Dear Friends and Members, Women’s History Month, celebrated in March, launched as Women’s History Week in 1981. It’s a good thing the observance was expanded to a full month in 1987, as we at the Smithsonian Associates have planned too many opportunities to learn about women’s achievements and contributions to fit into a mere seven days! During the first few decades of the 20th century, some very talented, determined American women moved to Paris in pursuit of their personal and professional aspirations. The National Portrait Gallery’s upcoming “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939” exhibition highlights the accomplishments of 60 of these women, including Josephine Baker, Gertrude Stein, and Anna May Wong. Gallery curator Robyn Asleson provides an overview (p. 50). While the emerging profession of architecture in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries also favored men, women like Louise Blanchard Bethune, Marian Mahony (Frank Lloyd Wright’s first employee), and Julia Morgan achieved renown as architects and made important contributions to the built landscape. Lecturer Bill Keene examines their careers (p. 47). Georgia O’Keeffe and Barbara Walters are familiar names today because of their public achievements. But how much do we know about their personal lives? Art historian Bonita Billman draws a portrait of O’Keeffe’s life and artistic career (p. 50); USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page provides the scoop on bold broadcaster Walters (p. 22). Spring arrives this month too, so get ready to join us outdoors and savor the season with study tours to the National Arboretum (p. 67), two historic gardens in Virginia (p. 68), and the Scott Arboretum on the Swarthmore College campus (p. 69). At Smithsonian Associates, we’re excited to offer you opportunities to spring forward and expand your world.
March 2024 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Studio Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Helpful Information . . . . . . . . . . . 74
On the cover: Peonies by Berthe Morisot c. 1869. Morisot was a founder of Impressionism and a woman who pursued her ambition to be an artist.
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Frederica R. Adelman, Director adelmanf@si.edu
issuu.com/smithsonianassociatesprograms Programs with these icons showcase Smithsonian’s world of knowledge and long-term initiatives
Smithsonian Associates (USPS 043-210) Vol. 52, No. 7, March 2024. Published monthly by Smithsonian Associates, Smithsonian Institution, 1100 Jefferson Drive, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20560. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC. and at additional mailing offices. Vesna Gjaja, Director of Marketing and Membership; Robert A. Sacheli, Editor; Ric Garcia, Visual Specialist. Copyright 2023 by the Smithsonian Associates. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Smithsonian Associates, P.O. Box 23293, Washington, D.C. 20026-3293. Printed in the U.S.A. on recyclable paper.
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Smithsonian Associates
In Person
We invite you to join us for selected in-person programs, concert series, and studio arts classes and workshops in our nation’s capital, as well as walking tours, full-day study tours, and overnight tours. Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
The Studio House
The Future of Exploration
Thurs., March 7
Mon., May 6
Lunch at Nama Ko Fri., April 12
Enjoy a three-course lunch, prepared by chef Derek Watson, at Washington’s modern Japanese restaurant Nama Ko and learn how a single fish can be used to make essential Japanese pantry ingredients, both fresh and preserved. (see p. 21)
Joan Nathan: My Life in Recipes Tues., April 16
Joan Nathan, noted authority on global Jewish cuisine, talks about the treasury of recipes and stories in her new book, My Life in Recipes. She shares her story of marriage, motherhood, and a career as a food writer—and of a life well-lived and centered around Jewish cuisine from around the world. (see p. 21)
Lincoln: The Months Before Sumter Wed., May 1
Drawing on his new book, The Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson examines the chaotic five months that led to the start of the Civil War—a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two. (see p. 9)
MICHELLE GOLDCHAIN
Join author Mona Khademi for an evening at the Studio House in Sheridan Circle as she examines its intriguing links to history, culture, and creativity. Following the presentation, enjoy a light reception. (see p. 4)
Terry Garcia, former National Geographic executive vice president and chief science officer, and Chris Rainier, nature and cultural photographer and National Geographic Explorer, draw on their new book, The Future of Exploration: Discovering the Uncharted Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Human Potential, as part of a panel discussion to share their insights about the future of exploration. (see p. 38)
A Wine Dinner at Shilling Canning Company Mon., May 13
Chef Reid Shilling showcases the bounty of the Chesapeake in a special dinner menu that features locally sourced, creatively inspired dishes. Sommelier Erik Segelbaum pairs wines with the courses and joins Shilling to talk about the food and drink. (see p. 22)
2024 Concert Season
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society The 46th season features masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments.
The Axelrod String Quartet
Masterworks of Five Centuries
Sat., April 6, April 27
Sat., March 16 Sun., March 17
Sun., April 7, April 28
The music of quartet masters Haydn, Beethoven, and Shostakovich are joined by three 20th-century works.
The season closes with performances featuring English consort music by Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell. (see p. 25)
(see p. 24)
Koji: The Secret Ingredient Thurs., May 30
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Sun., April 5, Sat., June 1
Takashi Sato, an eighth-generation member of a food family, shares how the traditional ingredient called koji creates the flavors behind your favorite Japanese dishes. Afterward, sample foods and beverages that have been flavored with it. (see p. 22)
The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. (see p. 23)
Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Broadway
Studio Arts
Tours
Let your creative side shine in a wide variety of hands-on classes led by professional artists. (see pp. 51–54)
Our expert-led tours offer oneof-a-kind travel experiences. (see pp. 66–72)
Thurs., March 7–May 30 Thurs., June 6 performance
Join fellow Broadway music lovers in a choral program led by noted conductor Ernest Johnson. (see p. 25) Read more about these in-person programs in this guide on our website.
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Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
The Making of a Monarch British Kings and Queens and Their Mums
10 a.m.
NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES
What do Richard the Lionheart, Henry VII, and Queen Elizabeth II have in common? They, along with other monarchs, came to the throne with their mothers eager to be involved in their lives and in the running of the country. The title Queen Mother has been used since at least the late 16th century, but the role itself has been significant since the 12th, when Eleanor of Aquitaine participated actively in the reign of her son Richard I. In the centuries since, the mothers of English monarchs have shaped the personalities and reigns of their royal children and influenced the nation they ruled. Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger examines the fascinating relationships of kings and queens and their mothers from the 12th century to today, illustrating that although they didn’t hold official public positions, the women who rocked the royal cradle changed the course of English history. Nation-Building, the Crusades, and the Wars of the Roses
11:30 a.m. The Tudors and Stuarts and the Reformation 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. Civil War, Restoration, and the Establishment of Great Britain and the British Empire 2:45 p.m. British Imperialism, World Wars, and Modern Monarchy
Portrait of Queen Eleanor by Frederick Sandys, 1858
Sat., March 2, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-306; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
The Saratoga Campaign: “The Compleat Victory”
The Surrender of General Burgoyne by John Trumbull, 1822
Tues., March 5, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-441; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
PD WIKIPEDIA
ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL/PD WIKIPEDIA
In the late summer and fall of 1777, after two years of indecisive fighting on both sides, the British devised what they believed a war-winning strategy: sending General John Burgoyne south to rout the Americans and take Albany. The British capture of Fort Ticonderoga on New York’s Lake Champlain was soon followed by Burgoyne’s surrender to the Continental Army and militia forces. The American victory at Saratoga changed the course of the war. Kevin J. Weddle, professor emeritus of military theory and strategy at the U.S. Army War College, provides an analysis of the strategic underpinnings of the historic Saratoga campaign, why events unfolded the way they did, and a new interpretation of George Washington’s role in the American success.
The American Revolution and the Battle for India A Forgotten Connection The last battle of the American Revolutionary War wasn’t fought at Saratoga or Yorktown or anywhere in the emergent United States. It took place on the other side of the globe, as British and French naval forces met at Cuddalore on the Bay of Bengal off the coast of modern-day India on June 20, 1783, and only ended when a British ship brought news that King George had agreed to a provisional peace treaty with the American colonies six months earlier. The subcontinent had been the target of relentless British land grabs for decades, and the Crown’s adversaries in the region had hoped to use the distraction of American independence to push Britain out of India entirely. Historian Richard Bell explores this forgotten theater of the Revolution through the campaigns of Haider Ali, the ruler of Mysore, a highly militarized nation-state, whose prowess in battle proved him to be as tenacious an opponent of imperial authority as George Washington.
Engraving from the 1790s of Haider Ali
Thurs., March 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-310; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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The Japanese Empire Super Mario and Postwar Japan With its defeat in World War II, Japan became a hollow shell of its former imperial self, with a bleak outlook. Yet its incorporation into the American-led postwar order in Asia helped to facilitate an astonishing transformation into an economic juggernaut at the forefront of technological innovation. Historian Justin M. Jacobs explores how this transformation came about by highlighting the evolution of the global video games industry, along with the unexpected role of Nintendo, one of Japan’s most famous companies. Wed., March 6; 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-333E; $25
BRUCE WHITE/GOODE-WHITE COLLECTION/NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
Himeji Castle
In Person
With Reception
The Studio House A Setting for an Ambassador for the Arts
Studio House
The distinctive Studio House on Washington, D.C.’s Sheridan Circle (currently owned by the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia) was built in 1903 for Alice Pike Barney, an artist, playwright, civic leader, and philanthropist who dedicated her life in the nation’s capital to the support and promotion of the arts. In the late 1800s Barney spent time in Paris studying painting and began a salon in the home she rented there. Later, her regular salons in the Studio House brought together artists, writers, politicians, diplomats, and other prominent guests in a setting inspired by Mission and Arts and Crafts styles. Barney died in 1931, and in 1960 her daughters donated the Studio House to the Smithsonian. It changed hands several times before it became the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia in the United States in 2001. Independent researcher and author Mona Khademi leads an evening at the Studio House, now on the National Registry of Historic Places, in which she shares fascinating stories about its original owner and her notable guests; traces the house’s Smithsonian connections; and looks at its current life as an embassy. Following the presentation, enjoy a light reception—and imagine yourself as a guest at one of Alice Pike Barney’s salons. Thurs., March 7, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-557; The Embassy of the Republic of Latvia, 2306 Massachusetts Ave., NW (Metro: Dupont Circle, Red line); Members $70; Nonmembers $85
The Studio House’s theater
Please note that as a historic building, the Studio House is not fully accessible for all visitors. Entry requires two sets of stairs, and there is no elevator. Please contact Customer Service if this presents any concerns.
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
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Evangelicalism in America Every election cycle, American evangelicals are heavy hitters on the demographic scene, a force to be reckoned with for journalists, pundits, politicians, and political strategists. But it was not always so. Who exactly are the evangelicals, where did they come from, and what does the term “evangelical” even mean? Historian Joseph Slaughter of Wesleyan University addresses these questions as he examines the complexity of a group that spans multiple denominations, regions, and ethnicities. As he traces the 400-year-old story of evangelicalism from its origins in the 16th and 17th centuries to its periods of growth in adherents and influence from the 18th through the 21st, Slaughter highlights key doctrines, figures, and events that shaped and transformed what it has meant to be an evangelical in America.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Wed., March 13, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-805; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
From left, evangelist Billy Graham, First Lady Nancy Reagan, and President Ronald Reagan at the National Prayer Breakfast, 1981
Rivalries in Medicine How Humanity Can Benefit from the Worst in People The greatest discoveries in medicine were made by brilliant doctors who persevered through adversity. Yet none were saints. They were human and fallible and could be guilty of arrogance, envy, and self-interest. Such flaws frequently harmed their reputations and hindered their productivity. But sometimes these failings resulted in competition that spurred incredible breakthroughs. Surgeon and author Andrew Lam reveals how the rivalries between Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, and the quartet of doctors who warred over credit for the discovery of anesthesia harmed each individual but benefited humankind and saved millions of lives. Syringe used by Jonas Salk during the early testing of his polio vaccine carried out in 1952 and 1953
Wed., March 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-349; Members $20; INSIDE SCIENCE Nonmembers $25
Federalists vs. Antifederalists Why the Battle Over the Constitution Still Matters When the Constitutional Convention ended on Sept. 17, 1787, the battle over the Constitution had just begun. The convention had drafted a new Constitution for the United States, which required ratification by 9 of the 13 state legislatures. Federalists advocated for a strong central government. They clashed with opposing Antifederalists, who sought for power to lie within the states and favored the Articles of Confederation. Historian Denver Brunsman describes the battle of ideas and tactics that surrounded the ratification process and the patterns of political debate—local vs. national, urban vs. rural, elite vs. ordinary citizens—that were introduced and persist to this day. Mon., March 25, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1CV-034; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
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Washington’s First World Series When the Washington Senators Were America’s Team The 1924 Senators were the only Washington, D.C., team to win a World Series in the 20th century and the last D.C. club to win one until the 2019 Nationals. They were the talk of America in the summer of ’24—a team of scrappy upstarts, with a 27-year-old rookie player-manager, seeking to dethrone the New York Yankees, who had won the three previous American League pennants. In the centennial year of the Senators’ victorious World Series run, sports historian Fred Frommer and former Senators stadium announcer Phil Hochberg cover the compelling story of this history-making team and touch on the mostly fallow years that followed.
Washington Senators, early 1930s
The WWI Navy: Second to None For the U.S. Navy, World War I was the first significant test of an armed force branch billed as “second to none.” Could it rise to the challenge in the clash of powerful forces that had engulfed Europe? Chris Rentfrow, director of the Navy Museums Division at the Naval History and Heritage Command at Washington Navy Yard, examines the growing role of the Navy in peace and war during early decades of the 20th century. He discusses the launch of the first dreadnought battleship, USS South Carolina USS South Carolina; the creation of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and the announced intention in 1916 to build a “Navy second to none” as steppingstones toward shaping the force that entered action in 1917. He also examines the importance of the 1916 Battle of Jutland, between the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet; the crucial American work of convoy escort and the deployment of a battleship squadron to join the Grand Fleet; and the role of Adm. William S. Sims as the London-based liaison to the Royal Navy. Tues., March 26, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-807; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Wales and England Why is the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom traditionally called the Prince of Wales? The answer lies in the history of conflict and collaboration between medieval kings of England and the fractious princes who ruled a patchwork of territories in western Britain. Wales was never a united principality, let alone a kingdom, yet it still maintains a distinct cultural and linguistic identity more than seven centuries after being conquered by Edward I, the first English ruler to designate his son as the Prince of Wales. Historian Arthur Tudor, Prince of Jennifer Paxton of the Catholic University of America tells the fascinating story of how the Welsh developed a unified identity despite a history of warring regional dynasties and Wales, ca. early 16th century King Charles III, formerly political domination by their much larger neighbor. Prince of Wales Learn how Wales played an important role in the way that Shakespeare’s audience understood their own medieval past and how the Welsh rediscovered their medieval roots as part of the Celtic Revival movements of the 18th and 19th centuries. Paxton explores the story of conquest, revolt, and consolidation that led to the present, when Welsh nationalism is arguably stronger than ever. Wed., March 27, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-312; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
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From King Arthur to King Charles III
PD WIKIPEDIA
U.S. NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER PHOTOGRAPH
Tues., March 26, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-033; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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FRED SCHILLING, U.S. SUPREME COURT COLLECTION
HISTORY HISTORY
Justice Stephen Breyer on Reading the Constitution With NPR’s Nina Totenberg The ascendant judicial philosophy of textualism has recently come to dominate the Supreme Court. Textualists claim that the right way to interpret the Constitution and statutes is to read the text carefully and examine the language as it was understood at the time the documents were written to the exclusion of other evidence and considerations. This, however, is not the philosophy of recently retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, nor, as he explains, has it been the traditional way to interpret the Stephen Breyer Constitution since the time of Chief Justice John Marshall. Drawing from his new book, Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism, he deconstructs the Nina Totenberg textualist philosophy of the current Supreme Court’s supermajority and makes the case for a better, more traditional way to interpret the law. Justice Breyer is joined in conversation by Nina Totenberg, NPR’s legal affairs correspondent, as he examines different judicial approaches to interpreting the Constitution and the law—and why he believes that textualism alone cannot and will not work. Copies of Reading the Constitution (Simon & Schuster) are available for purchase. Wed., March 27, 7:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-575; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
LORELLA BROCKLESBY
Insider’s London: City of Splendors and Surprises London-born historian Lorella Brocklesby leads a lively overview of the city’s historic places from medieval to modern and from famous to lesser-known, including rarities, splendors, and surprises. Follow her route that begins in the ancient City of London to explore the Tower, Guildhall, and the legal quarter with its Knights Templar connection. Then to Covent Garden, the impressive Georgian architectural treasures along the Strand, and Whitehall with its royal connections, all within London’s adjoining City of Westminster. She concludes with the breathtaking Thameside splendors of naval Greenwich. 10 a.m. The Ancient City 11:30 a.m. Knights Templar to Trafalgar Square 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. Whitehall to Westminster 2:45 p.m. Thameside to Greenwich Trafalgar Square
Sat., March 23, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-305; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Ever-Evolving Emerson The Complex Humanity of an American Icon More than two centuries after his birth, Ralph Waldo Emerson remains one of the presiding spirits in American culture. Yet his reputation as the prophet of self-reliance has obscured a complicated figure—one who spent a lifetime wrestling with injustice, philosophy, art, desire, and suffering. Emersonian lecturer and editor James Marcus pieces together a new portrait of Emerson’s life. Using landmark essays such as “SelfReliance,” “Experience,” and “Circles,” Marcus reveals an eerily modern persona of rebel, lover, friend, husband, and father. His new book, Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase. Tues., April 2, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1T0-001; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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June 6, 2024, will mark the 80th anniversary of the greatest amphibious operation in history. D-Day was the most complex, intricately planned, and competently executed military operation the world has ever seen, and it signaled the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany. Kevin Weddle, professor emeritus of military theory and strategy at the U.S. Army War College, traces the development and deployment of the Allied military strategy for Europe and the cross-channel invasion known as Operation Overlord; the execution of the plan on D-Day; and the resulting stalemate and the Allied breakout from the narrow Normandy lodgment. MAY 7
Allied Strategy and Operation Overlord
MAY 14 D-Day: Breaching the Atlantic Wall MAY 21 Breakout: From Stalemate to the Liberation of Paris Men of the 16th Infantry Regiment, U.S. 1st Infantry Division wading ashore on Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944
3-session series: Tues., May 7–21, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-463; Members $75; Nonmembers $85
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES/U.S. ARMY PHOTOGRAPH
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT LIBRARY
The 80th Anniversary of D-Day
The Battle of the Bulge On the morning of December 16, 1944, German chancellor Adolf Hitler launched a lastgasp surprise attack against Allied forces holding a narrow section of the front in Belgium’s Ardennes region. By driving a wedge into Allied lines, Hitler hoped to turn the tide of war in Germany’s favor. Called the Battle of the Bulge, combat over snow-covered ground in freezing temperatures lasted for five weeks. An American counteroffensive forced German troops to withdraw, with the Allies claiming victory. Military historian Mitch Yockelson shares the history of the Battle of the Bulge and its significance as a turning point of World War II. Mon., April 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-810; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 American infantrymen of the 290th Regiment fight in fresh snowfall near Amonines, Belgium
US ARMY PHOTO
The Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials Their History and Legacy In 1945, Nazi officials involved in heinous crimes committed during the Holocaust of World War II and Japanese leaders responsible for war crimes including aggressive war, mass murder, and torture, were indicted by International Military Tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo. The principal trials were conducted by a four-state tribunal in Germany and by many more states in Japan. Together with subsidiary trials by national tribunals, these proceedings set new standards for war crimes and crimes against humanity, leading to the creation of the International Criminal Court. President Franklin D. Roosevelt personally ordered the creation of rules in the American trial of German spies and saboteurs. Whether the trials would be fair depended largely Defense counsel addresses the court at the upon the attitude of the judges, prosecutors, and, notably, of who was in command. As a International Military Tribunal in Tokyo, 1946 result, the proceedings sometimes ended with agonizingly fair results and even complete acquittals of defendants—and other trials were hardly fair at all. Even today, the trial rules from 1946 have echoes in current events. They were copied in 2001 as the initial evidence rules for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and as recently as January, the Israeli Knesset was legislating procedures for dealing with unlawful enemy combatants. Evan Wallach, a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and one of the nation’s foremost experts on war crimes and the law of war, explores the history of these trials and their impact on the world. Thurs., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-812; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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“One Life: Frederick Douglass” Connecting Art and Protest Frederick Douglass was the preeminent African American voice of the 19th century and among the nation’s greatest orators, writers, and intellectuals. Born into slavery, he became a leading abolitionist, civil rights activist, and as the most photographed American of the 19th century, a public face of the nation. An exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, “One Life: Frederick Douglass,” explores the life and legacy of Douglass. It showcases over 35 objects, including a pamphlet of his oration “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”; two of his three autobiographies—My Bondage and My Freedom and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself; a letter from Douglass to Lincoln; portraits of activists in Douglass’ circle, such as Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth; and portraits of Black leaders Ida B. WellsBarnett, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Langston Hughes, all of whom carried on his legacy. The exhibition’s guest curator, John Stauffer, and Ann Shumard, the National Portrait Gallery’s senior curator of photographs, discuss the intimate relationship between art and protest through prints, photographs, and ephemera. Tues., April 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-566; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Lincoln’s Legacy: A Dual Perspective Abraham Lincoln, a staunch advocate of democracy, believed in the fundamental principles of government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Two leading Lincoln scholars, Allen C. Guelzo and Harold Holzer, discuss the intricacies of Lincoln’s legacy, providing a dual perspective on the challenges and triumphs that defined the nation during the 19th century and drawing parallels to the complexities of the current one. Discussing his new book, Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment, Guelzo reveals Lincoln’s commitment to the delicate balance between majority and minority rule, showcasing how this belief shaped his actions during the war and beyond. He also offers a compelling glimpse into Lincoln as a visionary thinker, analyzing his perspectives on civil liberties, race, and government. Drawing on his new book, Brought Forth on This Continent: Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration, Holzer examines Lincoln’s political career through the lens of immigration, from his role as a member of an increasingly nativist political party to his evolution into an immigration champion, a progression that would come at the same time as he refined his views on abolition and Black citizenship. Our Ancient Faith (Knopf) and Brought Forth on This Continent (Dutton) are available for purchase. Abraham Lincoln, taken on November 8, 1863
Thurs., April 18, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-046; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
In Person
Lincoln: The Months Before Sumter
NINA SUBIN
On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the unlikely victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds—Southern extremists were moving closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but the passions of North and South came to focus on a federal fortress in Charleston Harbor: Fort Sumter. Drawing on his new book, The Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson examines the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals. Lincoln described these five months of trials as “so great that, could I Erik Larson have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them.” Using information from diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson discusses the pivotal period between the election of Lincoln and the start of the Civil War—a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two. A pre-signed copy of The Demon of Unrest (Crown) is included in the ticket price. Wed., May 1, 6:45 p.m.; Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History; CODE 1L0-571; General Admission $50
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Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus
ANDREW SHIVA
Archaeology enables us to reconstruct with a great degree of accuracy the city of Jerusalem as it appeared in the 1st century, where Jesus spent his final days on earth. Archaeologist Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill surveys the history and archaeology of Jerusalem in the Herodian period, ending with the city’s destruction by the Romans in the year 70. She focuses on the buildings of King Herod the Great, particularly his reconstruction of the Second Temple and Temple Mount and provides an overview of other key sites associated with Jesus in Jerusalem, including the Lithostrotos pavement and Arch of Ecce Homo and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. She also considers the evidence for the historicity of the traditions associating Jesus with some of these sites. Her new book, Jerusalem Through the Ages: From Its Beginnings to the Crusades (Oxford University Press), is available for purchase. Wed., April 10, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-314; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
UNION PACIFIC MUSEUM
Southern aerial view of the Temple Mount
Note: This program will not be recorded and will not be available for later viewing via Associates Encores.
