Programs

Using watercolors, capture the nuances of the natural light in the beautiful Enid A. Haupt Garden next to the Smithsonian Castle. Study the delicate subtleties of the plants and learn to translate your observations into stunning Post-Impressionistic studies and paintings. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

From the elaborate banquets of ancient civilizations to the lavish soirées of the Renaissance, feasts have revealed both the culinary delights of their time and the social hierarchies, power dynamics, and cultural exchanges that have shaped our past. In an evening series, food historian Francine Segan uncovers the meaning behind the food, drink, and rituals that have defined such gatherings and spotlights the unique foods of royal tables in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. This session focuses on ancient Egypt in the time of Cleopatra.

Film historian Max Alvarez surveys the turbulent film history of China via the brilliant and beautiful collaborations of Fifth Generation filmmaker Zhang Yimou­, whose career emerged in the wake of the Cultural Revolution­, and the stunning actress Gong Li, whose stardom instantly began with their first powerful alliance in Red Sorghum. Her remarkable versatility reinforced Zhang’s themes of resilience in the face of hardship and helped make the director’s later works—arguably compromised by the political pressure he faced—both intoxicating and mesmerizing.

It has become increasingly common for Western museums to be portrayed not as sites of preservation and education but rather as homes of works stolen by imperialists. Historian Justin M. Jacobs challenges that perspective, providing an overview of the five primary channels through which Western museums acquired their artifacts. Only by better appreciating the historical context that informed the transfer of art and antiquities from the source country to a museum, Jacobs argues, can calls for cultural restitution be properly assessed.

In America’s collective consciousness, Pat Nixon has long been perceived as elusive and enigmatic. Her biographer Heath Hardage Lee examines a figure who bore little resemblance to the woman so often described in the press: an empathetic, adventurous, self-made woman who wanted no power or influence but who connected warmly with both ordinary Americans and people from different cultures she encountered worldwide.

Beginning in the early 20th century, French artist Marie Laurencin created a unique pictorial world that placed women at the center of modern art. With a painting style that defied categorization, Laurencin moved seamlessly between the male-dominated Cubist avant-garde, lesbian literary and artistic circles, and the realms of fashion, ballet, and decorative arts. Barnes Foundation docent Joe Caliva explores Laurencin’s career as he discusses “Marie Laurencin: Sapphic Paris,” an exhibition recently on view at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

Learn to develop your photographic vision and take better photos by learning a more deliberate approach to composition, balance, and lighting conditions while keeping it simple.

The conservationists who worked to create the National Park Service found willing partners in the nation's railroads. When that goal finally became a reality in 1916, a mutually beneficial relationship began that extended through most of the 20th century. Patricia LaBounty, a curator at the Union Pacific Museum, draws on archival photographs to illustrate the surprising role railroads played in the development of Western national parks.

During the reign of Justinian, the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, empire reached its largest extent since the last Western Roman emperor was deposed in 476. In addition, Justinian and his wife, Theodora, oversaw reforms that laid the foundation for later Western law and saw the construction of the magnificent church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Yet his attempts to impose religious unity failed, and his wars caused widespread devastation. Historian David Gwynn explores contradictory assessments of Justinian, both historical and modern.

Yoga can be a lifestyle medicine that promotes brain health, mental health, and overall well-being. Linda Lang, a certified yoga therapist, offers an opportunity to learn how to embrace yogic thinking and simple and gentle breathing techniques to cultivate a healthier—and calmer—relationship with your body and mind.