoming International Culture programs

After the devastation of World War II, Italy transformed into one of Europe’s great economic success stories of the 1950s and 1960s by embracing Western consumerism. Through globally popular films, advertising, and design, the country projected an image of modernity, elegance, and pleasure that captivated international audiences. Lecturer Adam Tanner examines how the myth of la dolce vita forged during these boom years continues to shape how Italy is imagined, both at home and abroad.

Founded by the hermit monks of San Girolamo in 1396 in Venice, the Church of San Sebastiano can be described as Venetian artist Paolo Veronese’s “Sistine Chapel.” The church houses a cycle of paintings that are the most important works Veronese created. Other notable works found in the church and sacristy include Titian's St. Nicholas and works by Paris Bordone, Jacopo Tintoretto, and Bonifacio de' Pitati. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero discusses Veronese’s paintings and highlights other noteworthy works in the church. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

When Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year 79, it inadvertently preserved the most extensive and intact ruins anywhere in the ancient world. Drawing on the material remains of Herculaneum and Pompeii, historian Justin M. Jacobs paints a lively portrait of daily urban life in the Roman Empire. He explores the fascinating history of the earliest digs at these sites during the 18th century, when they were regarded as a private quarry of Roman antiquities for a Bourbon king.

Spend a Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a summer series of delectable adventures. He takes you on an exploration of wines from South Africa. This immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.

Art historian Roland Betancourt illuminates the central role of images in Byzantine culture, focusing on how basic questions about images and their power in the medieval world can inform the ways in which images are thought about today. Covering the crucial years of the Byzantine Empire (roughly 330–1453), Betancourt looks at the art, architecture, and theories of visual culture in the medieval lands of the eastern Mediterranean and in modern-day Türkiye, Greece, Syria, and Russia. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

Nearly 4,000 Buddhist shrines, temples, and monasteries dot the arid plains around the ancient walled city of Bagan in Upper Myanmar, dating mostly from the 11th to 13th centuries. Historian Justin M. Jacobs examines one of the earliest and most spectacular Buddhist kingdoms in Southeast Asia, with a focus on the art and architecture of Bagan and the religious monuments erected during the height of its power.

Spend a Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a summer series of delectable adventures. He takes you on an exploration of wines from New Zealand. This immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.

The Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan houses one of Italy’s most historically significant art collections. The museum preserves masterpieces from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, including works by da Vinci, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Titian, and Raphael. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero explores the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana’s history and the masterpieces that make it a cornerstone of Milan’s artistic heritage. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The evolution of Russian art is inextricably bound to the rich cultural exchanges between East and West. These resulted in a fascinating blend of diverse visual languages and styles, from the late-medieval icons and frescos indebted to Byzantium to the great avant-garde experiments of the early part of the 20th century that developed side by side with various currents of Modernism in other parts of Europe. In a four-part course, art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine brings the culture of this vast country to life as she highlights some of the major art developments in Russia over the centuries. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

In the heart of Siena, the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Siena preserves an extensive collection of paintings from the Sienese school, spanning the 13th to the 17th centuries. The museum traces the evolution of Sienese painting from the luminous gold-ground panels of its medieval origins, through the achievements of the Renaissance and Mannerist periods, and into the artistic developments of the 17th century. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero examines the significance of this collection and the enduring legacy of Siena’s artistic tradition. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)