Law and Order on the Railroad Railroads became the primary mode of long-distance transportation in the United States during the mid-to-late 1800s. As the number of railroads increased, so did problems such as theft, vandalism, robberies, labor disputes, and trespassing. Local law-enforcement agencies often did not exist, or if they did, they lacked the resources to handle the challenges and railroads were left to handle them by themselves. Modern railroad special agents are far more professional than the hired guns of a hundred years ago. Experience and highly specialized training make today’s railroad police some of the most highly trained law-enforcement officers in the country. Explore this fascinating history of crime-fighting on the rails—which has some surprising Hollywood connections—with Patricia LaBounty, curator at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Wed., April 10, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-077; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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The posse sent after the Wild Bunch after they robbed a Union Pacific train outside Tipton, Wyoming, August 29, 1900
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Royal History at Hampton Court Palace
JAKE DOUGLAS
British royal history is more popular than ever: We’ve tuned in to royal weddings and funerals, binge-watched “The Crown,” and read countless takes on the inside dramas of the modern royal family. Drawing on his new book, The Palace: From the Tudors to the Windsors, 500 Years of British History at Hampton Court, historian Gareth Russell observes the monarchy from King Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth II through a unique lens—their connections to specific rooms at Hampton Court Palace. Architecturally breathtaking and rich in splendid art and decor, the palace has served as the stage for some of the most important events in the country’s history. Among other stories, Russell covers Hampton Court’s links to Henry VIII and his wives, its role in the commissioning of the King James Bible, and how Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother made sure Princess Margaret’s divorced boyfriend, Group Captain Peter Townsend, was not on the guest list for a ball celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Enjoy these glimpses of Hampton Court as Russell uncovers the ups and downs of royal history at the palace and what (and who) was at play politically, socially, and economically throughout the centuries. Copies of The Palace (Atria Books) are available for purchase. Gareth Russell
Thurs., April 11, 12 p.m.; CODE 1L0-560; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Queens, Crowns, and Conflicts ROYAL COLLECTION
The Royal Ambitions of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots
10 a.m.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, LONDON
One of the greatest battles of the late 16th century was the clash of two women who were cousins and rivals in power: Elizabeth I, Queen of England, and Mary, Queen of Scots. In a world ruled by men, they took center stage in a battle to the death over a prize only one could claim: the throne of England. Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores how their epic political and personal battles finally led to a unified rule in England. England and Scotland: One Island, Two Kingdoms
11:30 a.m. The Early Years 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. Two Queens, Two Crowns
Portrait of Mary at about 17 years old, by François Clouet, ca. 1558–1560
2:45 p.m. Two Queens Battle for the Throne Official portrait of Elizabeth I (the “Darnley Portrait”), ca. 1575
Sat., April 27, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-317; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Henry VIII: The Man Behind the Royal Image
Portrait of Henry VIII after Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1537–1562
The image of Henry VIII is immediately recognizable—hands on hips, lips curled into a sneer, eyes piercing and unrelenting. He has been portrayed as a large, buffoonish womanizer by Charles Laughton, a slender athletic lover by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and a stern, powerful monarch by Damian Lewis. Henry’s reign changed the political, religious, cultural, and financial landscapes of England. Was he a tyrant seeking wealth and power who was willing to destroy a thousand years of spiritual and cultural tradition in the process? Or a true reformer, seeking to rid the church of years of corruption and wrest religious authority from a distant pope with little interest in England? An egomaniacal misogynist who used and disposed of women or a dedicated king putting his kingdom’s need for an heir ahead of his own desires? The real Henry VIII is all these men, a complex king who built a dynasty that changed England and Europe. Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores how Henry continues to resist efforts to be reduced to a one-dimensional character and how he seized on the challenges and opportunities of a changing world to become a monarch who fascinates us more than 450 years after his tumultuous reign. Tues., June 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-327; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
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Enduring Splendors: Four Historic English Cities Enjoy a unique opportunity to explore four of England’s most beloved cities, each possessed of intriguing history, magnificent architecture, rare treasures, and famous residents. From York’s bustling medieval streets and Oxford’s beautiful colleges to the splendid vistas of Cambridge and the Georgian elegance of Bath, cultural historian Lorella Brocklesby showcases what has long made these cities unforgettable. APR 11 York: City of Abundant Treasures
York Minster and Oratory, York
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
APR 18 Oxford: Dreaming Spires, Architectural Masterpieces, and Idyllic Vistas APR 25 Cambridge: The City of Ancient Colleges (Where Town Met Gown) MAY 2 Bath: Scandals, Secrets, and Georgian Splendors 4-session series: Thurs., April 11–May 2, 6:30 p.m. CODE 1M2-315; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
A National History of Puerto Rico PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Puerto Rico, a Spanish-speaking territory of the United States, has a history shaped by conquest and resistance. For centuries, Puerto Ricans have crafted and negotiated complex ideas about nationhood. Historian Jorell Meléndez-Badillo of the University of Wisconsin–Madison offers a new history of Puerto Rico, providing a lens through which to understand the political, economic, and social challenges confronting its people. He sheds light on the vibrant cultures of the archipelago in the centuries before the arrival of Columbus and captures the full sweep of Puerto Rico’s turbulent history in the centuries that followed, from the first Indigenous insurrection against colonial rule in 1511 to its establishment as a commonwealth in 1952. He also discusses the contemporary period and the intertwined—though unequal—histories of Puerto Rico and the continental United States. Meléndez-Badillo’s book Puerto Rico: A National History (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase.
Booth’s Escape Route On the night of April 14, 1865, actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln in a crowded theater and disappeared into the night. For 12 days he remained at large. Finally, pursuing troops found him hiding in a Virginia barn in the dead of night and killed him, ending one of history’s most dramatic episodes and setting in motion one of its most persistent waves of rumor and speculation. Historian Michael W. Kauffman leads a talk that retraces Booth’s 100-mile-long escape route and reveals the personalities and intrigues surrounding the Lincoln assassination. Kauffman has led bus tours tracing Booth’s escape route for more than 40 years. Mon., April 15, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-036; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
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RUBENVANKUIK–COLOURISATION
Thurs., April 11, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-078; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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The Mysterious History of the Knights Templar In the aftermath of the First Crusade, a quasi-religious military order of knights emerged as a new era of exchange between Europe and the Holy Land expanded in a complex environment of conflict and commerce. The Knights Templar, more formally known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ of Solomon’s Temple, soon became one of the most powerful, wealthy, and secretive orders of knights—circumstances that contributed to both its mystique and its downfall as a target of King Philip IV of France. When the last Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, and other Templar leaders were burned at the stake in 1314, the order ceased to exist. Or did it? Experts disagree, as vestiges of Templar influence are still apparent even today. Historian Cheryl White of Louisiana State University at Shreveport examines the extraordinary beginnings, context, and ultimate end of the Knights Templar as part of a complex tapestry of changing life in Europe in the era of the Crusades and turns a critical eye on the Seal of the Templars, 1894 order’s lasting impact as part of the great age of chivalry.
GALERIE DES BATAILLES
Wed., April 17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-316; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Clovis and the Franks From Roman Gaul to the Creation of France When the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century, Germanic kingdoms dominated Italy, Gaul, and Spain. Yet only one of those kingdoms laid a foundation from which a modern country would arise: the Franks, who conquered the lands that came to be known as France. The king who led their original conquests was Clovis, who reigned from approximately 481 to 511. David Gwynn, associate professor in ancient and late antique history at Royal Holloway, University of London, re-examines Clovis’ career and the factors that explain his remarkable success. He traces Clovis’ legacy through the centuries to the greatest Frankish ruler, the emperor Charlemagne. Thurs., April 18, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-354; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
U.S. ARMY
Clovis at the Battle of Tolbiac by Ary Scheffer, 1836
Thinking About the Unthinkable Planning for Nuclear Conflict in the Early Cold-War Era Through the 1950s and 1960s, the world witnessed a first in its history: two global superpowers armed with enough thermonuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over. For decades, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists kept its Doomsday Clock just a few minutes shy of midnight to underline how perilously close the world stood to a nuclear war. While many Americans repeated the idea that nuclear war was too terrible to contemplate, a group of scholars and theorists within the defense and policy worlds thought deeply and carefully about how to wage—and win—such a conflict should it ever erupt. Historian Christopher Hamner examines the thinking of scholars like Herman Kahn and those at the RAND Corporation as they puzzled out how to deter World Nuclear detonation conducted at Bikini Atoll, 1946 War III or, failing that, how the U.S. could emerge victorious—as well as to understand how everyday Americans were thinking about the monstrous possibility of nuclear war. Thurs., April 25, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-047; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
McClellan and the Seven Days Battles Early 1862 was a time of frustration for President Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, particularly in the Civil War’s eastern theater. Gen. George McClellan’s Army of the Potomac seemed immobilized in its camps around Washington, D.C., and McClellan himself unwilling to confront the Confederate Army, a mere 35 miles away. Yet things were about to change. In March, McClellan began to move his 100,000-man army by ship from Alexandria to Fort Monroe, Virginia, only 80 miles from Richmond, the Confederate capital. In May, McClellan and his army were just outside Richmond, ready to execute the coup de grâce to the Confederacy. Ultimately, however, McClellan’s strategy failed. Former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer Marc Thompson looks at McClellan’s 1862 Federal battery, near Fair Oaks, Virginia, 1862 Peninsula Campaign with an emphasis on the Seven Days Battles. Evaluating McClellan’s state of mind and actions, Thompson explains why this bold campaign plan yielded disastrous results. Tues., April 30, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-038; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Related tour: The Seven Days Battles, p. 69
CHENSIYUAN
A Journey Through Ancient China Historian Justin Jacobs takes you on a thematic tour of four important topics in ancient Chinese history: relations with nomads, sacred mountains, the civil service exams, and the maritime voyages of Zheng He. Each lecture includes a rich, nuanced overview based on the latest scholarship and illustrated with copious slides. Jacobs, a professor of Chinese history at American University, is the author of several books. MAY 1 China and the Nomads MAY 8 Sacred Mountains of China MAY 15 The Chinese Civil Service Exams MAY 22 The Maritime Voyages of Zheng He 4-session series: Wed., May 1-22, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-358; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
Huà Shān
Individual sessions: Wed., May 1 (CODE 1J0-358A); Wed., May 8 (CODE 1J0-358B); Wed., May 15 (CODE 1J0-358C); Wed., May 22 (CODE 1J0-358D); 6:45 p.m.; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Math’s Influential Role in Voting and Representation Presenting mathematical thinking as an objective, nonpartisan framework, math professor Ismar Volić examines why he believes the current voting system stifles political diversity; the size of the House of Representatives contributes to its paralysis; gerrymandering entrenches partisanship and disenfranchisement; and the Electoral College needs to be rethought. Volić also taps into the legal and constitutional practicalities involved in representative government while proposing a road map for repairing our democracy. Volić’s new book, Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation (Princeton University Press), is available for purchase. Thurs., May 2, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1T0-002; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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Making Democracy Count
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“Bridgerton” and the Real World of Regency London In Regency England the London season—from the end of January, when Parliament reopened, until July—brought members of the titled peerage into the city to conduct government. Meanwhile, their wives held balls and parties to network. Known as the “Ton,” they comprised a few hundred wealthy families whose strict codes of conduct, fashion, and social customs dictated who and what was acceptable. They were the celebrities of the early 19th century, engaged in what was described as “a business of pleasure.” Historian Julie Taddeo examines the men and women who lived “in the fashionable mode” and were circumscribed by exacting rules that dictated everything from what they wore to who they married, where they lived to what work men did. It was not easy to gain entry to this elite circle, as fans of the series “Bridgerton” know, and anything done beyond its rigid proscriptions was enough to render the offender ignored—or worse. Eventually the Ton was forced to change over time to welcome non-aristocratic members into their ranks or risk dying off. Mon., May 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-568; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
History, National Identity, and International Affairs A shared understanding of history is a core part of national identity. However, in countries as disparate as Russia, China, Turkey, Germany, and the United States, leaders are increasingly trying to control how historical narratives are shaped, taught, and even discussed. In Russia, criticism of Soviet policy during World War II can land you in prison. In Turkey, recognition of the Ottoman genocide of Armenians in 1915 is illegal and seen as an insult to “Turkishness.” In Germany, it is illegal to deny the Holocaust. Vladimir Putin insists that there has never been a separate Ukrainian nation, making his war on Ukraine justified to reunite the country. Historian Hope M. Harrison of George Washington University explores how and why certain versions of history are being used by world leaders to support contemporary policies—and why all citizens should develop the skills to critically view the political uses of history. Wed., May 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-813; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Support what we do at Smithsonian Associates For more than half a century, education has been at the very heart of what we do at Smithsonian Associates. We open the doors of the Smithsonian’s vast knowledge resources to people of all ages. Please help us continue to carry out our educational mission by making a charitable contribution today. Your help is essential because, unlike the museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded and relies entirely on donations and membership support to bridge the gap between program expenses and ticket revenue. Demonstrate your support today. The returns will exceed your expectations.
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The Reverse Underground Railroad Slavery and Kidnapping in Pre-Civil War America In the decades before the Civil War a clandestine network of human traffickers and slave traders stole away thousands of free African Americans from the northern states to sell them into slavery in the Deep South. Philadelphia was the Reverse Underground Railroad’s northern terminus. The city’s proximity to the Mason-Dixon line, which divided the mostly free North from the expanding slave South, made its many free Black residents attractive targets. Those captured could 1838 woodcut of the kidnapping of a free Black woman to be sold into slavery fetch up to the equivalent of $15,000 in today’s money in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, three of the new territories and states rising along the Gulf Coast. Historian Richard Bell of the University of Maryland examines the prevalence of this heinous practice, the routes the kidnappers took, and the techniques they used to lure free Black people. He considers the dramatic impact these kidnappings had on American history by accelerating the spread of slavery into new corners of the country, radicalizing Black communities across the free states, and focusing the public’s attention for the first time on the suffering of Black families forcibly separated by slavery. He also discusses the actions of state and city governments to end the kidnappings and the ways in which some children and adult victims were rescued. Wed., May 15, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-321; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
GEORGE SCHEPER
The Wonders of Copan and Tikal Classic Maya City-States of Central America The sophisticated courts of the classic Maya offer a trove of information and artifacts. Classic Maya civilization (3rd through 9th centuries) flourished in the form of a network of interconnected city-states, each with its own dynasties of ruling elites and court culture, whose interactions involved trade, marriage alliances, warfare, treaties, diplomacy, and civic and religious ceremonies. At the heart of these city-states are the impressive architecture of palaces, temples, and ball-courts; intriguing relief carvings of deities, kings, queens, and scribes; painted ceramic vessels; and richly appointed burials. Cultural historian George Scheper of Johns Hopkins University, an expert on the Indigenous cultures of the Americas, explores the storied splendors of Copan and Tikal and how the decipherment of Maya glyph-writing has opened new worlds of written history of the dynasties of these impressive sites.
