Raphael, one of the High Renaissance’s great masters alongside Michelangelo and Leonardo, rose from Perugino’s apprentice in Urbino to the favored artist of popes and princes. In just two decades, he synthesized influences into serene compositions and ideal beauty, leaving a legacy of harmony and grace before his death at 37. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo explores his extraordinary ascent—from early apprenticeships under Perugino to encounters with Michelangelo and Leonardo in Florence, and finally to his crowning achievements in Rome. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
This is a landmark year for the Queen of Crime. It marks the 100th anniversary of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd—one of the world’s most famous mystery novels—the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death, and the centennial of her sensational disappearance, a wild and headline-making chapter in her life. Author Daniel Stashower investigates Agatha Christie’s life and career and actors Scott Sedar and Bari Biern give voice to her most beloved characters. It would be a crime to miss them.
Indulge in a colorful midwinter escape as horticultural expert Keith Tomlinson leads a series of virtual visits that highlight the beauty of notable botanical gardens in settings as varied as Singapore, the Arizona desert, and the American Midwest. In vibrant visuals he explores how each garden has taken a unique approach to design and interpretation as they celebrate plant collections, conservation, education, and the distinctive environments and landscapes in which they bloom. This session focuses on the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
The search for planets outside our solar system has found more than 6,000 such worlds, known as exoplanets. Now the race is on to find Earth-sized temperate planets, understand their atmospheres, and discover any signs of life on them. Learn how astronomers are carrying out this search and what they’ve been finding with Peter Plavchan, the NASA Landolt Space Mission’s principal investigator. Following the talk, Rob Parks, director of the George Mason Observatory, brings the skies into your living room with remote control of the observatory, weather permitting.
Step into the vibrant world of acrylic painting in this introductory course. You work on guided projects, from abstract to landscape to still life, exploring basic composition principles to create visually engaging pieces.
Originally part of the residence of the Medici dynasty, the Palatine Gallery encompasses the entire second floor of the Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy. Its collection includes the largest concentration of paintings by Raphael in the world, as well as works by Titian, Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Rubens. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero discusses some of these magnificent pieces of art. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
This course is based on contemporary research about visual perception and its application to the practice of drawing. Through a series of exercises, study major elements that are the foundation of visual language including the concepts of line, shape, light and shadow, and composition.
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.
