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Art History Courses

Let acclaimed art historians reveal the wonders of great art, from Neanderthal cave paintings and medieval portraiture to Renaissance sculptures and Impressionist landscapes.

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	World’s Greatest Paintings Professor William Kloss Embark on a compelling tour of some of the most significant paintings in Western art with the 24 richly illustrated lectures of The World's Greatest Paintings. Distinguished art historian and Professor William Kloss reveals a group of works that span the 14th century to the 20th and that—in his expert judgment—rank among the greatest paintings ever made. As you explore one of the supreme legacies of human life, you'll enjoy an unforgettable encounter with daring and sublime works of art.
	How to Look at and Understand Great Art Professor Sharon Latchaw Hirsh The 36 richly illustrated lectures of How to Look at and Understand Great Art take you on an in-depth exploration of the practical skill of viewing art through the lenses of line, light, perspective, composition, and other crucial elements. Using timeless masterpieces of Western art as well as hands-on studio demonstrations, Professor Sharon Latchaw Hirsh gives you the specific visual and interpretive knowledge you need to enhance your appreciation of great art.
	A History of European Art Professor William Kloss The development of the arts in Europe from the Middle Ages to the modern era is an astonishing record of cultural achievement, from the breathtaking architecture of Gothic cathedrals to the daring visual experiments of the Cubist painters. A History of European Art is your gateway to this visually stunning story. In 48 beautifully illustrated lectures you will encounter all the landmarks you would expect to find in a comprehensive survey of Western art since the Middle Ages.
Save Up To $215	Museum Masterpieces: The National Gallery, London Professor Catherine B. Scallen Of all the world's great art museums, the National Gallery, London, is the only place where you can truly grasp the breathtaking scope of European painting from the late medieval period through the 19th century. Take a virtual tour of this world-class collection in Museum Masterpieces: The National Gallery, London. In 24 fascinating lectures, noted art scholar Professor Catherine B. Scallen provides a memorable introduction to this remarkable artistic institution and its magnificent masterworks. More than just a gallery tour, this course is also a comprehensive overview of the history of European painting.
Save Up To $310	Genius of Michelangelo Professor William E. Wallace In The Genius of Michelangelo, internationally recognized Michelangelo expert and award-winning Professor of Art History William E. Wallace gives you a comprehensive perspective on one of history's greatest artists. Drawing on a vast command of artistic knowledge and period detail, these 36 intellectually rewarding and visually dazzling lectures explore the relationship between truth and legend to reveal a groundbreaking new picture of Michelangelo as an artist, a businessman, an aristocrat, and a genius.
Save Up To $225	From Monet to Van Gogh: A History of Impressionism Professor Richard Brettell With Professor Richard Brettell as your expert curator and guide, this course creates a vivid "virtual" museum through which to appreciate the genius and enduring accomplishments of the men and women who, in a few short decades, forever changed the art of painting. Enjoy the style, subject, and function of Impressionist painting by artists such as Monet, Renoir, Cassatt, Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh. Separate analysis is given to the important Impressionist exhibitions and their contemporary critics like the writer Baudelaire.
Save Up To $215	Museum Masterpieces: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Professor Richard Brettell No other museum covers the history of humanity and its achievements as thoroughly as The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. In these 24 visually rich, half-hour lectures, Professor Richard Brettell takes you through The Metropolitan Museum of Art from front to back, from bottom to top, introducing practically every department in the museum. Each is a museum unto its own, representing one of the world’s finest collections in its field. You will see an astonishing number of works—more than 400 in all.
	Great Artists of the Italian Renaissance Professor William Kloss No era of artistic achievement is as renowned as the Renaissance, and no country holds a higher place in it than Italy. In this course you experience supreme artworks created in Florence, Rome, Venice, and other Italian cities by such masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian—unequaled masterpieces that established a canon of beauty that pervades Western culture to this day. Independent art historian, scholar, and curator William Kloss is your guide through this visual feast in an artist-centered survey that explores hundreds of different paintings and sculptures.
	Dutch Masters: The Age of Rembrandt Professor William Kloss Holland in the 17th century was home to the most remarkable concentration of artistic talent in modern history, including masters such as Hals, Vermeer, and—of course—Rembrandt. Dutch Masters: The Age of Rembrandt introduces you to this important period in art history. Professor William Kloss, an independent art historian with the Smithsonian Institution, guides you through the work of more than 100 artists and more than 450 of their masterful paintings. Whether you're new to art or an experienced museumgoer, Dutch Masters is a delightful course, filled with insights into the explosive inventiveness of Dutch art as it interpreted and reinvented the reality of one of the most dynamic nations in 17th-century Europe.
	Museum Masterpieces: The Louvre Professor Richard Brettell Expert art critic Richard Brettell takes you on an unforgettable journey through one of the world's greatest art museums in Museum Masterpieces: The Louvre. This course provides a fascinating overview of the Louvre's colorful history as royal palace, art academy, and national showcase. But the main focus of these richly illustrated lectures are some of the beautiful examples from the museum's remarkable collection of European paintings from the late medieval period through the early 19th century. Whether you're an art novice or an expert, you'll find something that will enlighten and surprise you about this acclaimed institution.
	Art of the Northern Renaissance Professor Catherine B. Scallen The term “the Renaissance” is associated with the artistic bounty of Italy—but the massive cultural transformations remaking the world were affecting art throughout northern Europe as well. In The Art of the Northern Renaissance, Professor Catherine Scallen leads an intensely visual exploration using more than 300 images—paintings, woodcuts, engravings, etchings, sculptures, drawings—by well-known artists Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Albrecht Dürer, Hans Holbein, Hieronymus Bosch, and Pieter Bruegel, and others, to show the glorious art of the Northern Renaissance.
Save Up To $215	Masterworks of American Art Professor William Kloss What makes a work of art "American”? How do some of our country's greatest paintings depict its rich history? Explore these and other illuminating questions in Masterworks of American Art, taught by acclaimed art historian and Professor William Kloss. This sweeping 24-lecture survey shows you how brilliant artists including Benjamin West, Thomas Eakins, and Winslow Homer helped create a rich portrait of American history, from its colonial roots to the brink of World War I. Strengthen your understanding of the trajectory of American painting, the artistry of individual works, and our nation's important role in the development of visual art.
	Art across the Ages Professor Ori Z. Soltes In Art across the Ages, Professor Ori Z. Soltes has crafted a course in Western visual art that serves as both a mind-broadening survey and an essential introduction. It is designed to give anyone interested in Western art a firm familiarity with its basics, acquainting you with major artists and styles in various media and providing a broad foundation for deeper exploration. By giving you a ready grasp of the substance and significance of a vast range of artists and their work, the course will add immeasurably to your next visit to a museum or exhibition.