Temple 1 at Tikal
Thurs., May 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-322; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
The Archaeology of Judaism The period of post-biblical Judaism is exceedingly rich in archaeological evidence, found both in Israel and in the lands of an everwidening Diaspora. In an illustrated full-day program, biblical scholar Gary Rendsburg of Rutgers University synthesizes archaeological findings and literary evidence to reveal a multifaceted portrait of Jewish life in late antiquity. 10 a.m. The First Diasporas: Egypt and Babylonia 11:30 a.m. The Jews of Hellenistic Egypt 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. The Diaspora 2:45 p.m. The Land of Israel Sat., May 18, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-323; Members $80; Nonmembers $90 Aerial view of the Tel Arad fortress archaeological site
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Urban Oasis A History of Rock Creek Park Established in 1890, Rock Creek Park was the third national park created in the United States and the first in a major city. More than 2,000 acres winding through Northwest Washington were set aside as a refuge for wildlife and an escape for District residents. Before the founding of the park, the land supported Indigenous people, agriculture, fishing, and industry. The creek powered mills, watered orchards, and was a conduit for trade in the nation’s capital. While the landscape feels natural today, much of Rock Creek Park was meticulously laid out by the Olmsted Brothers landscape architectural firm. Their rustic style of bridges, roads, Boulder Bridge, Rock Creek Park and structures helped set the tone of national “parkitecture” across the country. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, surveys familiar parts of the landscape, including the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, as well as lesser-known landmarks, memorials, ruins, and other remnants of Rock Creek Park’s past. Thurs., May 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-081; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
It’s About Time Organizing the Calendar, Time Zones, and the Clock Once upon a time, humans could mostly ignore the clock, but the Industrial Age and its expanding system of railroads forced societies to devise a system of global timekeeping. Journalist and historian Adam Tanner traces the intriguing evolution of the human invention of time—the source of today’s crazy quilt of different times across the globe, which developed after surprisingly heated international debate. He also discusses how it took many centuries before Europe widely embraced the system of counting years from the first century and why Daylight Saving Time remains controversial even today. Fri., May 17, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-082; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Working the Night Shift The Ancient World After Dark As twilight settled in the ancient world, a host of activities began, some of which were significantly different from what people did during the daytime. Some artifacts, features, and buildings associated with these activities were particular to the dark, while other material culture was transformed in meaning as the sun set. So much of our economic, social, and ritual lives take place at night and yet, until recently, relatively little archaeological research has been undertaken specifically on nocturnal quotidian practices. April Nowell, a Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria, Canada, discusses the people who worked the night shift in ancient societies—from the hunters, agriculturists, sewage workers, and ironsmiths to the poets, navigators, and rebellion leaders. Drawing on archaeological data and textual evidence, she argues that night in the ancient world was anything but sleepy. Tues., May 28, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-814; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
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Adventures in the Archives—and Beyond A Historian’s Unconventional Research For historians like Megan Kate Nelson, the “archive”—usually a library, university, museum, or historical society collection—is a sacred place. They go there to uncover the lived experiences of past Americans through first-person accounts: diaries, letters, family papers, newspapers and magazines, and other primary source materials. But what happens when these sources don’t contain the answers they seek? Nelson discusses research adventures that led her to places beyond the traditional archives during her preparation for The Three-Cornered War, a book about the American Civil War in the desert Southwest that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. A visit to a pass in the Organ Mountains of New Mexico revealed that battle reports, letters, and maps don’t always account for the environmental realities of warfare. A two-month search for information on the daughter of a colonel who commanded U.S. troops in New Mexico showed Nelson how and why women often disappear from the historical record. And viewing baskets and blankets woven by Navajo women helped her use insights from material culture to tell the story of Juanita, a Navajo civilian whose story is at the heart of The Three-Cornered War. Nelson’s behind-the-scenes glimpses offer unique perspectives on the historical research process for her book and the challenges historians face as they try to reconstruct the large-scale and intimate details of past events.
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Thurs., May 30, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-075; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
After 1177 B.C. The Survival of Civilizations At the end of 1177 B.C., many of the Late Bronze Age civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean lay in ruins, undone by invasion, revolt, natural disasters, famine, and the demise of international trade. An interconnected world that had boasted major empires and societies, relative peace, robust commerce, and monumental architecture was lost and the so-called First Dark Age had begun. But what happened over the next four centuries? Classicist and anthropologist Eric Cline, author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed, surveys this dramatic period and examines how the demise of powerful civilizations created circumstances to which people and societies had to adapt. Those who failed to adjust disappeared from the world stage, while others transformed, resulting in a new world order that included Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Neo-Hittites, NeoAssyrians, and Neo-Babylonians. Far from being the First Dark Age, says Cline, it was one that ushered in new inventions and new opportunities. After 1177 B.C. (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase. Wed., June 5, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-051; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Inside Georgetown Rags to Riches in Washington’s Oldest Neighborhood Founded 50 years before the federal capital of Washington, D.C., Georgetown got its start as a gritty port city on the banks of the Potomac River. Despite very modest beginnings, the area eventually came to have some of the most expensive and desirable property in the District. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, reveals the highlights and secrets of one of the city’s most exclusive neighborhoods, home to palatial mansions, notable cemeteries, stately churches, and a world-class university. Fri., June 14, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-085; Member $25; Nonmembers $30 Georgetown University
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A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE
The “Tour de France” MAR 22 How Languedoc Changed the Wine World Languedoc has done arguably more for the wine world than any other region on the planet. While one of France’s oldest wine regions, Languedoc is also one of the youngest, with some appellations less than 20 years old. The region is a world leader in advancements in sustainable viticulture and the source of a forward-thinking response to climate change. This delicious exploration dives deep into the profound impact Languedoc has in the global wine world. Fri., March 22 6 p.m.; CODE 1L0-553; Members $70; Nonmembers $80
Spend a fascinating evening expanding your knowledge of wine as you travel the world with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable wine-tasting adventures. Each immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes a curated personal tasting kit with enough wine for one person to sample the full lineup of wines. Additional participants must register individually to receive their own tasting kit, which is an essential component of the workshop. The kit will be available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program and the day of the program, 1–5 p.m. at Shilling Canning Company (360 Water Street SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line). Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to the program. Due to state and federal laws, Smithsonian Associates cannot ship wine kits. However, SOMLYAY may be able to provide kits to participants outside the Washington, D.C., area (who must cover shipping costs). Please contact erik@thesomlyay.com for more information.
The Stories Behind the Chinese Menu Do you know the stories behind delectable Chinese American dishes—like the fun connection between scallion pancakes and pizza? Or how dumplings cured a village’s frostbitten ears? Or how wonton soup tells the story of the creation of the world? Drawing on her new book, Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, Grace Lin shares the tales behind favorite Chinese American food, from fried dumplings to fortune cookies. Rooted in history and folklore, the stories are filled with squabbling dragons, magical fruits, and hungry monks. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, join Lin in conversation with journalist Lisa Ling as they uncover the rich histories of Chinese American dishes. Along the way, discover a deeper understanding of the resilience and triumph behind this food and what makes it undeniably American. Although Lin’s book is for young readers, this delicious conversation is for foodies of all ages. Copies of Chinese Menu (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) are available for purchase.
LITTLE, BROWN BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
Winter Wine Adventures
New Date: Tues., March 19, 6:45 p.m; CODE 1L0-550; Members $20; Nonmembers $25; Students $15
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
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A TOP SOMMELIER'S GUIDE TO WINE
Spring Wine Adventures APR 19 Winning with Walla Walla Wine Explore the rich diversity of Washington State’s Walla Walla Valley as it celebrates 40 years since becoming an appellation. Taste wines crafted by Walla Walla’s iconic and innovative leaders, delving into the region’s winemaking techniques and history and the distinct characteristics of each wine. Discover the nuances in aroma, flavor profiles, and aging potential of select Walla Walla Valley wines and gain a deeper appreciation for this renowned wine region.
Spend three fascinating evenings expanding your knowledge of wine as you travel the world with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable wine-tasting adventures. Each immersive program includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
MAY 17 Wines of the Southern Hemisphere Part 1: Chilean Wine Winemakers in Chile are amid a new era of innovation, modernization, discovery, and rejuvenation—leading to some of the most exciting wines the country has ever known. With a much deeper focus on regional identity and making wines based on terroir, rather than commercial market factors, Chilean wine has never been better. This delicious deep dive into one of the wine world’s hidden gems is sure to surprise and delight. The session’s special guest is Amanda Barnes, author of The South American Wine Guide.
JUN 28 Wines of the Southern Hemisphere Part 2: New Zealand Wine Despite producing only 1% of the world’s wine, New Zealand has had a commanding presence in the international wine market. For years, bright and tropical Sauvignon Blanc was the cornerstone of New Zealand’s vinous reputation. However, the modern New Zealand winescape has much more complexity and depth. This delicious exploration spotlights New Zealand’s commitment to viticultural sustainability and the country’s distinctive fusion of traditional and modern winemaking.
3-session series: Fri., April 19, May 17, June 28, 6 p.m.; CODE 2WINE2024; Members $180; Nonmembers $210 Individual sessions: Fri., April 19 (CODE 1L0-562); Fri., May 17 (CODE 1L0-563); Fri., June 28 (CODE 1L0-564); Members $70; Nonmembers $80
Wine-tasting kit information: The cost includes a curated personal tasting kit with enough wine for one person to sample the full lineup of wines. Additional participants must register individually to receive their own tasting kit, which is an essential component of the workshop. Kits are available during two scheduled pick-up times the day before the program and the day of the program, 12–5 p.m., at Shilling Canning Company (360 Water Street SE, Washington, DC; Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark station, Green line). Patrons receive additional wine tasting kit pick-up information by email prior to the program. Due to state and federal laws, Smithsonian Associates cannot ship wine kits. However, SOMLYAY may be able to provide kits to participants outside the Washington, D.C., area (who must cover shipping costs). Please contact erik@thesomlyay.com for more information. .
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In Person
TWELVE STONES PHOTOS / NAMA KO
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Lunch at Nama Ko
MICHELLE GOLDCHAIN
Enjoy a three-course lunch at Washington’s modern Japanese restaurant Nama Ko and learn how a single fish can be used to make essential Japanese pantry ingredients, both fresh and preserved. Chef Derek Watson begins with a whole bonito or skipjack tuna and demonstrates how it is used in each course of the lunch. Miso soup is first up, made with katsuobushi, or dried bonito, a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine. He demonstrates how the soup’s fish broth, called dashi, is made. The second course features a classic preparation of tuna sashimi with house-made ponzu sauce and garnishes. Watson explains how the same ingredients are used in the fresh sashimi and the preserved sauce. He also covers how soy sauce is made and how to turn it into ponzu for the dish. For one of the third-course options, salmon is marinated in Saikyo miso, made in the creamy, sweet Kyoto style. The ticket price covers the three-course lunch and demonstration. Drinks are not included but may be purchased separately at the restaurant.
MICHELLE GOLDCHAIN
Japanese Essentials: Tuna, Miso, Dashi, and Soy Sauce
Fri., April 12, 12 p.m.; CODE 1L0-559; full menu on website; Nama Ko, 1926 14th St., NW (Metro: Shaw-Howard University, Green line); Members $100; Nonmembers $130
Joan Nathan: My Life in Recipes Before hummus was available in every grocery store and shakshuka was a dish on every brunch menu, Joan Nathan taught home cooks how and why they should make these now-beloved staples themselves. In her new book, My Life in Recipes, the noted authority on global Jewish cuisine uses recipes to trace her family’s history and her own story of marriage, motherhood, and a career as a food writer—and punctuates it with all the foods she has come to love. With over 100 recipes from roast chicken to rugelach, matzoh ball soup to challah and brisket, the new book features updated versions of her favorites and new dishes such as salmon with preserved lemon and za’atar and her perfect black and white cookies. Join Nathan and Sally Swift, co-creator of The Splendid Table,for a conversation covering the treasury of recipes and stories in her book and her personal journey of discovering Jewish cuisine from around the world. Copies of My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories (Knopf) are available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Bold Fork Books. Joan Nathan
HOPE LEIGH
In Person
Tues., April 16, 6:45 p.m.; Ripley Center; CODE 1L0-567; Members $25; Nonmembers $35
Our programs... your time
Registered for a Smithsonian Associates online program but missed it because of a schedule conflict? Wish you could take a second look at a presentation you loved? Associates Encores offers the answer to these questions—and more.
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Susan Page on Barbara Walters HANNAH GABER
Television’s Rulebreaker Barbara Walters was a force from the time TV was exploding on the American scene in the 1960s to its waning dominance in a new world of competition from streaming services and social media half a century later. By the end of her career, Walters had interviewed more of the famous and infamous, from presidents to movie stars to criminals to despots, than any other journalist in history. Then at 67, past the age many female broadcasters found themselves involuntarily retired, she pioneered a new form of talk TV with “The View.” Susan Page Drawing on her new book, The Rulebreaker, Susan Page, Washington bureau chief of USA Today, examines the woman behind the legacy. She looks at how Walters was driven to keep herself and her family afloat after her mercurial and famous impresario father attempted suicide. She never lost the fear of an impending catastrophe, which led her to ask for things no woman had ever asked for before, to ignore the rules of misogynistic culture, outcompete her most ferocious competitors, and to protect her complicated marriages and love life from scrutiny. Page’s portrait of the most successful female broadcaster of all time reveals a woman whose personal demons fueled an ambition that broke all the rules and finally gave women a permanent place on the air. Copies of The Rulebreaker (Simon & Schuster) are available for purchase. Wed., May 8, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-574; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
In Person
A Wine Dinner at Shilling Canning Company
Celebrate spring with a delicious evening at Shilling Canning Company, a modern Mid-Atlantic restaurant where executive chef Reid Shilling serves his take on seasonal cuisine highlighting ingredients from around the Chesapeake. His specially designed canapes and four-course menu for the event showcase locally sourced, creatively inspired dishes—all in the restaurant’s spirit of sharing the bounties of the Bay region. Smithsonian Associates’ favorite sommelier, Erik Segelbaum, who leads the popular Wine Adventures series, pairs wines with the courses. After the presentation, savor the secret ingredient as you sample foods and beverages that have been flavored with koji, including small bites provided by chef Matt Baker of the Michelin-starred D.C. restaurant Gravitas and sake from the Embassy of Japan.
IMAGES COURTESY OF SHILLING CANNING COMPANY
Mon., May 13, 6:30 p.m.; Shilling Canning Company, 360 Water St. SE, Washington, DC (Metro: Navy Yard-Ballpark Station, Green line); CODE 1L0-569; Members $250; Nonmembers $280
In Person
With Tasting
Koji: The Secret Ingredient IMAGE COURTESY OF SAN-J INTERNATIONAL
One of the biggest food trends today is a traditional Japanese ingredient called koji, the moldinoculated grains responsible for miso, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and a host of other ingredients. Although it has been a culinary mainstay in Asia for centuries, it’s only recently that Western chefs have started catching on to its transformative powers as a seasoning and a curing agent. Takashi Sato, president of San-J International in Virginia, is an eighth-generation member of the founding family of a tamari and miso brewery. He shares how koji creates the flavors behind your favorite Japanese foods and discusses his work to support and revive the tradition of the country’s fermentation culture. After the presentation, savor the secret ingredient as you sample foods and beverages that have been flavored with koji. Thurs., May 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-572; Ripley Center; Members $45; Nonmembers $55 Takashi Sato
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JACLYN NASH
In Person
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra 2023–2024 Concert Series
JACLYN NASH
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition.
Charlie Young
Sat., June 1 | Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in concert
Sarah Vaughan’s colorful vocal tone, unparalleled range, elastic stylized phrasing, and all-around dynamic musical interpretation earned her the moniker “The Divine One.” Also known as “Sassy,” Vaughan became one of the greatest jazz vocalists in the history of the music. The SJMO features singer Sharón Clark in celebration of the centennial year of NEA Jazz Master Sarah Vaughan. Songs like “After You’ve Gone,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” and “The Lady’s in Love with You” rekindle the Vaughan spell. (Full Orchestra)
Fri., April 5 | Aspects of Ellington Individual concerts: Fri., April 5 (CODE 1P0-836); Sat., June 1 (CODE 1P0-837); Members $25; Nonmembers $30. Please note: Concerts take place at 7 p.m. at Baird Auditorium in the National Museum of Natural History.
Each concert’s musical program is subject to change.
JACLYN NASH
Duke Ellington composed dynamic music that inspired vivid visual imagery and emotion. Combining his unconventional orchestration technique with the unique talent of his individual orchestra members, Ellington was able to transpose everyday life into musical works of art. To mark what would have been his 125th year, the SJMO launches Jazz Appreciation Month by highlighting elements of the Duke’s music and his orchestra with signature works such as “East St. Louis Toodle-oo,” “The Degas Suite,” and “Jack the Bear.” (Full Orchestra)
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Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
In Person
2023–2024 Season The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. Concerts take place in the National Museum of American History’s intimate Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, with repertoire ranging from acclaimed masterpieces to undeservedly obscure gems by all-but-forgotten composers. Veteran musicians of the Society are joined on several of the programs by emerging artists. Kenneth Slowik, SCMS artistic director and recipient of the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar Award, again curates a series of pre-concert talks one hour prior to the Saturday concerts, shedding light on the glorious music and the lives and times of the featured composers.
The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati
SMITHSONIAN
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicolò Amati—in this popular concert series. The Axelrod String Quartet, which now includes violinist Mark Fewer, presents two programs, both of which are anchored by one of Schubert’s last quartets. Works of quartet masters Haydn and Shostakovich are joined by 20th-century works related, in their diversity, to varied interests of the National Museum of American History. The music of the Argentinian Osvaldo Golijov, resident in the United States since 1986, has been characterized as “forcing us to look and listen in a way that we’re not asked to do inside other music, speaking to the divisiveness and coming together of Marc Destrubé, James Dunham, cultures.” Mark Fewer and Kenneth Slowik The Austrian American Erich Wolfgang Korngold is probably most widely known for the nearly two dozen Hollywood film scores he wrote in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s (among them The Adventures of Robin Hood, for which he won the Academy Award in 1934), but many of his operas, orchestral and chamber works, songs, and piano pieces employ the same appealingly kaleidoscopic harmonic palette.
The Axelrod String Quartet Mark Fewer, violin; Marc Destrubé, violin; James Dunham, viola; Kenneth Slowik, violoncello Sat., April 6, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., April 7, 6:30 p.m. Joseph Haydn: Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5 Erich Wolfgang Korngold: Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 26 Franz Schubert: Quartet in D Minor, D810, Death and the Maiden Sat., April 27, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., April 28, 6:30 p.m. Osvoldo Golijov: Tenebrae for String Quartet Dmitri Shostakovich: Quartet No. 7 Franz Schubert: Quartet in G Major, D887
Note: Saturday concerts at 7:30 p.m. include a pre-concert lecture at 6:30 p.m. Individual concerts: Sat., April 6 (CODE 1P0-815); Sun., April 7 (CODE 1P0-818); Sat., April 27 (CODE 1P0-816); Sun., April 28 (CODE 1P0-819); Members $30; Nonmembers $35 All Axelrod concerts take place at the Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW (Metro: Federal Triangle)
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Masterworks of Five Centuries
The 2023–2024 season closes with performances of the Smithsonian Consort of Viols featuring English consort music by Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell, whose 1680 fantasias provide a fitting capstone to a venerable tradition. Sat., March 16, 7:30 p.m. and Sun., March 17, 6:30 p.m. Consorts of Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell The Smithsonian Consort of Viols Kenneth Slowik, Arnie Tanimoto, Wade Davis, Catherine Slowik, Chelsea Bernstein, and Lily Schrantz, viols Individual concerts: Sat., March 16 (CODE 1P0-826); Sun., March 17 (CODE 1P0-832); Members $30; Nonmembers $35
Please note: Saturday concerts take place at 7:30 p.m., with pre-concert talks at 6:30 p.m.; Sunday concerts take place at 6:30 p.m. All Masterworks concerts take place in the Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music, National Museum of American History, Constitution Ave. at 14th St. NW (Metro: Federal Triangle).
