All upcoming World Art History Certificate: Electives programs

The study of iconography reveals how symbols and allegories help decode artworks that long puzzled scholars. Art historian Noah Charney examines how medieval viewers recognized saints in paintings despite widespread illiteracy. By identifying attributes tied to martyrdoms, such as Saint Lucy’s eyes on a platter or Saint Peter’s inverted cross, viewers understood each figure’s identity and meaning. Using Crivelli’s Demidoff Altarpiece, Charney shows how to read religious images like clues in a visual investigation. (World Art History Certificate elective,1/2 credit)

Home to extraordinary finds from Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Naples National Archaeological Museum offers a glimpse into the ancient Roman world. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero introduces some of the museum’s most compelling treasures, from breathtaking mosaics and monumental sculptures to everyday objects that reveal how Romans lived, worked, and found pleasure nearly 2,000 years ago. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Grant Wood, famed for one of America’s most iconic paintings, crafted a nostalgic public image that masked a far more intricate inner life. Art historian and Wood biographer R. Tripp Evans uncovers the tensions between the “farmer painter” persona, and his artistic, familial, and personal influences. Through Wood’s personal documents and paintings, Evans presents a multidimensional portrait of a man who became an unwitting national symbol. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The Smithsonian Institution has shaped the character of the National Mall since 1855. Washington’s most beloved museums trace the arc of American architecture, from James Renwick’s Gothic design of the Smithsonian Castle to the contemporary National Museum of African American History and Culture designed by a collaborative team led by David Adjaye, Philip Freelon, and J. Max Bond Jr. Romanesque to Victorian, Neoclassical to Brutalist, each unique building is an architectural study all its own. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, investigates the backstories behind these celebrated structures. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) is often regarded as the last ukiyo-e artist, working across the transition between the feudal Edo period (1603-1868) and the Westernization of Japan in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Yoshitoshi is known as an artist of the macabre and bizarre. However, this ghoulish reputation can obscure the important contributions he made to the development of new artistic genres. Kit Brooks, curator of Asian art at the Princeton University Art Museum, explores Yoshitoshi's career, examining what makes his art—and life—so haunting. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

American Realism usually refers to the Ashcan School, led by Robert Henri, which portrayed New York City’s gritty life around 1900. But “realism” also describes earlier artists like John Singleton Copley, trompe l’oeil painters such as Rembrandt Peale and William Harnett, and 19th century figures including Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins, and John Singer Sargent. The term later extended to movements like Socialist Realism and Photo Realism. Art historian Heidi Applegate traces these varied meanings across art history. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The year 1900 found three of Europe’s greatest cities entering defining eras in their historical and cultural development. In a richly illustrated program, cultural historian George Scheper explores how the alignment of creative forces shaped a trio of highly distinctive urban milieus—each nourished by the energy and excitement of new ideas and each witnessing the birth of modernism in the coming century. (World Art History Certificate elective,1 credit)

Art historian Sophia D’Addio surveys Le Marche, along the Adriatic east of Umbria, which features beaches, Apennine peaks, and rolling hills with towns. Urbino, Raphael’s hometown, shines as an artistic hub, while Loreto has drawn pilgrims since the 14th century. Beyond these marvels, D’Addio highlights more off-the-beaten-path destinations. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar provides an introductory history to African art and aesthetics, addressing the terminology used when describing the art. Cassar highlights main concepts found in African art, including the flexed-knee motif and representations of maternity and fertility. He provides a close look at a variety of styles of masks, from expressive to abstract, executed in wood, ivory, and bronze. Cassar also discusses the challenges of studying African art, as well as its influence on modern European painters and sculptors. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Every two years, the Venice Biennale transforms Venice into a living museum. This cultural extravaganza has grown into one of the world’s most influential exhibitions of contemporary art, architecture, cinema, dance, music, and theater, showcasing groundbreaking work from more than 90 nations. In a 2-session series, art historian Jennie Hirsh explores the biennale’s rich past and its landmark 2026 edition. This session focuses on the 2026 Biennale. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)