The Bauhaus, founded in 1919 in Weimar, Germany, by the young architect Walter Gropius, was part Modernist school of art and design and part dream factory. Students were taught in workshops led by both craftsmen and artists and the curriculum included everything from fine art, typography, and graphic design to interior design and architecture. In a 4-part series, art historian Joseph Paul Cassar explores the importance and enduring influence of the Bauhaus. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)
Art historian Sophia D’Addio surveys the cradle of the Renaissance, Tuscany, which boasted Florence's unparalleled artistic wealth alongside Siena, Pisa, and Lucca’s cultural treasures. Renowned for its simple yet flavorful cuisine and its prized wines, the region blends medieval charm, coastal beauty, and enduring culinary and viticultural traditions into Italy’s cultural heart. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
The Guinness company was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, marked by the signing of a 9,000-year lease on a rundown brewery at St. James’s Gate in Dublin. From these humble beginnings, the Guinness Brewery grew rapidly, becoming the largest brewery in the world by the 1880s. Eibhlin Colgan, Guinness archive and heritage manager, traces the history of the company from the bold business decisions of its founder to the pioneering social initiatives championed by later generations of management.
Historian Siobhan Clark examines what led up to the Russian Revolution and the violent deaths of the tsar, tsarina, and their five children. She considers how this tragedy might have been avoided by examining the traits of Nicholas as a ruler, the role of World War I on the revolution, and the impact of the Revolution on the Russian people.
Smithsonian Associates speaker Paul Glenshaw returns to the Art + History series to look at great works of art in their historical context. This majestic landscape, created in 1868, is Bierstadt’s personal expression of his joyful first sight of the Sierra Nevada and a scene he thoroughly invented. The painting, along with Bierstadt’s many similar works, was a powerful lure for immigrants and settlers drawn by the promise of the American West, yet it also reveals the complicated legacy of Manifest Destiny. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
Willa Cather’s visits to Santa Fe in the 1920s with her partner, book editor Edith Lewis, inspired her to research and write the enduring novel she referred to as her best book. Author Garrett Peck examines how the Southwestern setting and spirit of Death Comes for the Archbishop is rooted in those travels.
Insects surged to ecological dominance by evolving larvae—grubs, maggots, and caterpillars—with extraordinary survival strategies and life cycle advantages. Wildlife documentary filmmaker Steve Nicholls explores their remarkable origins and the ingenious ways these vulnerable young thrive, from impersonating predators to forming intricate social networks.
The 250th anniversary of the United States marks a milestone, representing two and a half centuries of upholding democracy, building communities, and working to become a more perfect union. In celebration, the Smithsonian Institution created a new book, The Promise of a Nation: Commemorating 250 Years of Patriotism, Resilience, and Aspirations from the National Collection, in which curators reflect on how objects and people have shaped the national identity. During an evening presentation, Smithsonian experts share the story of how this publication came together, focusing on selected decades from the 1770s to the 2020s.