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
In Person
Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Broadway NORWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY
Join fellow Broadway lovers in a choral program celebrating some of the great songs from the Great White Way. Drawing from shows such as West Side Story, Hair, and Wicked, choral conductor and music educator Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the tunes you know and love. Songs may include favorites by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, and others selected by the conductor. (The final song list and musical arrangements are chosen to fit the specific vocal and musical abilities of the group.) No audition is required. However, it is important that participants can sing on pitch; have a basic understanding of musical notation; can follow a choral score as music is rehearsed; and practice their vocal part by listening to rehearsal links that are provided. Singers receive general instruction in vocal techniques that include exercises in healthy breath management for singing and improving your singing tone and range. Rehearsals culminate in a free performance on June 6. Reservations are required.
12 sessions plus performance: Thurs., March 7–May 30, 6:30 p.m. (no rehearsal on March 28); Thurs., June 6 performance 7:30 p.m.; CODE 1P0-839; Ripley Center; Members $135; Nonmembers $150
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Bedřich Smetana Visions of a Bohemian Homeland Bedřich Smetana (1824–1884) is celebrated as the Czech Republic’s first nationalist composer. Born in Bohemia, at the northwest corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Smetana dedicated his life to championing Czech culture and language through his operas, tone poems, chamber music, and piano works. His ardent nationalism produced such masterpieces as his joyful comic opera The Bartered Bride, the sweeping six-movement symphonic cycle My Homeland, and his autobiographical string quartet From My Life. To honor Smetana’s 200th birthday year, pianist and scholar Rachel Franklin explores his powerful legacy and spotlights many lesser-known piano and operatic gems by this pioneering Czech master. Thurs., March 7, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-448; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Bedřich Smetana
A Night at the Oscars Long before Academy Awards night rolls around on March 10 to honor 2023’s best cinematic achievements, you’ve probably assembled your own slate of favorites in the Oscars race. To become the most knowledgeable guest at your Oscar party, join Washington City Paper film critic Noah Gittell in an evening that focuses on all things Oscar, from Academy Awards history and trivia to discussions of this year’s nominations and behindthe-scenes stories. The most accurate predictions are eligible for prizes after the awards are presented. Fri., March 8, 7 p.m.; CODE 1J0-340; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Writing a Novel A Character-Driven Approach Author Elizabeth Poliner guides four weekly sessions focused on a character-driven approach to novel writing—one that allows novels to develop organically, moving from character into plot and structure. Where do ideas for fictional characters come from? How do we move from an understanding of character into the development of story and plot? How do we integrate setting into the development of story, too? In addition to answering these questions, the series focuses on structure, narration, theme, research, and the ever-essential role of revision. Poliner is the author of the novel As Close to Us as Breathing, winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize in Fiction and an Amazon Best Book of 2016. MAR 8 Character MAR 15 Setting MAR 22 Narration and Point of View MAR 29 Research
PUBLIC DOMAIN/WIKIPEDIA
4-session series: Fri., March 8–29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1H0-804; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
“Make ‘Em Laugh”: A History of Movie Comedy from Charlie Chaplin to Mel Brooks Since the beginning of motion pictures, making audiences laugh has been one of the film industry’s chief box office attractions. Skilled acrobatic comedians like Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin were enormously popular in the silent era; so were their more verbally dexterous talking picture successors the Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields. Media historian Brian Rose looks at major highlights of screen comedy over the last 125 years, illustrated with more than 40 examples from Hollywood’s funniest films. Tues., March 12, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-342; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Publicity photo from Charlie Chaplin's 1921 movie The Kid
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THE YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY
Why Shakespeare’s Histories Matter Rethinking Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1, and Henry IV, Part 2 Shakespeare’s historical plays are considered masterpieces because of their insights into political behavior and memorable portraits of some of the most compelling figures in English history. Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, explores the rich world of Shakespeare’s history plays and examines how he transformed the genre to create works that remain relevant to our understanding of the political scene. Luzzi also discusses how Shakespeare’s combination of linguistic brilliance and piercing psychological insights creates a poetic understanding of history that goes beyond factual historiographical approaches in their illumination of the past. 10 a.m.
Shakespeare’s Poetic Histories
11:15 a.m. Divine Right of Kings: Richard II
The King to the Prince of Wales: "Thou shalt have charge and sovereign trust herein," King Henry IV, Part I, Act III, Scene II, by Edwin Austin Abbey, 1905
12:15 p.m. Break 12:45 p.m. The Wayward Prince and the Unlikely Mentor: Henry IV, Part 1 2 p.m.
Return of the Prodigal Son: Henry IV, Part 2
Sat., March 9, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-347; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
MUSEUM OF CITY HISTORY, LEIPZIG
Bach’s Sacred Cantatas A Journey Through Human Emotions Why does Johann Sebastian Bach’s music remain deeply relevant to our times, despite having been composed 300 years ago under entirely different social, economic, political, cultural, moral, and religious circumstances? Because it draws on all shades of timeless human emotions. A Bach performer once said he couldn’t think of one that the composer had not set to music. Singer Thierry van Bastelaer leads a journey through those emotions in Bach’s religious cantatas. These works—in essence, poetic and musical commentaries on sacred texts associated with specific dates on the Lutheran liturgical calendar—constitute about a third of Bach’s entire output, yet just a few of them are Portrait of Johann Sebastian performed or heard regularly, despite containing some of his most affecting music. In a presentation highlighted by musical recordings and video clips of performances that span sentiments Bach, ca. 1746, by Elias Gottlob Haussmann from sadness and despair to jubilation and consolation, van Bastelaer discusses the often-challenging circumstances under which the works were composed, points out features of the music, and offers glimpses of Bach as a man, employee, husband, and father. Thurs., March 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-311; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
The American Musical: Evolution of an Art Form The American musical has a rich, expansive history reaching back to the 1800s. Musical theater artist and historian Ben West details the evolution of this American art form, including its maturation in the middle of the 20th century; its often overlooked Black and female artists; and its outside influences such as minstrelsy, vaudeville, nightclubs, and burlesque. To illustrate this history, he highlights pivotal locales, shows, artists, and topics, including the Plantation, a Broadway nightclub in the 1920s that featured Josephine Baker, Duke Ellington, and Ethel Waters; and Gower Champion, the director and choreographer whose shows included Bye Bye Birdie and Hello, Dolly! West’s book, The American Musical (Routledge), is available for purchase. Thurs., April 4, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-035; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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High School Classics Revisited
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Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, revisits and provides new perspectives on novels that typically appear on high school reading lists.
Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights from 1847 is one of the most celebrated novels in 19th-century literature. Luzzi reveals the novel’s defining qualities and characteristics, with a focus on its Romantic elements, dazzling mix of the supernatural and natural, and construction of compelling characters such as Heathcliff and Catherine. Luzzi also discusses the different modes of storytelling Brontë employs.
PD WIKIPEDIA
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Thurs., March 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-343; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
Frankenstein Steeped in the Gothic and supernatural imagery of the Romantic era, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1818 is frequently described as the first science fiction novel. Luzzi leads participants through an exploration of the cultural sources, scientific elements, and literary devices that make Shelley’s book so inventive and groundbreaking. He highlights how Shelley balances her inquiry into philosophical questions with the bold narrative strategies that have made her Frankenstein a mainstay of school and college curricula for generations of students. Thurs., April 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-351; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway’s 1952 novella The Old Man and the Sea received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was also singled out when Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Luzzi guides the audience through a close reading of this masterpiece, showing how Hemingway creates a spellbinding narrative through brilliant characterization, detailed depictions of the natural world, and sustained inquiry into the relationship between the human and animal world. He also shows how this work both opens up new lines of writing and reprises many of Hemingway’s literary strengths. Thurs., April 25, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-356; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
Macbeth Shakespeare’s Macbeth from 1606 is one of his bloodiest and most haunting plays, as its recurrent use of the supernatural distinguishes it from most of his other tragedies. Luzzi guides participants through the rich verbal intricacies and captivating themes of the play, especially its treatment of political ambition and the nature of the monarchy, with special attention to how Macbeth relates to other great tragedies in Shakespeare. Also considered is how the play provides valuable insight into Shakespeare’s relationship with his patron King James I. Thurs., May 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-361; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
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Third Millennium Thinking Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense In our deluge of information, it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish the revelatory from the contradictory. How do we make health decisions in the face of conflicting medical advice? Does that article on GMOs even show what the authors claim? How can we navigate the next Thanksgiving discussion with our in-laws, who follow completely different experts on climate? Drawing from their multidisciplinary UC Berkeley Big Ideas course, physicist Saul Perlmutter, philosopher John Campbell, and psychologist Robert MacCoun tackle how to better understand the world and make informed decisions as scientists do— with discernment, discipline, and firm foundations of reason. They illustrate how developing these skills can help individuals remain informed in a fast-paced, chaotic, and heartbreaking news cycle; avoid mental traps, such as cognitive biases, when making decisions; differentiate between facts and values, fact and fiction, and good science and bad science; and become comfortable with uncertainty across discourse—and disagreements. Their book Third Millennium Thinking: Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense (Little Brown Spark) is available for purchase. Mon., April 8, 6:45 p.m., CODE 1D0-045; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
How Jazz Captivated France How did jazz get more firmly established in France than, arguably, in any other country? And in return, how did French jazz influence the course of American jazz prior to and after World War II? John Edward Hasse, curator emeritus of American music at the National Museum of American History, traces the roots of jazz in France to its African colonies, the introduction of American ragtime music at the turn of the 20th century, a craze for tango and other ballroom steps, and a curiosity about art that was new and daring. Hasse draws on rare film clips, photographs, and original recordings to provide insight into how the quintessentially American art form of jazz captured the fancy of dancers, musicians, and audiences in France more than in any other non-Anglophone country. Clips capture performers including U.S. Lt. James Reece Europe’s Hell Fighters band in World War I; American expat dancer Josephine Baker and musicians Louis Mitchell and his Jazz Kings; tours to France by Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway; and the legendary Belgian-French Roma musician Django Reinhardt. The fate of jazz in Nazi-occupied Paris rounds out the story. Mon., April 8, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-313; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 Django Reinhardt
PD/PROMOTIONAL IMAGE/WIKIPEDIA
“It’s a Wonderful Town” New York City in the Movies For more than 125 years, filmmakers have been drawn to the vitality of New York City. Its diverse neighborhoods, universally recognized landmarks, and 8 million stories have helped make the city a featured player in more than 17,000 movies. The city has starred in a wide variety of films, including King Kong, Naked City, On the Town, West Side Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Taxi Driver, Wall Street, and Do the Right Thing. With more than 50 clips, media historian Brian Rose demonstrates the changing ways New York has been captured on film and why it remains a star attraction. Tues., April 9, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-346; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 King Kong 1933 promotional image, RKO Pictures
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The Genius of Akira Kurosawa For 50 years, Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998) reigned supreme as Japan’s premier filmmaker and one of the world’s leading cinematic masters. After his landmark Rashomon (1950) won festival prizes in Venice and an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, cinephiles throughout the globe embraced both the director’s prolific genius and the remarkable post-World War II film culture of Japan. The mastery of Kurosawa is evidenced in the 31 unforgettable films he directed between 1943 and 1993, 16 of which starred his strikingly charismatic alter ego, Tôshiro Mifune. Kurosawa is best known today as the filmmaking warrior behind such masterful swordplay spectacles as The Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and Sanjuro, which electrified art screens throughout the 1950s and early ‘60s. But there are other sides to Akira Kurosawa: his forays into film noir (Drunken Angel); Shakespearean Akira Kurosawa, 1937 tragedy (Throne of Blood); literary adaptations of Dostoyevsky (The Idiot) and Maxim Gorky (The Lower Depths); and an Oscar-winning Russian co-production (Dersu Uzala). His human psychological dramas include works such as No Regrets for Our Youth and the final Kurosawa–Mifune collaboration, Red Beard. Kurosawa’s haunting To Live was recently remade in England as Living. Film historian Max Alvarez unfolds this sweeping saga, tracing Akira Kurosawa’s remarkable life from a meteoric rise at Toho Studios during the 1930s through personal and professional triumphs, frustrations, and artistic comebacks. Tues., April 16, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-461; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
Portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Barbara Kraft, 1819
ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC
SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF MUSIC IN VIENNA
Great Musical Partnerships Composing is solitary work, but artistry cannot flourish in isolation. Whether reclusive or gregarious, socially inept or beloved and charming, all successful composers were supported by a wide network of friends, family, fellow professionals, and patrons. In a new series, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin examines some of these fascinating associations and the inspiring music that we owe to them. Relationships among fellow music makers and patrons explored include Robert Schumann, Clara Wieck, and Johannes Brahms; Wolfgang Amadeus, Mozart and Joseph Haydn; Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams; Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein; Ludwig van Beethoven and patrons Count Ferdinand von Waldstein and Prince Karl Lichnowsky; and Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. APR 17 Meetings of Hearts and Minds APR 24 Kindred Spirits MAY 1 Beethoven and his Circle Haydn by Thomas Hardy, 1791
MAY 8 Strange Connections 4-session series: Wed., April 17–May 8, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-464; Members $95; Nonmembers $105
Love and Death in Dante: Reading Inferno What makes Dante’s Inferno essential reading today, even though it was written seven centuries ago? Joseph Luzzi, professor of literature at Bard College, sheds light on the world of Dante’s epic poem in all its cultural and historical richness. He highlights Dante’s relationship to his beloved hometown of Florence, lacerating experience of exile, and lifelong devotion to his muse, Beatrice. Paying close attention to the originality and brilliance of Dante’s poetic vision, Luzzi examines how and why Inferno, the first canticle of The Divine Comedy, has become one of the most influential works in literary history. 10 a.m.
Dante’s Literary Revolution
11:15 a.m. In the Dark Wood: Inferno 1–10 12:15 p.m. Break 12:45 p.m. Dante’s Divine Education: Inferno 11–22 2 p.m.
Seeing Stars: Inferno 23–34
Sat., April 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; CODE 1J0-355; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
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Illustration of Dante's Inferno, Canto 8 by Johannes Stradanus, 1587
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To Be Is To Be Anxious Anxiety is usually thought of as a pathology, but it isn’t always or only a medical condition. Philosophy professor Samir Chopra explores valuable insights about anxiety from philosophies and theories, including Buddhism, existentialism, psychoanalysis, and critical theory. Many philosophers and theorists—including the Buddha, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Freud, and Heidegger—have viewed anxiety as an inevitable human response to existence: To be is to be anxious. Philosophy may not be able to cure anxiety, but by leading to greater self-knowledge and self-acceptance, it may make us less anxious about being anxious. Chopra’s book Anxiety: A Philosophical Guide (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase. Mon., April 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-037; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Steinbeck and the Arthurian Saga
The two volumes of an illustrated edition of Le Morte D'Arthur, 1893
In the latter half of the 1950s, having already won lasting fame as the author of Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden, John Steinbeck was seized by a powerful urge to return to his first great inspiration: a copy of The Boy’s King Arthur he received as a 9-year-old. Setting aside the American themes and places that he explored in his fiction, he sought to translate Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur into a slightly archaized modern English and to retell Malory’s stories from a more contemporary point of view. In this he failed. Biographers and critics tend to dismiss Steinbeck’s quest as a minor chapter in his life, but public humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, who is writing a book about Steinbeck and the Morte, believes that it deserves much more careful attention. He offers a fascinating look at the book that was to become The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights and the tale of what began for Steinbeck as a straightforward work of translation and revision that acquired a life of its own, as he strove both to give new life to Malory and to use the tales of King Arthur as a medium for his own expression. Tues., April 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-476; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
The Golden Age of Television When NBC and CBS began broadcasting to their East Coast affiliates at the end of the 1940s, they offered viewers a wide variety of programs, including live original dramas. Within a few years, these programs, such as “Kraft Television Theatre” and “Ford Television Theatre,” launched the careers of soon-to-be-famous directors like Arthur Penn and John Frankenheimer, actors like Paul Newman and James Dean, and playwrights like Paddy Chayefsky and Rod Serling. But by the end of the 1950s, the era of live TV theater was over. Media historian Brian Rose looks at the forces that made this golden age such an intriguing chapter in TV history and why it was so short-lived. Tues., May 7, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-360; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Spiritual But Not Religious Healthy Trend or Crisis of Faith? Is it possible to be spiritual and not religious at the same time? Self-identification as “SBNR” is a growing trend, even a movement, in the United States and abroad that promotes the deinstitutionalization of religion and a kind of spiritual individuation. But what meanings do the words “spiritual” and “religious” carry? Is this a healthy trend or a crisis of faith? Comparative religion scholar Graham Schweig of Christopher Newport University examines the nature of the SBNR movement, compares the advantages and disadvantages of the spiritual and the religious positions, and analyzes this phenomenon psychologically and theologically by drawing from ancient Eastern and Western wisdom traditions. Tues., May 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-325; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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Language Peeves Inner Grammandos vs. Inner Wordies Are you someone who still isn’t sure whether the pronoun “they” can be singular? Have you noticed younger speakers using “on accident” rather than “by accident”? Do you worry that no one knows how to use the apostrophe anymore? If so, this lively session on language is wordperfect for you. From her perspective as a historian of the English language, linguist, and veteran English professor at the University of Michigan, Anne Curzan examines some common peeves in grammar, tackling such puzzlers as “who vs. whom,” “less vs. fewer,” “based on vs. based off,” and the eternal “between you and I.” Curzan explains that everyone has an inner grammando (who can’t help but judge bits of usage we see and hear) and an inner wordie (who loves to play Wordle and make new puns and the like). Her observations are designed to help both sides hash out what we’ve learned is “right” and “wrong” in language. You’ll leave with a heightened awareness of changes afoot in the English language and tools for becoming an even more skilled word watcher. Curzan’s most recent book, Says Who? A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words (Penguin Random House), is available for sale. Thurs., May 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-319; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
More Stories from the American Songbook Explore and enjoy glorious songs from the Great American Songbook with stories about their long, often-unexpected lives. The spring lineup covers songs that are considered “simply the best”—ageless and favorite beauties, many by songwriters unmet in prior sessions of this popular series. Combing a lively lecture with a wide variety of film clips, filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson traces how these songs came to be and how different artists, unexpected arrangements, and changing times transformed them into something new but still the same. MAY 15 Harold Arlen: The Most Original of Them All MAY 29 Makers of Magical Worlds: Lerner and Loewe JUNE 12 The Great Forget-Me-Nots: Songs That Stand Alone 3-session series: Wed., May 15, May 29, June 12, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-458; Members $50; Nonmembers $60 Individual sessions: Wed., May 15 (CODE 1K0-469); Wed., May 29 (CODE 1K0-470); Wed., June 12 (CODE 1K0-471); 12 p.m.; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
&******( U HARDLY O English-Language Dictionaries and the People Who Made Them HARM LESS U DRU DG E RY O Dictionaries are repositories of erudition, monuments to linguistic authority, and battlefields in cultural and political struggles. For centuries, they were also works of almost superhuman endurance, produced U L E X I C OG R A P H I C O U O by people who devoted themselves for years, even decades, to the wearisome labor of corralling, recording, and defining the vocabulary of a language. Today, the future of the printed dictionary is in U O question, but the central relevance of dictionaries, whatever their format, to communication and culture U O is unchanged. U O Educators Bryan A. Garner and Jack Lynch share some of the stories behind these great works of U O scholarship and the people who produced them, including towering figures of English lexicography— Samuel Johnson (who mocked his own trade by defining a dictionary writer as “a harmless drudge”); HJJJJJJK
Words, Words, Words
A 500-Year Pictorial History of the
gen i uses, sciolists, plag iarists & obsessives Who Defined the English Language
GORDONCHRISTIE
Noah Webster; the Oxford English Dictionary’s James Murray—and more obscure lexicographers whose achievements and biographies are no less fascinating. Garner and Lynch’s book Hardly Harmless Drudgery: A 500-Year Pictorial History of the Lexicographic Geniuses, Sciolists, Plagiarists, and Obsessives Who Defined the English Language (Godine) is available for purchase.
