1. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism: Avant-garde to Modernism

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How many times do we look at a calendar or poster hanging on a wall and see a painting by Monet or Van Gogh?  Why are we so attracted to the beautifully colored and textured paintings by the artists at the time?  Join in a presentation and discussion on the two artistic movements arising in mid-nineteenth century France and learn about their similarities, differences, and the works of art and artists who are so deeply admired today.

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2. Impressionism:On the Road to Modernism

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Along with the concept of the avant-garde in the first quarter of the nineteenth century with the Realists, the idea of “modernity” also shaped art in France at the time.  Beginning in the first half of the nineteenth century, a group of artists known as the Impressionists begin to paint modern urban subjects and new approaches to representing the visual world.  Join in a presentation and discussion on Impressionism and the major artists who played a key role in the changes that lead us into the modern world.

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3. Post-Impressionism:A Reaction to Impressionism?

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Post-Impressionism emerged as a reaction against the Impressionists’ concern for the natural depiction of light and color and more inclined to emphasize geometric shapes, distorted form for expressive effect, and us unnatural or modified color.  The presentation will focus on these changes and reveal how each artist met these changes in his own way.

 

     

4. Tutankhamun:Still An Enduring Power

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One hundred years ago British archeologist, Howard Carter, unearthed a legend, and today we are still piecing together new revelations.  Who was Tut and why is he so famous, and what are the mysteries and superstitions surrounding him?  Take an extraordinary journey back to Ancient Egypt, and join in a presentation and discussion about the young warrior king.

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5. Great Masters of the Italian Baroque:Bernini and Caravaggio

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Following the High Renaissance of the sixteenth century, the Baroque period begins and is nowhere more prevalent than in Italy itself.  The presentation focuses on two revolutionary artists, Gian Lorenzo Bernini in sculpture and architecture and Michelangelo Marisi Caravaggio in painting, both moving away from the art of the preceding period and setting the state for art moving forward.

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6. The Life and Works of Frida Kahlo

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Frida Kahlo, known as a twentieth century surrealist and magical realist and symbol of strength and resiliency, was a Mexican painter inspired by nature and the popular culture of her beloved Mexico.  She explored themes of identity, gender, class and race in Mexican society.  The presentation will focus on the artist’s fascinating works, with strong autobiographical elements mixed with realism and fantasy.

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7. The Cradle of Civilization:Ancient Greek Art and Architecture

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Have you ever wondered why Greek male statues are portrayed without clothing and the Parthenon, the great Greek temple of the fifth century BCE and 2500 years old, is still standing?  Ancient Greek civilization was much shorter lived than that of Ancient Egypt or Ancient Rome, but its art and architecture are among the most spectacular in the history of art.  The wonders of ancient Greek civilization will both enlighten and inspire you on this journey back in time.

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8. Art Movements of the Twentieth Century

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The first half of the twentieth century was a period of significant upheaval worldwide.  Between 1900 and 1945, the major industrial powers fought two global wars; witnessed the rise of Communism, Fascism, and Nazism; and suffered the Great Depression.  These decades were also a time of radical change in the arts, where painters and sculptors challenged some of the most basic assumptions about the purpose of art and what form an artwork should take.  An artistic revolution emerged, with the artists exploring new directions.  Fauvism, Cubism, German Expressionism, Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, and Pop Art are some of the art movements that speak to these changes.

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9. Wonders of Ancient Egypt

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The civilization of Ancient Egypt, with its rich history and enduring mysteries, stands as a testament to human achievement and integrity.  Spanning over three millennia, Egypt’s unique culture and remarkable accomplishments continue to captivate our imaginations today.  Embark on a journey through time to explore the wonders of Ancient Egypt, from the time of the Great Pyramids in the Old Kingdom through King Tutankhamun in the New Kingdom and beyond.

 

   

10. Great Masters of the Italian Renaissance:Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael

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Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael were all active during the High Renaissance, which was an intense period of creativity in Northern Italy and beyond from the 1480s into the first decades of the sixteenth century in Rome, Florence, and Milan.  The presentation will focus on the three masters, specifically their artistic styles, works of art, and the rivalry and competitiveness between them.  

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11. The Genius of Michelangelo Buonarroti

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The “triumphant savior of the arts, a figure of light,” are the words of Giorgio Vasari, Italian painter and biographer of Renaissance artists, who wrote these words about Michelangelo Buonarroti in the sixteenth century.  Michelangelo, who lived twice as long as most people in the Renaissance and was busy and successful in his 70s and 80s as at any time of his life, is one of the greatest artists in history.  Supreme in three arts – painting, sculpture, and architecture – he was active during three artistic periods at the time including the Early Renaissance, High Renaissance, and Late Renaissance (Mannerism).  He had an enormous impact on contemporary artists and artists of subsequent periods.

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12. The Famed and Tormented Life of Vincent Van Gogh

Vincent Willem Van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist who is among the most famous and influential painters in the history of Western art.  Although he died at the young age of 37, he created 2100 artworks including 860 oil paintings, most of them in the last two years of his life.  His art is known for its bold colors and dramatic brushwork that contributed to the rise of expressionism in modern art.

 

           

13. The Awe and Grandeur of the French Gothic Cathedral

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Gothic architecture, beginning in France and spreading to other countries including England, Spain, Northern Italy, and Germany, is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the twelfth to sixteenth century during the High and Late Middle Ages.  It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture.   A look back at its evolution from the Romanesque and a discussion of the glorious French Gothic cathedrals – Notre Dame, Chartres, Reims, Amiens, Ste. Chapelle, Beauvais, Rouen – will open ones’ eyes to the beauty of these extraordinary structures.

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14. Women Artists Who Influenced the Course of Art

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For centuries, women have been creating art that showcases their unique perspectives and talents.   However, their absence from the canon of Western art has been a subject of inquiry and reconsideration since the early 1970s.  The presentation will look at ten of these innovative, creative, and persistent women who have left a mark on the history of art.

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15. The Life and Works of Mexican Muralist, Diego Rivera

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Diego Rivera was a Mexican painter whose large frescoes helped establish the mural movement in Mexican and international art.  Married four times, twice to the Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, he holds the record for the highest price at auction for a work by a Latin artist.   The presentation will focus on his works and artists who inspired his unique style.

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16. Wilfredo Lam - Cubist, Surrealist, and Afro-Cuban Artist

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Wilfredo Lam was a Cuban artist who charted a pathbreaking trajectory in modern art and served as a reference for subsequent generations of artists working across the Caribbean, Africa and the West.  He was inspired by and in contact with some of the most renowned artists of the 20th century including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, creating a unique style.

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