This is an online class!
Within the broad scope of European history, a plethora of names will arise of individuals who through politics, literature, art, architecture, and music constructed a pan-European aesthetic that to a degree would come to represent universal culture and civilization. This series of lectures will explore six moments from the fifteenth century to the early-nineteenth that represent essential building blocks in the evolution of this “European model.”
Co-sponsored with Life Lessons: The Wm & Margery Sadowsky Center for Adult Learning at the Springfield JCC.
Instructor: Simon Sibelman
Wednesday; 10-11:30 am
Choose from three or six classes: February 3, 10, 24; March 3, 10, 17
February 3 – The Dukes of Burgundy: Four royal dukes established a quasi-independent duchy whose power and influence ranged from modern Holland to the Swiss Alps. Who were they and what did they achieve?
February 10 – Samuel Johnson and His Remarkable Circle of Friends: Author of the first definitive dictionary of the English language, Dr. Johnson was a towering intellectual figure in 18th century England. He likewise surrounded himself with a circle of fascinating friends – female and male – whom the good doctor referred to as “his circle, his club.” Who was Dr. Johnson and those people who formed his “club.?”
February 24 – German Princesses, Queens of England: Two German princesses would become queens of England and authoritative voices in Hanoverian England: Caroline of Ansbach and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Each would rise to the challenges faced by the nation and the monarchy and in her own manner sought to promote cultural politics. Who were they influential women and what did they achieve?
March 3 – Kew Palace: It’s NOT Downton Abbey! Set today in the quietude of Kew Gardens, this modest royal residence dominates a hill at a bend in the River Thames west of London. Kew Palace became the preferred retreat for King George III, Queen Charlotte, and their large family. This talk will explore the history of this house and what it suggests about the tastes of George III and his family.
March 10 – George III Under Loving Attacks: Known to Americans as the tyrant who oppressed his colonial subjects, George III was more than that. Over the course of his lengthy reign, he frequently found himself, his life-style, his government, and his policies under “loving attacks: expressed in newspapers and broadsheets by satiric political cartoons. This lecture will examine how cartoonists such as James Gillray depicted “Old King George.”
March 17 – Those Italians Who Built St. Petersburg: From the instant Peter the Great declared his intention to create a new city – a “window to the West” – in the marshes at the mouth of the Neva River, Russian sovereigns invited a series of Italian architects to construct major and modest buildings for the for the new city. This talk will provide a virtual tour of the “Venice of the North” and analyze how for slightly over a century Italian architects played a central role in the city’s evolution.
Watch this orientation video if you are new to Zoom: https://youtu.be/hIkCmbvAHQQ. You may download and install the Zoom application at any time.
1. You will receive an email invitation and Zoom link to join the class from the Museum School. Dr Sibelman will be on Zoom a few minutes before the class is scheduled to start.
2. We recommend that you login early to test your connection, but if you step away from your computer before class starts leave Zoom open.
3. Connection is better if you close all web browsers on your computer while on Zoom.
4. Due to high volume on Zoom, connection may be imperfect at times.
5. If you have technical issues during class, quit Zoom and then login again. If you still have trouble, shut down your computer, wait 2-minutes, and then try again.
6. It is not necessary to have your camera on during class. Microphones will be muted during the presentation, but there will be time for questions and answers at the end.
7. Wear a headset or earbuds or close a door to help limit background noise during class.