KAROLYNEH.C.GARNER
bryan a. garner & jack lynch
Mon., May 20, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-474; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 Jack Lynch
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Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue
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Cover of the original sheet music of Rhapsody in Blue, 1927
A Centenary Celebration George Gershwin’s groundbreaking fusion of classical music and jazz, Rhapsody in Blue, is one of America’s most beloved cultural icons, a symbol of the nation’s melting pot self-image and its vigor, optimism, and constant reinvention. Pianist and speaker Rachel Franklin celebrates its very big birthday by diving into how Gershwin conceived the work; the roles of arranger Ferde Grofé and bandleader Paul Whiteman; and the composition’s myriad reincarnations since its exuberant premiere with Gershwin at the piano on February 12, 1924, as part of a concert titled “An Experiment in Modern Music.”
George Gershwin, 1935
Wed., May 22, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-472; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Igor Stravinsky: The Classicist Igor Stravinsky’s spectacular early ballet scores such as Le Sacre du Printemps can sometimes distract us from where this amazing artist went next. Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein examines a selection of the classically inspired masterworks Stravinsky composed between 1918 and 1951. Works explored include L’Histoire du Soldat, which compresses the rhythmic vitality of his earlier large ballet scores into a miniature masterwork for just seven instruments; the Bach-inspired Octet for Winds; the opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex, which Leonard Bernstein called the “most awesome product” of Stravinsky’s neoclassical period; the Symphony of Psalms, one of the greatest choral works of the last century; and The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky’s brilliant farewell to classicism. Each session features outstanding performances captured in musical and video recordings. Lilienstein also provides a portrait of a man and a conductor through a series of film excerpts of Stravinsky in conversation with other artists. MAY 28 Toward Neoclassicism and Italian Comedy JUNE 4 Stravinsky, Cocteau, and Koussevitzky JUNE 11 Stravinsky and Balanchine JUNE 18 Stravinsky in America JUNE 25 A Culminating Work 5-session series: Tues., May 28–June 25, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-329; Members $85; Nonmembers $95
Anna May Wong: Hollywood’s Unsung Heroine History has long neglected the wild and inspiring story of Anna May Wong, a taboo-smashing star whose career left an indelible mark on Hollywood. Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks’ 1924 silent blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest. After starring in acclaimed films in Germany, France, and England, Wong returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film. Biographer Katie Gee Salisbury discusses the vibrant, radical career of a groundbreaking artist, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in Anna May Wong, 1937 cinema history. Her book, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong (Dutton), is available for purchase.
PUBLICITY PHOTO/ PARAMOUNT PICTURES
Igor Stravinsky by George Grantham Bain
Thurs., May 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1D0-050; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
A Grand Tour of the Solar System Presented in partnership with George Mason University Observatory
NASA/SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE
This series treks to the sun and the four inner terrestrial planets before traveling outward to the asteroid belt, four Jovian planets, and beyond. At each session, a professional astronomer presents the latest research on a solar system body. Following the talk and a question-and-answer period, Peter Plavchan, a professor of physics and astronomy at George Mason University, brings that night’s sky right into participants’ living rooms via remote control of the university observatory, weather permitting.
NASA/JPL
Uranus and Neptune: The Outer Ice Giants
Neptune in 1989, captured by Voyager 2 flyby
Tues., March 19, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-348; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
NASA/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY/SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Uranus in 2006, Hubble Space Telescope image
Both Uranus and Neptune were discovered in a new way: Uranus was the first planet detected with a telescope, and Neptune was the first planet found using math. Although it has been centuries since their discovery, we still know very little about these ice giants, and it has been over 30 years since a mission visited them. Kathleen Mandt, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Research Center, highlights what we know about Uranus and Neptune, why it is imperative that we send a mission to learn more about them, and what that information could tell us about the rest of our solar system—and beyond.
Pluto: Ice World Full of Surprises Pluto is the largest known member of the Kuiper Belt, which contains some 100,000 dwarf planets and is located just outside of Neptune’s orbit. This belt contains many worlds such as Pluto that have active weather and internal heat generation. The New Horizons mission, which flew by Pluto in 2015, revealed surprises including vast fields of organic compounds, ice volcanoes, and evidence pointing to an internal ocean of liquid water. Michael Summers, a professor of planetary science and astronomy at George Mason University, describes how the New Horizons mission revolutionized how we view the most distant worlds in our solar system. Pluto, captured during a flyby on July 13, 2015 by the New Horizons spacecraft
Tues., April 16, 7 p.m.; CODE 1J0-352; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Birds of Puerto Rico Discover the wild side of Puerto Rico, a Caribbean destination that you don’t need a passport to visit. In a lively program, naturalist Matt Felperin shares his experience birding on the island—which despite being about the size of Connecticut boasts a surprising diversity of habitats, climate, and culture. It’s also home to El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the United States. Felperin surveys the variety of endemic bird species that you can’t see anywhere else, as well as other fascinating fauna such as the omnipresent coqui frog. Along the way, he also touches on the culture and the architecture of Old San Juan. Puerto Rican Tody (“San Pedrito”) by Matt Felperin
Wed., March 6, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-074; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Leonardo da Vinci’s Infinite Curiosity Leonardo da Vinci has been called the most curious person to have ever lived. What exactly was he curious about? And what did he do to satisfy that curiosity? In a fascinating presentation, renowned astrophysicist and author Mario Livio examines the intimate relation between Leonardo’s art and his scientific experiments and observations. He explores in detail how Leonardo used his science to advance his art and his art to inspire and present his science. He also analyzes modern neuroscientific and psychological research into the types of curiosity that Leonardo exhibited and how this curiosity manifested itself in his extensive notebooks. Livio brings together all Leonardo’s facets to create a portrait of the quintessential Renaissance man. A water-powered gyroscopic compass drawn by Leonardo da Vinci
Thurs., March 7, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-308; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Great Horned Owls: Hiding in Plain Sight Did you know that there is a top-of-the-food-chain predator likely living in your neighborhood? This animal moves silently at speeds of 20 to 40 miles per hour and eats animals twice its size. Not a bear or mountain lion or coyote, it’s a great horned owl, found in every state except Hawaii and in almost every habitat you can imagine. Naturalist Mark H.X. Glenshaw—who has closely observed and documented the lives of great horned owls in Forest Park in St. Louis since 2005—takes a deep dive into the study of these magnificent creatures in a program rich in audio clips, photos, and videos. He covers the basic facts about the species; how he finds these owls; their camouflage, nocturnal habits, and silent flight; and the various behaviors he has seen and documented. Sun., March 10, 2 p.m.; CODE 1K0-444; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Mark H.X. Glenshaw
ALIMOND STUDIO
Unveiling the Secrets of Gut Health With WebMD’s John Whyte Physician John Whyte, chief medical officer of WebMD, delves into the microscopic universe of the gut microbiome—a complex community of trillions of microorganisms that play a pivotal role in our overall well-being—to explain how these tiny inhabitants influence our digestion as well as our immune system, metabolism, and even mood. The last decade has shown the importance of maintaining a balanced gut microbiome and the consequences of its disruption. Whyte provides an opportunity to empower yourself to make informed choices for a healthier, happier gut and to learn about the factors that can influence it, such as diet and lifestyle choices, stress, and the use of antibiotics and probiotics. John Whyte
Tues., March 12, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-454; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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Not the End of the World The Beginning of a Better Future With climate change seemingly spiraling out of control, it’s easy to become consumed by anxiety when contemplating the future of our planet. Author Hannah Ritchie challenges this prevailing narrative in her new book, Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet. She argues that a more optimistic outlook emerges when we step back and consider the progress that humanity has achieved throughout history. Drawing from the latest research and offering practical guidance, Ritchie illustrates that with optimism and proactive lifestyle changes, we can be the first generation to pave the way for a sustainable world. She discusses critical topics including air pollution, deforestation, biodiversity loss, protecting the world’s wildlife and oceans, and other areas. Like the Smithsonian’s Earth Optimism Initiative, created to spotlight people who are developing sustainable solutions that preserve nature as well as our own well-being, Ritchie advocates that with active change it may not be the end of the world but the beginning of a better future. Ritchie is the deputy editor and lead researcher of the online scientific publication Our World in Data. Copies of Not the End of the World (Little, Brown Spark) are available for purchase.
SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM
Thurs., April 4, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-565; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Beyond Audubon Bird Images Through the Centuries Nearly three centuries before the publication of John James Audubon’s Birds of America, Ulisse Aldrovandi in Italy and Conrad Gessner in Switzerland were commissioning detailed images of birds for their groundbreaking animal encyclopedias. The earliest printed images were created using woodcuts, and these were followed by engraved and etched copper plates, which could reproduce finer details. Lithography, used by Audubon, was not in wide use until the 19th century. Kay Etheridge, professor emerita of biology at Gettysburg College, discusses natural history images that combine art and science in ways that have furthered our knowledge of birds.
The red Wing'd Starling by Mark Catesby, 1727–1731
Thurs., April 4, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-350; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Understanding the Human–Canine Connection Dogs have been considered people’s best friend for thousands of years, but never has the relationship between humans and their canine companions been as important as it is today. Rates of anxiety and depression have been skyrocketing and people have been turning to their dogs for solace and stability. Amid these dire realities, in the United States alone dog adoptions doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. As people have brought furry friends into their lives for the first time or seized this opportunity to deepen the connections they already have, they’re looking to understand how owning a dog can change their lives. Jen Golbeck, the “internet’s dog mom” behind the social media platform The Golden Ratio, and science writer Stacey Colino draw on their book, The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human–Canine Connection, to reveal the benefits our dogs can have on our physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being, often without our realizing it. They also remind us of what’s right in the world—love, trust, affection, playtime, fresh air, and sunshine—even when so much feels wrong. The Purest Bond (Atria Books) is available for purchase. Tues., April 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-460; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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The Pacific Ring of Fire A Geologic Overview Characterized by constant seismic and volcanic activity, the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire is a vast horseshoe-shaped basin that sweeps over nearly 25,000 miles and includes more than 75% of the planet’s active and dormant volcanoes. Approximately 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur here, triggered by the volatile confluence of major tectonic plates in constant collision that exemplify the dynamic nature of our planet. Volcanologist Kirt Kempter leads a geologic overview of the Ring of Fire and an Poás volcano crater, central Costa Rica exploration of how relentless tectonic movements—including some of the Earth’s fastestmoving plates—drive earthquake and volcanic activity in hot spots such as Peru, New Zealand, Japan, and Alaska. Maps, diagrams, and Google Earth flyovers support geologic concepts and interpretations in the presentation.
ROB CARDILLO
Mon., April 15, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-079; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
The Philadelphia region boasts a wealth of exceptional gardens, both public and private. Nicole Juday, author of the new book Private Gardens of Philadelphia, digs into the history and circumstances—from politics to economics to religion—that have contributed to the intense concentration and high quality of horticulture in the area. Using stunning photos, Juday showcases examples of the region’s finest private gardens, ranging from small urban jewel boxes to vast estates. She finds themes that connect these disparate spaces, shares details about what makes them so special, and reveals the stories of the fascinating people who created these gardens, often under challenging conditions.
ROB CARDILLO
The Private Gardens of Philadelphia
Wed., April 17, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-076; Members $25; Nonmember $30 Nicole Juday
STEVE NICHOLLS
Butterflies and Moths: Winged Wonders Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are one of the most abundant groups of insects—one in every ten animals on the planet is a butterfly or moth. What are the secrets of their extraordinary success? In a lively presentation accompanied by stunning images, Emmy Award– winning wildlife documentary filmmaker Steve Nicholls presents some of the latest scientific discoveries as he explores the world of butterflies and moths to find out why they’ve been so successful. Along the way, discover the world’s deadliest caterpillars; a moth with a tongue over a foot long; a caterpillar that looks exactly like a venomous snake; a butterfly that shares its world with polar bears at one extreme and penguins at the other; and screaming moths that can jam the sonar of predatory bats. It seems there’s no end to the tricks that evolution has come up with as it turned the Lepidoptera into one of the most advanced of all insect groups. An io moth
Fri., April 26, 12 p.m.; CODE 1K0-473; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
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The Human Disease How We Create Pandemics The COVID-19 pandemic won’t be our last, says biological anthropologist Sabrina Sholts of the National Museum of Natural History, because what makes us vulnerable to pandemics also makes us human. Her new book, The Human Disease: How We Create Pandemics, from Our Bodies to Our Beliefs, travels through history and around the globe to examine how and why such pandemics and many other infectious disease events are an inescapable threat of our own making. Sholts discusses the human traits and tendencies that double as pandemic liabilities, from the anatomy that defines us to the misperceptions that divide us. She explains how humanity will continue to face new pandemics because humans cause them by the ways that we are and the things that we do. By recognizing our risks, she suggests, we can take actions to reduce them. Sholts holds that when the next pandemic happens and how bad it becomes are largely within our highly capable human hands—and will be determined by what we do with our extraordinary human brains. Copies of The Human Disease (MIT Press) are available for purchase. Tues., April 30, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-561; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
In Person
Presented in collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History
The Future of Exploration
Former National Geographic executive vice president and chief science officer Terry Garcia and nature and cultural photographer Chris Rainier, a National Geographic Explorer, lead a journey with some of the world’s most renowned explorers, scientists, astronauts, visionaries, and authors as they discuss their insights about what motivates them, what is left to explore, and why we should care. Following the presentation, Garcia and Rainier are joined by a few of the explorers for a discussion on the future of exploration. Garcia and Rainier’s new book, The Future of Exploration: Discovering the Uncharted Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Human Potential (Simon & Schuster), is available for sale and signing. Mon., May 6, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1J0-359; Ripley Center; Members $20; Nonmembers $30
GIA MARIANI
Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines From beneficial yeasts that aid digestion to toxic molds that cause disease, we are constantly navigating a world filled with fungi. Drawing on the latest advances in mycology, Nicholas P. Money, professor of biology at Miami University in Ohio, explores the amazing ways fungi interact with our bodies, showing how our health and well-being depend on an immense ecosystem of yeasts and molds inside and all around us. Money leads a guided tour of a marvelous unseen realm, describing how our immune systems are engaged in continuous conversation with the teeming mycobiome inside the body, and how we can fall prey to serious and even life-threatening infections when this peaceful coexistence is disturbed. He also sheds light on our complicated relationship with fungi outside the body, from wild mushrooms and cultivated molds that have been staples of the human diet for millennia to the controversial experimentation with magic mushrooms in the treatment of depression. Money’s book Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines: Our Lifelong Relationship with Fungi (Princeton University Press) is available for purchase. Nicholas P. Money
Thurs., May 9, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-466; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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Sabrina Sholts
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A New Theory of Being Human Humans have long thought of their bodies and minds as separate spheres of existence, with the body as physical and the mind as mental. But such thinking is a barrier to discovery and understanding, and a new framework is needed, argues neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux. He shares his latest research, which says that human beings are a composite of four fundamental realms of existence—biological, neurobiological, cognitive, and conscious. Together our realms account for all of what and who we are, LeDoux says. His book The Four Realms of Existence: A New Theory of Being Human (Harvard University Press) is available for sale. Tues., May 21, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-815; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
Hog Island: Maine’s Showcase of Nature Tucked away along coastal Maine, Hog Island is the home of a National Audubon Society nature-study camp that has been in operation since 1936. Isolated from the outside world and filled with both pristine forest and coastal habitats, the surrounding Muscongus Bay teems with terns, bald eagles, common eiders, harbor seals, and gray seals. Eastern Egg Rock, the site of Project Puffin, is a vital location for breeding Atlantic puffins, Artic terns, and black guillemots and is perhaps the southernmost point where puffins breed. The forest of Hog Island is primarily red and black spruce frosted with lichens. Clearings of hay-scented ferns and coves around the island have productive wetlands, as well as small bogs with carnivorous Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) off the coast of Maine plants, including sundews and pitcher plants. Naturalist Matt Felperin shares his experiences at the Audubon camp and in southern Maine, displays striking wildlife photos, and reveals why Hog Island should be on your bucket list of nature-education programs. Wed., May 29, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-083; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Literary Theory for Robots In a provocative look at the shared pasts of literature and computer science, former Microsoft engineer Dennis Yi Tenen provides a context for recent developments in artificial intelligence, which holds important lessons for the future of humans living with smart technology. Intelligence expressed through technology should not be mistaken for a magical genie capable of self-directed thought or action, holds Yi Tenen. Rather, he asks us to look past the artifice—to better perceive the mechanics of collaborative work. Something as simple as a spell-checker or a grammar-correction tool, embedded in every word processor, represents the culmination of a shared human effort spanning centuries. Blending history, technology, and philosophy, he discusses why AI should be viewed as a matter of labor history, celebrating the long-standing cooperation between authors and engineers. Yi Tenen is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University and an affiliate at Columbia’s Data Science Institute. His book, Literary Theory for Robots: How Computers Learned to Write (W. W. Norton & Company), is available for purchase. Dennis Yi Tenen
Tues., June 4, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1K0-475; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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Art-full Fridays | Live from Italy, with Elaine Ruffolo World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each
Elaine Ruffolo, a Florence-based Renaissance art historian, examines the rich heritage of Italian art and architecture across the centuries.
Images of Christ: Variations and Themes Jesus Christ is an instantly recognizable figure, perhaps the most frequently depicted in all Western art. He is typically portrayed with long hair and a beard, dressed in flowing robes with long sleeves and a mantle. Yet much of what we understand about Jesus’ appearance is a result of artistic tradition. Since Scripture does not provide a description of what Christ looked like, painters and mosaic-makers would often resort to the artistic canons of their time to create a visual image of the Nazarene. This fascinating process provides valuable insights into the diverse iconographic styles of early Christianity, as different places and people contributed to the evolving depictions of Jesus. Ruffolo delves into some of the most impactful portrayals of Christ, uncovering how the social, political, and religious contexts directly shaped the iconic image we recognize today. Depiction of Jesus on the ceiling of the Florence Baptistery di San Giovanni (detail)
Fri., March 29, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-043; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Ravenna: The Twilight of the Roman Empire For a brief, dazzling moment, Ravenna was an unlikely refuge for a world drifting apart. The city’s history, enshrined in superb Byzantine mosaics, reflects the twilight of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages. While ageless monuments were falling everywhere, Ravenna was crowded with new and sumptuous palaces and monuments. As the capital of the Western Roman Empire in its last days, then of the occidental provinces of the Byzantine Empire, it offered a refuge of luxury and splendor, a return to antique civilization rising above the relentless waves of barbarians. Ruffolo leads an exploration of Ravenna’s extraordinary early Christian-era structures, which UNESCO has recognized for their magnificent displays of mosaic art, and what they reveal of artistic and religious relationships and contacts at an important period of European cultural history. Fri., April 5, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-044; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna
The Footsteps of Piero della Francesca More than any other creator, Piero della Francesca was responsible for the development of 15th-century, painting in Florence and its crucial dissemination throughout Italy. His compositions marry art and science with cool precision and a sophisticated grasp of perspective—he was, after all, a mathematician. Piero might in fact be defined as a “wandering painter” in the sense that he traveled continuously from the humble Tiber River valley where he was born to the great Italian courts. Following his death in 1492, his artistic achievements faded from memory, only to be rediscovered in the mid-19th century, and he later emerged as one of the most beloved and intriguing artists today. Ruffolo follows Piero’s extraordinary career and his journey through Tuscany, Umbria, and Urbino. Fri., May 3, 12 p.m.; CODE 1D0-049; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 The History of the True Cross (detail) by Piero della Francesca, ca. 1452–1466
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Writing Workshops
Experience the power of reflective writing guided by the founding instructor of the National Gallery of Art’s popular Writing Salon, Mary Hall Surface. These reflections can become creative fertile ground for memoir, poetry, and more. The workshops have a limited enrollment to maximize interaction among the instructor and students.
Write Into Art Discover how visual art can inspire creative writing and how writing can offer a powerful way to experience art in online workshops that explore essential elements of writing and styles through close looking, word-sketching, and imaginative response to prompts. The spring session spotlights a diverse range of visual art chosen to inspire writers of all experience levels to deepen their process and practice.
Spring Sessions Tues., March 5–19
MAR 5
Imagine Character
MAR 12 Discover Story MAR 19 Navigate Journeys 3-session series: Tues., March 5, 12, and 19, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-450; Members $105; Nonmembers $115 Individual sessions: Tues., March 5 (CODE 1K0-451); Tues., March 12 (CODE 1K0-452); Tues., March 19 (CODE 1K0-453); 10 a.m.; Members $40; Nonmembers $45
Self-portrait by Lavinia Fontana, 1577
DE MORGAN FOUNDATION
ACCADEMIA DI SAN LUCA
Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art
Mothering A Reflective Writing Workshop The work of two British artists, painter Evelyn De Morgan and poet and playwright Carol Ann Duffy, opens participants to an exploration of Demeter, Greek mythology’s goddess of fertility and Mother Earth. Through close looking and imaginative writing, they reflect on the myriad meanings of mothering in their lives, in the natural world, and in the creative process. Designed for writers of all levels, the workshop offers an invitation to look outwardly at paintings and poetry and to look inwardly through writing. Tues., May 7, 10 a.m.; CODE 1K0-465; Members $40; Nonmembers $45
Demeter Mourning for Persephone by Evelyn De Morgan, 1906
You love art. Now go deeper. Art is all around us. It excites us, enriches our lives, and enlivens our imaginations. To truly appreciate any work of art, we need to understand the context and culture in which it was created. That’s why Smithsonian Associates offers a World Art History Certificate Program. The wide-ranging offerings are designed to provide a global perspective on art and architecture and draw on the Smithsonian’s world-class collections and the rich resources of other Washington institutions. They are selected from among Smithsonian Associates courses, seminars, study tours, and studio art classes. Look for World Art History Certificate throughout the program guide to see current listings. Get started today and complete the certificate requirements at your own pace. Registration is ongoing and year round. Credits are counted from day of registration and are not given retroactively.
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HISTORY
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STUDIO ARTS
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
BARGELLO
Lesser-Known Museums of Florence In this quarterly series, Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero spotlights the significant collections of Florence’s sometimes-overlooked museums.
Bargello Museum The Bargello Museum houses what is arguably the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance sculptures. Ruggiero delves into the history of the 13th-century building that houses the collection as well as the sculptural masterpieces that it contains. Among them are the so-called competition panels by Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi depicting the sacrifice of Isaac, Donatello’s statues of David (one version in marble and one in bronze) and St. George, Verrocchio’s David, and Michelangelo’s first commissioned sculpture, which depicted Bacchus. Mon., March 11, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-341; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
MOMA
David by Donatello
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Henri Matisse: An Enduring Fascination The pioneering French modernist Henri Matisse is considered one of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th century. Matisse’s oeuvre—created over more than five decades—includes a wide range of materials and styles, from exquisite tiny etchings to enormous cast-bronze sculpture to designs for religious vestments and stained-glass windows. But he is best-known for the sensual and motion-infused canvases, such as his series on The Dance by Henri Matisse, 1909 (first version) the dance, which pulsate with the intense light and vivid color of southern France. Art historian Nancy G. Heller, professor emerita at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, examines these canvases, as well as Matisse’s more cerebral Cubist works, in depth. She also explores ways in which all of Matisse’s diverse output shares certain critical elements of his aesthetic philosophy and provides specific examples of how the artist’s work continues to fascinate today’s creative minds.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
The Best of the Barnes Foundation The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia has one of the finest collections of Impressionist, PostImpressionist, and early Modernist art. Over three decades, founder Albert C. Barnes amassed an art collection of more than 3,000 pieces, displaying them alongside African masks, Native American jewelry, Greek antiquities, and decorative metalwork. In a three-session series, participants are guided by Barnes Foundation educator Penny Hansen as she presents masterpieces by Renoir, Cezanne, and Matisse, as well as Picasso, Seurat, Rousseau, Modigliani, Monet, Manet, and Degas. Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquiAfrican masks and sculptures in the ties, Chinese paintings, African sculptures, Southwestern retablos, Native American art, and collection of the Barnes American decorative art are also viewed. Using high-definition Deep Zoom technology developed by the Barnes, Hansen offers closeup looks at the canvases and objects that reveal their surfaces and details in ways that bring the art and the artists to vivid life. The virtual visit also focuses on the history of the Barnes collection, including the unique approach to displaying artworks and objects in groupings created by its founder. 3-session series: Thurs., March 7, 14, and 21, 12 p.m.; CODE 1NV-BAR; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
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THE BARNES FOUNDATION
Tues., March 5, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-307; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
HISTORY
CULTURE
SCIENCE
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STUDIO ARTS
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World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
PAOLO GAETANO/ISTOCK
The History of Western Art Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton of Pace University leads a twosession survey of Western art from prehistory to the present day. Explore the constantly evolving aesthetic preferences that swing between naturalism and abstraction; unravel the stories behind some of the world’s most iconic works of art; and discover the profound impact they have had on our understanding of art and society.
Benton’s book The History of Western Art (Thames & Hudson, London) is available for purchase. MAR 16 1:30 p.m. Prehistoric Through Ancient Roman Art 2:45 p.m. Early Christian Through Medieval Art MAR 23 1:30 p.m. Renaissance Through Neoclassical Art 2:45 p.m. Romanticism to Today’s Art 2-session series: Sat., March 16 and 23, 1:30 p.m.; CODE 1D0-042; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
JORDYMEOW
The Colosseum, Rome
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Materializing the Sacred Buddhas and Kami in Japanese Visual Culture From the 8th century through the 19th century, Shinto and Buddhist traditions and institutions intermingled in Japan. Buddhism, with its pantheon of divinities, relied on the use of images for spreading its teachings and assimilating with local religions. This practice had a profound impact on the veneration of kami (broadly defined as spirits of nature) in Shinto, which originally did not use such depictions. Art historian Yui Suzuki describes and illustrates the synthesis of kami veneration and Buddhist worship, particularly how notions of the divine were embodied in the visual arts. Mon., March 18, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-344; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
The torii gateway to the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
Related program: The Japanese Empire, p. 4
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
UFFIZI GALLERY
The Lush World of Botticelli’s La Primavera In 15th-century Florence, Sandro Botticelli, considered one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance, created the masterpiece La Primavera, a mythological allegory that encapsulates the very essence of spring. Art historian and author Laura Morelli explores the cultural and artistic context that gave rise to Botticelli’s meditation on a lush and fertile world. She highlights the complex and beautiful symbolism of the painting, with its tapestry of characters, themes of renewal, and 500 identifiable species of flowers and plants. At first glance it seems a straightforward celebration of the season, but its precise meaning continues to intrigue art historians, who have found within it references to neoplatonic ideas and the literature and poetry of Dante and Ovid. However, all agree it is a poetic symphony of color, allegory, and Renaissance philosophy. Wed., March 20, 12 p.m.; CODE 1H0-806; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
La Primavera by Sandro Botticelli
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JONATHAN HILLYER
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Architects Respond to Nature Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Over the course of the last century, the work of two architectural giants, Frank Lloyd Wright and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, responded to nature in very different ways influencing other architects as well as builders and clients. Contemporary architecture draws on the legacies of these groundbreakers in structures that integrate nature and eco-friendly considerations into their designs. Lindsay Baker, CEO of the International Living Future Institute, discusses living architecture in the 21st century Sun., March 24, 2 p.m.; CODE 1L0-556; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design in Atlanta
NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
In collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Edith Farnsworth House
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Ashcan School of Painting
The Lone Tenement by George Bellows, 1909
French Impressionist artists popularized the painting of everyday urban life in the late 19th century. Composed of pleasing bits of pure color, their depictions of the modern city were for the most part carefully edited, subjective, and quite beautiful. The Ashcan School of American artists, working primarily in New York City in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, followed the Impressionists’ lead but instead realistically depicted what they saw. Their paintings didn’t glamorize or prettify but captured the city with its gritty underbelly exposed. Art historian Bonita Billman presents the fascinating works of George Bellows, William Glackens, Robert Henri, George Luks, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan and explores the unvarnished truths they revealed about modern life. Mon., March 25, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-309; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Mexico City in the Footsteps of Moctezuma Aztec Art and Architecture While the Aztec, or Mexica, people of today’s Central Mexico had no specific word that corresponds precisely to the Western term “art,” they had very specific ideas about what made objects cualli—a word for good or right in the Nahuatl language. Ellen Hoobler, William B. Ziff Jr. curator of art of the Americas at Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum, surveys the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, site of modern Mexico City, during the reign of Moctezuma—an imperial city crisscrossed by canals and so beautiful that Spaniards who saw it wondered if it was a dream. Drawing on the Florentine Codex, an early colonial-era manuscript that provides the most detailed source on the pre-conquest world, Hoobler considers the techniques and materials of a limited selection of the Mexica’s surviving art treasures in stone, ceramics, and feather mosaics. She also outlines the Aztec ritual and belief system, richly documented by Spanish conquistadors whose missionary zeal sought to destroy, not understand, the civilization.
Quetzalcoatl, guarding the entrance to the ruins of the Aztec main temple in downtown Mexico City
Wed., March 27, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-558; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Artemisia Gentileschi Painting Against the Odds Artemisia Gentileschi is considered one of the most important women artists of the Baroque period as well as one of the greatest women in the world of art in general. She worked against all odds at a time when art was dominated by men, becoming the first woman to be accepted by the Academy of the Arts in Florence. Gentileschi specialized in painting women, depicting their strong characters and important roles in history—as seen in dramatic works that portray biblical heroines. She built a reputation as one of Europe’s most sought-after artists, enjoying patronage from Charles I and Michelangelo’s grandnephew, Buonarroti il Giovane, among others. Art historian Joseph Paul Cassar surveys Gentileschi’s works and discusses her training in the workshop of her father.
Self-Portrait as a Lute Player by Artemisia Gentileschi, ca. 1615
Wed., April 3, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-449; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
Art and Kingship in Southeast Asia Strategically located for trade, rich in resources, and containing a variety of cultural traditions, the civilizations of mainland and island Southeast Asia are among the most dynamic in the world. Robert DeCaroli, an associate professor in the department of history and art history at George Mason University, examines the cultural and artistic traditions of ancient Southeast Asia from the earliest archaeological evidence to the onset of colonialism, with a focus on the royal arts of the great civilizations that arose within the borders of modern Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar), and Vietnam. APR 6 11 a.m. The Kingdoms of Java 1 p.m. Break 1:30 p.m. The Khmer Empire of Cambodia APR 13 11 a.m. Dai Viet and Champa 1 p.m. Break Sunrise view of temples in Bagan, Myanmar
Face of the Bayon in Angkor Wat, Cambodia
1:30 p.m. The Burmese Kingdom of Pagan and the Sukhothai Period 2-session series: Sat., April 6 and 13, 11 a.m.; CODE 1J0-370; Members $90; Nonmembers $100 G. STARKE/CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The most daring development in modern art in the first half of the 20th century was the step into abstraction— the decision to make paintings that were no longer pictures of the visible world but simply paintings. Abstraction elicited both excitement and anxiety, with painters looking to new sources for the kind of structure that observation once provided: to music; the logic of geometry; the material facts of paint and canvas; scientific developments that revealed new ways to “see” the world, from X-rays to Einstein’s special theory of relativity; and the forces of emotion and spirituality. Artists from several countries hoped that abstraction might become a lingua franca, transcending cultural differences. While that did not quite happen, the energies unleashed by abstraction and the search for the spiritual in art were far-reaching. Art historian David Gariff discusses the complex relationship between art and spirituality through works of Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, and their European counterparts Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian. Sun., April 7, 3 p.m.; CODE 1H0-811; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
BROOKLYN MUSEUM/CONSUELO KANAGA
Mark Rothko and the Spiritual in Art
Red by Mark Rothko, 1968
Mark Rothko
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HISTORY
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ART ART
STUDIO ARTS
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World Art History Certificate core course: Earn 1 credit
The Art of the Italian Renaissance Form, Function, and Experience During the Italian Renaissance, works of art could serve many different functions. From sacred paintings that celebrated the stories of the life of Christ, to refined portraits of members of the elite, to the funerary monuments of formidable rulers, each of these works was designed to serve a specific purpose and to elicit a certain type of response in its viewers. Architectural structures were also designed to convey similar ideas and to shape visitors’ experiences of them. Art historian Sophia D’Addio of Columbia University offers an introduction to the visual culture of Renaissance Italy from the 14th through 16th centuries in a series of richly illustrated programs on varying types of images, objects, and structures. She examines some of the most influential and fascinating works of the period, exploring their formal innovations and the relationships between powerful patrons and skilled artists that resulted in their creation. Works from both the great centers of artistic production—Florence, Venice, Rome—and the periphery are considered. APR 24 Narrative and Naturalism
Lamentation by Giotto in Scrovegni Chapel, 1305
MAY 1
The Development of the Altarpiece
MAY 8
Portraiture and the Fashioning of the Self
MAY 15 Tomb Monuments: Commemorating the Dead MAY 22 Eloquent Architecture: Sacred Shrines and Civic Strongholds 5-session series: Wed., April 24–May 22, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-324; Members $85; Nonmembers $95
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Figurines of the Ice Age Some of the most iconic artifacts of the Ice Age are more than 200 so-called Venus figurines. Made by hunter-gatherers from stone, bone, ivory, and even kiln-fired clay 10,000 to 40,000 years ago, these female statuettes have been found at archaeological sites from France to Siberia. Since the discovery of the first figurine in 1864, fierce debate as to their function and meaning has ensued: Were they toys, educational aids, dolls, personal ornaments, or sexual artifacts? All of these at once—or something else entirely? Paleolithic archaeologist April Nowell, a professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria, Canada, explores what they might have meant to the societies who made them and the complicated history of the interpretation of Venus figurines. She offers a detailed look at how these objects were made; where they were found; examples of male figurines; and clues to the clothing and aspects of daily life we can glean from them. Perhaps, says Nowell, how we interpret these objects now may say more about ourselves rather than our ancestors.
MATTHIASKABEL
The Mysteries of Venus
Venus von Willendorf
Tues., April 9, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-808; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Master of Composition Hiroshige and His Innovative Woodblock Prints Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was one of the last great masters of the Japanese woodblock print. Credited with firmly establishing landscape as a distinctive genre within the art form, he radically cropped and reframed existing black-and-white images to suit the dimensions of the print format, adding the saturated colors that are one of the most compelling facets of woodblock prints. National Museum of Asian Art curator Kit Brooks examines Hiroshige’s training, departures from conventional woodblock print subjects, and unconventional aesthetics. Wed., April 17, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1J0-353; Members $20; Nonmembers $25 No. 45 Ishiyakushi: Yoshitsune's Cherry Tree and Shrine of Noriyori UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE / NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
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HISTORY
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STUDIO ARTS
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Pioneering Women in Architecture During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the emerging profession of architecture in America was very much a man’s world. But several talented and tenacious women created doorways into it. Louise Blanchard Bethune became the first woman to establish an independent practice in the United States by opening an office with her husband in Buffalo, New York, in 1881. Seven years later, she became the first female associate of the American Institute of Architects. In 1894, Marian Mahony was the second woman to graduate from MIT in architecture and later became the first woman registered as an architect in Illinois. Hired as Frank Lloyd Wright’s first employee in 1895, she was responsible for many of the drawings produced at his Oak Park studio. In 1902 Julia Morgan was the first woman to receive a certificate in architecture from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and two years later became the first female architect licensed in California. Other than the Hearst Castle, her work is largely unknown outside of that state. Lecturer Bill Keene examines the careers of these pioneering women and their importance in the development of the profession of architecture. Wed., April 24, 7 p.m.; CODE 1NV-080; Members $25; Nonmembers $30 The Hearst Castle facade
Notre-Dame de Paris On April 15, 2019, the world watched as Notre-Dame de Paris withstood a devastating fire. But this great Gothic cathedral itself has watched steadfastly over its city for nearly a thousand years. From the beginning of its construction in 1163 to the Hundred Years War when an English king was crowned there to the French Revolution when its statues of kings were beheaded to Napoleon’s coronation to witnessing the adversities of World War II, Notre-Dame has stood at the heart of Paris. With its reopening scheduled in December, Barbara Drake Boehm, curator emerita of the Met Cloisters, traces the history of this monument through times of turbulence and triumph. Fri., April 26, 12 p.m.; CODE 1J0-357; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Bauhaus: A Brief History Considered the most influential art school of the 20th century, the Bauhaus lasted merely 14 years, from 1919 to 1933. Its story evolved in three acts—Weimar, Dessau, and Berlin—and was shaped by four directors, all celebrated architects: one Belgian, Henry van de Velde; one Swiss, Hannes Meyer; and two Germans, Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Museum educator Erich Keel traces the pressures that led to the formation of the Bauhaus, the changing aesthetic philosophies that guided the teaching of subjects as varied as architecture, weaving, and typography, and finally the inevitable exposure to political headwinds that questioned not only the existence of a progressive art school but the very idea of a liberal republic following the defeat of Germany in World War I. Poster for the Bauhaus Ausstellung, 1923
Mon., April 29, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1H0-809; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Hieronymus Bosch: Heaven and Hell Painting on the cusp of the medieval and Renaissance worlds, Hieronymus Bosch (1450–1516) continues to fascinate with his fantastic imagery and densely symbolic compositions. Though little is known about the background of this Netherlandish painter, his works seem to both express the spiritual dilemmas of his generation and exist in a timeless world of his own. His most famous painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights, has been interpreted in The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus myriads of ways, none of them mutually exclusive. So have many of Bosch’s other works, Bosch, ca. 1495–1505 which offer countless imaginative perspectives on human foibles and temptations, with rare hints at the possibility of salvation. Even after decades of research and close examination, many of his masterpieces remain as perplexing as they probably appeared to their original viewers. Art historian Aneta Georgievskia-Shine discusses ways of approaching the unique vision of reality and human nature contained within Bosch’s painted worlds.
STEVE CADMAN
Tues., April 30, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-462; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
Great Houses of Scotland and Their Treasures
LECARDINAL
The architecture and interiors of Scotland’s finest historic houses uniquely reflect the country’s heritage and culture. Spend a day exploring more than 400 years of splendor from fortified 16th-century tower houses and palaces of Baroque extravagance to elegant 18th-century residences and exuberant revival styles of the Victorian period. In a richly illustrated journey into history, cultural historian Lorella Brocklesby examines why so many of these residences, including three significant palaces, were fashionably updated over the centuries. Among the locations, admire Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford, which promoted a growing passion for medieval Scotland; examine Robert Adam masterpieces; and conclude in a wonderful Art Nouveau music room and an Edwardian kitchen. 10 a.m.
Trades Hall, Glasgow, by Robert Adam, 1791–1794
Renaissance Inspiration and Soaring Tower Houses
11:30 a.m. Baroque Theatricality, Georgian Splendor, and Classical Harmony 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. Late Georgian Elegance and Early 19th-Century Fashions 2:45 p.m. From Victorian Exuberance to Art Nouveau Abbotsford, located in the Scottish Borders
Sat., May 4, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., CODE 1M2-318; Members $80; Nonmembers $90
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Westminster Abbey: A Royal Destination Founded over nine centuries ago, this medieval masterpiece has been cherished by monarchs and admired by Londoners. Historian Lorella Brocklesby of New York University explores Westminster Abbey’s Gothic magnificence and important royal patronage from the Middle Ages. She discusses later additions, including extravagant Tudor adornments and towers designed in the Baroque era, as well as the myriad of rare and royal treasures that abound within the spectacular soaring interior. History unfolds as Brockelsby surveys wall paintings, carvings, painted glass, Poets’ Corner, and commemorations of the famous and the noble. And everywhere are the visible reminders of England’s kings and queens, including a rare full-length medieval royal portrait, the Coronation Chair dating from the 1300s, and the dramatically impressive tomb of Queen Elizabeth I. Mon., May 13, 6.30 p.m.; CODE 1M2-320; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin A Creative Partnership Art historian Joseph P. Cassar takes a close look at the brief period in the late 1880s when Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin shared the Yellow House in Arles, where van Gogh planned to develop an artists' colony. The union between the two artists would end after nine weeks, with a tragic episode in which van Gogh threatened Gauguin with a razor after a disagreement. While this proved to be a highly productive time for van Gogh, Gauguin left Arles after van Gogh’s hospitalization for cutting off his own ear. Several works by both artists are studied and analyzed by Cassar, identifying similarities and differences to illustrate how van Gogh and Gauguin, despite their many disagreements, influenced each other.
Vincent van Gogh Painting Sunflowers by Paul Gauguin, 1888
Tues., May 14, 6:30 p.m.; CODE 1K0-467; Members $30; Nonmembers $35
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
Vincent van Gogh spent 1886 to 1888 in Paris, living with his brother Theo, an art dealer. Theo’s connections with the avant-garde art world gave van Gogh a quick and intensive contemporary art education as he was drawn into a social and artistic circle of like-minded painters that included Pissarro, Seurat, Signac, Gauguin, Laval, Bernard, Anquetin, and Toulouse-Lautrec. He called the rising group the Painters of the Petit Boulevard to distinguish them from the established and successful Impressionists like Monet, Degas, and Renoir. Van Gogh’s time among these young artists was among the most influential in his brief life. Art historian Bonita Billman explores the Parisian lives and careers of the Painters of the Petit Boulevard and their depictions of the celebrities and scenes of everyday Montmartre— the night life and low life of a bohemian world. 10 a.m. The Avant-Garde Art World of Paris 11:30 a.m. Vincent in Paris, 1886–1888 12:45 p.m. Break 1:15 p.m. Divisionists and Symbolists 2:45 p.m. Moulin Rouge: Toulouse-Lautrec and Colleagues
Haymaking, Éragny by Camille Pissarro, 1887
Sat., June 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; CODE 1M2-328; Members $80; Nonmembers $90 Portrait of Père Tanguy by Vincent van Gogh, 1887
Smithsonian Associates’ Digital Digest is a lively monthly e-newsletter filled with information about programs and experiences that are entertaining, informative, eclectic, and insightful. Be sure to see the current issue at: smithsonianassociates.org/digital-digest
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RODIN MUSEUM
VAN GOGH MUSEUM
Van Gogh and the Painters of the Petit Boulevard
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, WASHINGTON
HISTORY
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ART ART
STUDIO ARTS
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
“Brilliant Exiles” Convention-Defying Women in Paris
Theresa Helburn by Marion H. Beckett, 1922
Josephine Baker by Stanislaus Julian Walery, 1926
A new exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939,” illuminates the accomplishments of 60 convention-defying women who crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional aspirations in the vibrant cultural milieu of Paris. As foreigners in a cosmopolitan city, these “exiles” escaped the constraints that limited them at home. Many used their newfound freedom to pursue culture-shifting experiments in a variety of fields, including art, literature, design, publishing, music, fashion, journalism, theater, and dance. The progressive ventures they undertook while living abroad profoundly influenced American culture and opened new possibilities for women. “Brilliant Exiles” highlights the dynamic role of portraiture in articulating the new identities that American women were at liberty to develop in Paris. The gallery’s curator of prints and drawings, Robyn Asleson, provides an overview of the first exhibition to focus on the impact of American women on Paris—and of Paris on American women—from the turn of the 20th century until the outbreak of World War II. She discusses portraits of cultural influencers such as Josephine Baker, Isadora Duncan, Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Anna May Wong, among others. Tues., May 21, 6:45 p.m.; CODE 1L0-570; Members $20; Nonmembers $25
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit for each session
Impressionism ignited in the rolling green countryside of Normandy, France, where Claude Monet and other local artists developed this new way of painting, shocking many traditionalists. Impressionists rebelled against the classical art tradition by painting outdoors and representing the modern world, emphasizing landscapes and everyday life. They especially focused on capturing the essence of light and how it could define a moment. Travel writer Barbara Noe Kennedy takes you to visit the sites where Impressionism was born and evolved—even the exact places where well-known paintings were created. Maps, photos, videos, and other visuals accompany the journey through the countryside and the Paris area. MAY 29 The Origins of Impressionism in Normandy
ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
Impressionism’s Roots in Normandy and Beyond
JUNE 5 Beyond Normandy 2-session series: Wed., May 29 and June 5, 7 p.m.; CODE 1CV-INF; Members $40; Nonmembers $45 Individual sessions: Wed., May 29, 7 p.m. (CODE 1CV-039); Wed., June 5, 7 p.m. (CODE 1CV-040); Members $25; Nonmembers $30
Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare SaintLazare by Claude Monet, 1877
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Georgia O’Keeffe: American Modernist
Georgia O’Keeffe by Alfred Stieglitz, 1918
When she died in 1986 at the age of 98, Georgia O’Keeffe’s obituary appeared on the front page of the New York Times. This was rare for any artist and unheard-of for a female painter. But she had been famous since the late 1920s, and a century later she remains an icon of American art. Images of O’Keeffe’s paintings are ubiquitous in popular culture. Collectors covet her pictures: In 2014 the painting Jimson Weed/White Flower #1 (1932) broke the auction record for a work by any female artist when Sotheby’s sold it for more than $44 million to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. In a richly illustrated program, art historian Bonita Billman explores O’Keeffe’s life and artistic career, from her upbringing in rural Wisconsin to her association with New York City’s avant-garde circle to her years in New Mexico, where the desert opened a new range of subject matter for her work. Billman also looks at the influences on O’Keeffe—including fellow artist Arthur Wesley Dow, who taught her the importance of “filling a space in a beautiful way,” and her husband, gallerist and photographer Alfred Stieglitz. Thurs., June 6, 12 p.m.; CODE 1M2-326; Members $25; Nonmembers $30
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In-person classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/artinstructors.
IN PERSON
ART THEORY AND PRACTICE
Drawing on the Right Side of Your Brain Popular theory holds that the right brain is primarily responsible for the intuitive understanding of visual and spatial relationships. This class improves the way people see and record objects on paper by working through a set of visual exercises that help build the ability to draw.
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NEW CLASS
Art Journaling for Self-Expression
IN PERSON: Tues., May 14–June 4, 6 p.m.; Carter Umhau; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E00GZ; Members $145; Nonmembers $160
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Beginning Drawing This course teaches the basic skills needed for a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
IN PERSON: Tues., April 2–May 21, 10:30 a.m.; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EC; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
Intermediate Drawing Participants refine and expand their drawing skills through studio practice in traditional media. Sessions focus on classic subject areas such as landscape, portrait, and figure; warm-up exercises, critiques, and demonstrations are included.
IN PERSON: Tues., April 2–May 21, 2 p.m.; George Tkabladze, details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0ED; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
IN PERSON: Wed., April 3–May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EE; Members $240; Nonmembers $275
Drawing Treasures Sculptures at the National Gallery of Art Stretch your creative muscles and deepen your observational skills at the National Gallery of Art. Create a drawn-treasure map as you visually explore time, space, and place in the museum’s Sculpture Garden.
IN PERSON: Sat., May 18, 10 a.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden; CODE 1E0-0EF; Members $110; Nonmembers $125 By Renee Sandell
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Guided through mindfulness activities, delve into emphasizing process over product and play over perfection. This class is grounded By Carter Umhau in both creative theory and therapeutic principles that deepen your relationship with yourself as an artist and as a person.
By George Tkabladze
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PAINTING Beginning Oil Painting
In this course, gain the technical background and experience you need to get started as a painter. Lectures, demonstrations, and experimentation introduce the medium of oils. Working from museum masterpieces, still-life arrangements, or your favorite photos, explore basic techniques, including colormixing, scumbling, and glazing.
IN PERSON: Wed., April 3–May 22, 2:30 p.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FV; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
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Figure Painting from Life
An Introduction to Watercolor: Loose and Beautiful
Learn the foundational skills needed to create a naturalistic figure painting from a live model. The class covers basic proportion, anatomical structure, and color mixing from a limited palette.
IN PERSON: Sat., April 6–May 18, 10:30 a.m., no class April 13; Mark Giaimo; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FW; Members $235; Nonmembers $270 By Mark Giaimo
NEW CLASS
Discover the versatility and fluidity of painting in watercolor, an exciting and unpredictable medium. Learn techniques such as graded washes, wet-on-wet, wet-ondry, dry brush, splattering, lifting, and glazing.
IN PERSON: Wed., April 10–May 1, 11:30 a.m.; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FZ; Members $160; Nonmembers $185
By Lubna Zahid
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Intermediate Oil Painting
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MIXED MEDIA
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Expand on your technical background and grow your practice as an oil painter. This class provides students with the By Shahin Talishkhan opportunity to work on personal projects, set up a still-life arrangement, and explore figure painting from a live model. Unfurl your style with support and feedback from the instructor.
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IN PERSON: Sun., April 7–June 2, 10:30 a.m., no class on May 26; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FX; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
Playing with Pulp Take a dive into making dimensional materials from raw paper pulp. Using molds and other forms, cast into a multitude of shapes and colors that can be mounted on two-dimensional surfaces to provide 3D elements that are unique and lightweight.
IN PERSON: Sat., April 20–May 4, 1 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FB; Members $115; Nonmembers $140 By Sharon Robinson
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
En Plein Air Landscape Painting in the Smithsonian Gardens Post-Impressionism Inspired by Cézanne Using watercolors, capture the nuances of the natural light in the beautiful Enid A. Haupt Garden next to the Smithsonian Castle. Study the delicate subtleties of the plants and learn to translate By Sandra Gobar your observations into stunning Post-Impressionistic studies and paintings.
IN PERSON: Sun., April 7–May 5, 11 a.m.; Sandra Gobar; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E00FY; Members $245; Nonmembers $260
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Mixed Media Constructions Take your mixed-media ventures in a new direction with 3D constructions using wood, personal mementos, old jewelry, metal fixtures, photos, and other found objects. Experiment with molding objects from air-dry clay, By Sharon Robinson along with techniques such as weaving, image transfers, and stitching with cord.
IN PERSON: Tues., April 9–May 14, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FA; Members $215; Nonmembers $250
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OTHER MEDIA NEW CLASSES
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By Barb Schmidt
Orchids Gone Wild
From Laundry to Legacy
In their native environments, most common orchids grow on trees. This class teaches you how to free your orchid from the confines of its pot and mount it on a piece of wood. You receive an orchid and supplies to complete the mounting activity at the end of class.
Learn how to transform cherished garments into pillows, wall hangings, or even quilts. Talk about design and sewing techniques for knit and woven fabrics and practice in class by making a pillow. Bring a garment or two you would like to use to make your legacy project.
IN PERSON: Sat., March 16, 2 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; details
By Lauren Kingsland
IN PERSON: Sat., March 9, 1:30 p.m.;
and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0CX; Members $90; Nonmembers $100
Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0CR; Members $30; Nonmembers $40
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Selecting Materials for Your Quilts
FIBER ARTS
Wool Embroidery from the Andes Discover the joy of this craft characterized by colorful floral designs embroidered with wool in a style that originated in the Andean mountains of Peru. Create a design using a variety of stitches that can be applied to future projects.
IN PERSON: Wed., April 3–24, 2 p.m.; Susana Romero; details By Susana Romero and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EQ; Members $155; Nonmembers $190
Fair Isle Knitting Peeries, XOX, and Boarders: These may sound like the names of rock bands, but in fact they are patterns found in Fair Isle knitting. In this workshop, students focus on learning this intricate but approachable stranding color technique.
IN PERSON: Sun., April 14, 10 a.m.; Ann Richards; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0ER; Members $85; Nonmembers $100
Bring fresh eyes to quiltmaking choices as a way to live more lightly on the Earth. Review principles of color, value choices, compatibility of fabrics, and strategies for dealing with different materials. Students create improv tote bags, suitable for collecting fabrics for their next quilt.
IN PERSON: Sat., March 9, 10:30 a.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0CS; Members $30; Nonmembers $40
By Lauren Kingsland
Painting with Wool Use your knowledge of the principles of art and design as you create compositions, blend colors, and form shadows to evoke realistic or abstract By Renate Maile-Moskowitz painted images with felt. Play with the possibilities of felt to create 3D and relief effects.
IN PERSON: Sat., May 11 and Sun., May 12, 10:30 a.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0EU; Members $185; Nonmembers $210
Embroidered Patch Workshop Use basic stitches to create an embroidered rainbow-watermelon patch to embellish a favorite jacket or pair of jeans. Learn how to prepare fabric with a simple design, then ready a hoop and begin stitching.
IN PERSON: Sat., May 4, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0ET; Members $55; Nonmembers $70 By Heather Kerley
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IN PERSON Embroidered Pendant Workshop Create a unique stitched pendant hung from a strand of colorful beads. Learn a variety of easy and lovely stitches, how to mount the embroidered cloth in a pendant bezel, and jewelry-making techniques to finish the piece.
IN PERSON: Sat., May 18, 11 a.m.; Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FC; Members $75; Nonmembers $90
Introduction to Photography Whether you want to work in digital or film, this course offers a solid foundation for new photographers ready to learn the basics. Topics include camera functions, exposure, metering, working with natural and artificial light, and composition.
By Heather Kerley and Mïa Vollkommer
IN PERSON: Wed., April 3–May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Andargé Asfaw; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0LE; Members $230; Nonmembers $265 By Andargé Asfaw
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SCULPTURE
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Figure Sculpture Students examine the materials and processes for sculpting a portrait, torso, or full figure using a live model. Learn clay sculpture techniques focused on tool use, armatures, anatomy, and proportion and explore individual style.
Wildlife Photography in the Field Gear up and head out for a wildlife photography session. Come look for new spring life that may include newly hatched ducklings, displaying blackbirds, courting snapping turtles, and hopping American bullfrogs.
IN PERSON: Wed., April 17, 6 a.m.; Matt Felperin; details and supply list on website; Huntley Meadows Park; CODE 1E0-0HB; Members $65; Nonmembers $80
IN PERSON: Tues., April 2–May 21, 6:30 p.m.; George Tkabladze; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0FM; Members $290; Nonmembers $325 By George Tkabladze
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On-Location Photography Capture the vibrancy of Washington, D.C., and sharpen your way of thinking about shooting outdoors in a course that focuses on deploying a minimal amount of equipment and a lot of fresh perspective. Emphasis is placed on what happens before the shutter release is pressed and on truly pre-visualizing the photograph.
IN PERSON: Sun., April 21–June 2, 1:45 By Joe Yablonsky p.m., no class May 26; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0GM; Members $195; Nonmembers $230
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By Matt Felperin
Cyanotype Workshop The cyanotype photographic method uses the sun to expose UV-light–sensitive chemicals in order to create rich, deep blue prints. Learn a short history of cyanotypes and how to use the cyanotype chemicals alongside objects from nature or your home, then put basic techniques to work to create prints.
IN PERSON: Sun., May 19, 11 a.m.; Sammie Correa; details and supply list on website; Ripley Center; CODE 1E0-0HA; Members $70; Nonmembers $85
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Unless noted, all programs are presented on Zoom; listed times are Eastern Time. Online registration is required.
Online classes are taught by professional artists and teachers. View detailed class descriptions and supply lists at SmithsonianAssociates.org/studio. View portfolios of work by our instructors at SmithsonianAssociates.org/artinstructors.
ONLINE
ART THEORY AND PRACTICE
Keeping up the Sketchbook Habit Jump-start your creative ideas by enriching your sketchbooking with new techniques. Learn how to map your day, get creative with colored pencil on mid-tone kraft paper, and draw one object over several weeks.
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Artful Mind, Tranquil Mind Artists throughout the world have developed practices that allow them to center themselves and prepare for making art. Students explore some of these techniques: mark making with lines, swirls, and puddles and using paper to experiment with folding and tearing.
ONLINE: Mon., April 8–May 20, By Sushmita Mazumdar 12 p.m., no class April 22; Sushmita Mazumdar; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FE; Members $95; Nonmembers $130
ONLINE: Sat., April 6, May 4, June 1, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; By Sue Fierston details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DW; Members $165; Nonmembers $190
Color Theory and Practice Visual Journaling: Creativity Workout In an afternoon of artistic experimentation, explore five modes of visual thinking: working from memory, observation, imagination, narrative, and experimental approaches. Create visual journaling pieces and engage in mark-making and mapping exercises.
By Renee Sandell
ONLINE: Sat., March 16, 1 p.m.; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DN; Members $75; Nonmembers $85
Explore the basics of color theory, including temperature, value, and harmony-creating color schemes. In three handson projects, learn to use a color By Theresa Otteson wheel with tinting and toning, color charts, and color harmony studies. In-class demonstrations highlight color matching techniques.
ONLINE: Thurs., April 18–May 9, 6:30 p.m.; Theresa Ottenson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DY; Member $160; Nonmember $185
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Through group discussions and imaginative studio activities, engage your creativity and boost your insight in weekly eye-opening, hands-on art workouts. Strengthen artistic muscles by decoding (reading) and encoding (expressing) visual meaning.
This workshop examines fundamental concepts of composition and their practical application in studio art practice, offering participants tools to enrich their work as well as to analyze and appreciate visual art in general. By Renee Sandell
ONLINE: Mon., April 8–May 6, 4 p.m., no class April 22; Renee Sandell; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DX; Members $185; Nonmembers $210
PD / HERMITAGE MUSEUM, SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
Composition Seeing More: Visual Fitness Workouts
Moroccan Café by Matisse, 1913
ONLINE: Mon., April 29–May 20, 10 a.m.; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DZ; Members $160; Nonmembers $185
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ONLINE Color Theory and Chromapsychology Learn how to make color choices in your art to bring out a reaction from the viewer. Use a color wheel to clarify your understanding of color basics and then create color combinations with pencils for a practical understanding of color theory.
ONLINE: Thurs., May 2, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EA; Members $55; Nonmembers $70
Developing Your Sketchbook A sketchbook is so much more than just a book for drawing. Boost your creativity as you record your thoughts and visual observations in a sketchbook and discover how to capture the essence of what you see and think.
This course teaches the basic skills needed for a strong foundation for drawing. Working with a variety of materials and techniques, including charcoal and pencils, students explore the rendering of geometric forms, volume, and perspective, with an emphasis on personal gesture marks.
ONLINE: Mon., April 8–June 10, 6:30 p.m., no class April 22 and May 27; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EJ; Members $260; Nonmembers $295
Introduction to Charcoal Drawing
By Lori VanKirk Schue
ONLINE: Thurs., June 6 and 13, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EP; Members $105; Nonmembers $130
Learn about different forms of charcoal as well as a variety of styes and techniques—including pressure, twisting, blending, and smudging—by doing exercises in class. Then create a more finished project of choice: portrait, landscape, or still life.
By Lori VanKirk Schue
ONLINE: Thurs., April 18 and 25, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EK; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
DRAWING
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Drawing with Silverpoint Silverpoint drawing uses a silver stylus on specially prepared paper to produce delicate lines. Initially silver-gray, the drawing tarnishes when exposed to air, resulting in the characteristic warm brown tone. Learn the history of silverpoint, the materials required, and the process for this technique used by artists like Leonardo da Vinci.
ONLINE: Thurs., April 4 and 11, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EH; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
By Lori VanKirk Schue
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Beginning Drawing
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
Drawing Light How the Masters Did It Learn the strategies Rembrandt, Daumier, and Cézanne used to harness light in their images. Participants investigate how these masters By Nick Cruz Velleman manipulated light to unify, intensify, and give volume to their images. In-class exercises revolve around using graphite to draw studies of masterworks.
ONLINE: Tues., April 24–May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EL; Members $190; Nonmembers $225
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NEW CLASSES
Learn to use the iPad, Apple Pencil, and Procreate for illustration and animation. With this deceptively minimal toolset, artists can create a wide range of visuals. Students get an introductory lecture on the basics of digital art production, demonstrations, and experience drawing in Procreate on an iPad.
ONLINE: Wed., April 17, 6:30 p.m.; Mike O’Brien; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0ES; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
By Mike O’Brien
Drawing Backyard Birds in Chalk Pastels Learn all the techniques you need to illustrate birds and their delicate feathers, glossy eyes, and unique wings and feet with chalk pastels. The instructor discusses materials and how to use them effectively while observing the anatomy of birds to aid in accurate representations.
ONLINE: Thurs., May 9 and 16, 1 p.m.; Lori VanKirk Schue; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EM; Members $105; Nonmembers $130
By Lori VanKirk Schue
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Digital Drawing Fundamentals
In this class open to all levels, students discover the versatility of working in watercolors while exploring the functional and aesthetic elements of color and design found in plants. Step-by-step instructions in watercolor are given, along with demonstrations and exercises.
ONLINE: Tues., April 2–May 28, no class May 7, 5 p.m.; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GE; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
By Lubna Zahid
Botanicals in Watercolor II Build on your botanical painting skills as you create vibrant watercolors inspired by nature. Learn to focus on the texture and detail of botanical subjects including flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Step-by-step instructions in watercolor are given, along with demonstrations.
ONLINE: Tues., April 2–May 28, no class May 7, 10:30 a.m.; Lubna Zahid; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GD; Members $270; Nonmembers $305
By Lubna Zahid
Introduction to Watercolor
Sketching Turner Expressing Atmosphere and Skies in Watercolor
By Nick Cruz Velleman
PAINTING
Botanicals in Watercolor I
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
This course is an introduction to J.M.W. Turner’s vast achievements in watercolor, with particular attention to his manner of expressing light and atmosphere. In-class exercises revolve around making studies of his masterworks with an emphasis on creating cohesive sketches, not replicas.
TOURS
Beginning students as well as experienced painters explore watercolor techniques and learn new approaches to painting through demonstration, discussion, and experimentation.
By Josh Highter
ONLINE: Sun., April 7–June 9, 10:15 a.m., no class May 26; Josh Highter; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GC; Members $250; Nonmembers $285
ONLINE: Tues., April 23–May 7, 6:30 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GF; Members $115; Nonmembers $140
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ONLINE World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit
Techniques in Modernist Painting Experiment with a variety of Modernist painting styles such as Cubism, Suprematism, and Abstract Expressionism. Through a series of exercises, including still-life setups and model sessions, learn practical applications of the concepts and techniques of Modernism.
ONLINE: Mon., April 8–May 20, 6:30 p.m., no class April 22; Shahin Talishkhan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GH; Members $245; Nonmembers $280
Watercolor Workshop: Quick-Sketch for a Day Spend the day learning to capture your travels with flowing lines and painterly colors. Discover how to simplify a scene and to compose and draw more organically and confidently. This technique is perfect for studies, travel journals, and finished fine art.
By Cindy Briggs
TWO ONLINE OPTIONS: Sat., June 1 (CODE 1E0-0GA); Sat., June 8 (CODE 1E0-0HD); 10:15 a.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; Members $160; Nonmembers $185 By Shahin Talishkhan
Simply Start Painting Watercolors Drawing Light How the Masters Did It in Color Using watercolor and oil pastels, learn the strategies Delacroix, Turner, Monet, and Cézanne employed to manipulate the viewer’s experience of light in their images. In-class exercises focus on making studies of masterworks to create similar luminous effects.
ONLINE: Thurs., April 25–May 23, 6:30 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E00GG; Members $190; Nonmembers $225 By Nick Cruz Velleman
The Mark of van Gogh This course is an introduction to Vincent van Gogh’s accomplishments in drawing, with particular attention to his unique and instantly By Nick Cruz Velleman recognizable touch. Participants investigate how his imaginative mark making forms his images. In-class exercises revolve around drawing studies of his masterworks.
ONLINE: Tues., May 14–28, 6:30 p.m.; Nick Cruz Velleman; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EN; Members $135; Nonmembers $160
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The limitless creative possibilities of watercolor can be a bit intimidating for beginning students. In this series, focus on the basics with methods that narrow parameters. Learn what supplies make all the difference and how to manipulate your brush to create flowing lines.
ONLINE: Tues., June 4–Thurs., June 6, 6 p.m.; Cindy Briggs; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GJ; Members $185; Nonmembers $210
By Cindy Briggs
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
MIXED MEDIA
Exploring Abstraction Explore the basis of abstraction by studying color, line, and shape as they relate to composition. Learn to create exciting, innovative works of art using drawing, painting, and collage exercises designed to examine nontraditional ways of handling traditional materials and subject matter.
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By Delna Dastur
ONLINE: Thurs., April 4–May 23, 12 p.m.; Delna Dastur; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FG; Members $260; Nonmembers $295
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ONLINE Collage and Mixed Media
NEW CLASS
This class focuses on the variety of choices in collage. Whether constructing a piece of personal history with mementos or an abstract piece, students learn through experimentation with color, form, and design. They explore the use of text, images, texture, and natural and found objects.
Bold Sentiments Inspired by bold sentiments and big wishes, create cards for most events on your calendar. Attention is given to card construction, sentiments, a bit of ink blending, and water coloring with dye-based ink. By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard
Collage and Mixed Media Animals and Nature Learn to sketch animals and objects found in nature, then combine your drawings with painting and additional elements and textures to create whimsical or serious By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard mixed-media art. Create your own story by experimenting with a range of materials and techniques.
ONLINE: Wed., April 17–June 5, 6:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf–Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FJ; Members $245; Nonmembers $280
ONLINE: Sun., May 19, 10:30 a.m.; Karen Cadogan; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0HE; Members $80; Nonmembers $95
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ONLINE: Wed., April 17–June 5, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FH; Members $250; Nonmembers $285
Handmade Card Workshop
By Karen Cadogan
FIBER ARTS
NEW CLASS
Design Strategies for Today’s Pieced Quilt This class guides the confident beginner or intermediate quilter through setting together pieced sections of your quilt. Inspired by the newly discovered aperiodic monotile, a new tessellation shape, explore math and the quilt, illusions in fabric, and the technical components of quilt construction. ONLINE: Wed., March 6–20, 1 p.m.; Lauren Kingsland; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0CQ; Members $115; By Lauren Kingsland Nonmembers $135
Mixed Media Art Warmups Art warmups enable students to jump right into their projects knowing there are no wrong answers. Students work with positive and negative space, do quick sketches, go beyond the color wheel, and use mixed-media techniques to build layers and texture.
Color Theory for Embroidery Artists
By Marcie Wolf-Hubbard
ONLINE: Fri., May 17–31, 1:30 p.m.; Marcie Wolf-Hubbard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FK; Members $175; Nonmembers $200
Find your sense of color confidence while learning to apply color to embroidery art as would a painter using pigments and a palette. Learn the vocabulary of color theory through exercises and embroidery hoop experiments.
ONLINE: Thurs., April 4–18, 12 p.m.; By Heather Kerley Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EW; Members $85; Nonmembers $110
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ONLINE Basic Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom The versatile and portable rigid heddle loom is a great entryway into weaving. Learn how to prepare (dress) the loom for weaving along with basic handcontrol techniques including: flat tapestry; raised tapestry; open-lace work; pickup; plane weave; and several finishing techniques. The instructor provides step-by-step instructions, demonstrations, and feedback.
ONLINE: Tues., April 9–May 21, 6:30 p.m.; Tea Okropiridze; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EV; Members $190; Nonmembers $225
Botanical Illustration in Redwork Learn the history of redwork quilts and how this type of embroidery, primarily done in red but also in blue and black, can be used to make beautiful, delicate botanical illustrations. Students create designs based on By Heather Kerley plants native to their area, transfer those designs onto fabric, and then make a basic small quilt using their embroideries.
ONLINE: Thurs., May 9–23, 12 p.m.; Heather Kerley; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EY; Members $105; Nonmembers $130
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“Feltrigami”
Introduction to Pointed Pen Calligraphy
Exploring Folded Felt
Pointed pen calligraphy, commonly known as copperplate, is unmatched in its usefulness for social stationery. Beginning with basic tools and mechanics, students discover how to develop their skills and to recognize the small details that make this style of writing so appealing.
ONLINE: Fri, April 26–May 10, 1 p.m.; Renate Maile-Moskowitz; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EZ; Members $140; Nonmembers $165
When Good Patterns Go Bad Avoiding and Fixing Knitting Mistakes Nothing can be more frustrating than realizing there’s something wrong with your knitting and not knowing how to fix it. This workshop focuses on avoiding errors, learning to detect them sooner, and figuring out what to do once you know there’s a problem.
ONLINE: Sun., May 5, 12 p.m.; Ann Richards; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0EX; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
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ONLINE: Sat., April 6–June 8, 1:30 p.m., no class April 20 and May 26; Sharmila Karamchandani; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FQ; Members $235; Nonmembers $270
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Take felting to the next level in this 3D exploration of the art. Combine felting and origami techniques to create a By Renate Maile-Moskowitz collapsible, space-saving “feltrigami” bag and use up the smallest scraps of wool fibers, yarns, and fabric.
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Contemporary Glass Mosaics Find inspiration in both the ancient art of mosaics and the form’s international modern-day movement as you create a contemporary glass mosaic. Learn cutting techniques and embrace classical mosaic sensibilities, including the concept of andamento (the equivalent of the painter’s brushstroke in mosaic). By Bonnie Fitzgerald
ONLINE: Tues., April 2–23, 6:30 p.m.; Bonnie Fitzgerald; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FP; Members $160; Nonmembers $185
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ONLINE Introduction to White-Line Woodblock Printing
Propagating Orchids
White-line woodcuts are multicolor images printed from a single block of wood. Learn to create your own by cutting a nature print or simple line drawing into a wood block, creating the “white lines” when printed.
Join an orchid care expert for a fun, informative evening learning to cultivate orchids. These favorite household plants are both beautiful and sometimes challenging to grow.
ONLINE: Wed., May 22, 6:30 p.m.; Barb Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FT; Members $50; Nonmembers $65
By Sue Fierston
ONLINE: Sun., April 7, 10 a.m.; Sue Fierston; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FN; Members $75; Nonmembers $90
Orchids in the Summer
Explore the spectrum of floral design. Among the practical areas covered are sourcing (with a focus on sustainability), making the most of seasonal flowers, creating centerpieces, By Arrin Sutliff wiring techniques, and photographing your work. The class is designed for students of all levels.
ONLINE: Wed., April 10–May 15, 7:30 p.m.; Arrin Sutliff; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FR; Members $160; Nonmembers $195
Just in time for summer, learn how to safely move and care for your orchids outside in the hotter months.
ONLINE: Sat., June 1, 11 a.m.; Barb Schmidt; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FS; Members $50; Nonmembers $75
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The Art of Floral Design
PHOTOGRAPHY: Beginner Black-and-White Film Developing At Home
NEW CLASS
Gel Plate Journey Part I Printmaking using a gel plate offers many options for combining materials, tools, and techniques to achieve an array of effects on both paper and fabric. Explore the possibilities for layering with stamps, stencils, inks, and acrylic paint markers.
ONLINE: Mon., April 29–May 20, 6:30 p.m.; Sharon Robinson; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0FD; Members $140; Nonmembers $165
Processing your own 35mm or 120mm black-and-white film is cost-effective and typically yields better results than sending it out to a commercial lab. This session covers stages By Joe Yablonsky of the chemical developing process, negative storage, film scanners, printing options, chemical exhaustion, and disposal. ONLINE: Wed., March 6, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0CZ; Members $45; Nonmembers $55
By Sharon Robinson
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ONLINE Architecture and Public Art Photography Learn how to take great photographs of architecture and public art. Class discussions include techniques and camera settings for cityscapes, individual buildings, architectural details, contemporary public art, monuments and memorials, and cemetery statuary. Explore favorite locations to fulfill homework assignments.
ONLINE: Thurs., March 7–21, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; CODE 1E0-0DA; details on website; Members $125; Nonmembers $145
Photographing Industrial Items Learn the camera controls, composition, and lighting considerations to achieve artful images of items such as brickwork, apartment or office buzzers, call boxes, and vintage signage. Working knowledge of your camera is required, along with willingness to see the mundane as magnificent.
By Joe Yablonsky
The Art of Black-and-White Photography Learn how to create powerful black-and-white images. Through lecture, demonstration, and critiques, discover how to previsualize black-and-white images; compose scenes emphasizing texture, line, and contrast; and use software such as Lightroom Classic and Silver Efex Pro.
ONLINE: Tues., April 2–23, 6:30 p.m.; Lewis Katz; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GP; Members $125; Nonmembers $150
ONLINE: Wed., March 13 and 20, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0DB; Members $90; Nonmembers $110 By Lewis Katz
Introduction to Lightroom Classic Adobe Lightroom is a useful program for organizing and editing either RAW or JPEG image files. The workshop offers users an overview of Lightroom, with a focus on working with the Library and Develop modules. Functions such as importing, exporting, deleting, and grouping files; sorting and ranking files for quality; and attaching keywords for easy retrieval are covered.
ONLINE: Sat., March 16 and Sun., March 17, 9:30 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0DC; Members $275; Nonmembers $295
By Eliot Cohen
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ONLINE Aspect Ratios Gain an understanding of aspect ratios for both digital sensors and film. The class explores changing the aspect ratio in your camera, aspect-ratio constraints in cropping and postproduction, and use of the Photoshop image size and canvas size commands.
ONLINE: Wed., April 3, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GQ; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
The Joy of Photography Designed for beginners who want to learn how to use their digital or mirrorless camera as a creative tool, this class gives students the opportunity to learn about technical aspects of photography so they can concentrate on composing beautiful images.
ONLINE: Mon., April 8–May 20, 6:30 p.m.; Marty Kaplan; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GS; Members $185; Nonmembers $220
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Exposures and Histograms Histograms are a graphic display of the brightness levels of pixels in an image. For new photographers, they can be an essential guide to achieving the correct exposure. This workshop is an introduction to all aspects of exposure and how to manipulate each element to positively affect your histogram.
Wildlife Photography: A Crash Course for Success Take a crash course in wildlife photography. In part one, learn the technical aspects to use for your camera and strategy for shooting; in part two, dive into processing your photographs to highlight the most striking images.
ONLINE: Wed., April 10 and 24, 6:30 p.m.; Matt Felperin; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0HC; Members $95; Nonmembers $120
ONLINE: Wed., April 24, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0FL; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
Achieving Balanced Compositions in Photography
By Joe Yablonsky
Balance is rarely mentioned as an attribute in photography, but it’s important. Learn how to arrange positive and negative elements in space to achieve an aesthetically pleasing outcome in your previsualization process and obtain stronger compositions.
By Matt Felperin
Read more about programs in this guide on our website. Search by code or date. Expanded program descriptions, presenters’ information, and more at SmithsonianAssociates.org.
ONLINE: Thurs., April 4, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GR; Members $45; Nonmembers $60
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ONLINE World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit
The Cyanotype: Hands-On History of Photography
By Patricia Howard
Delve into the history of cyanotypes, a photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue and white print, and create your own cyanotype in this unique studio arts class.
ONLINE: Sat., May 4 and 11, 12 p.m.; Patricia Howard; details and supply list on website; CODE 1E0-0GV; Members $85; Nonmembers $105
Digital Photography: Beyond the Basics Take your digital photography up a notch by honing your use of exposure and composition to frame the information in the camera lens and create your most expressive and meaningful photographs.
ONLINE: Sat., June 1 and 8, 10 a.m.; Eliot Cohen; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GY; Members $280; Nonmembers $305
By Eliot Cohen
PHOTOGRAPHY: Experienced
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Macro Photography Take a much closer look at your photographic subjects through the art of macro photography. Get an introduction to the technique’s aesthetics and design, as well as technical tips on lenses, close-up focusing distance, depth of field, tripod use, lighting, and other key elements.
ONLINE: Thurs., May 2 and 9, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GU; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
The Photo Essay
Build Your Photographic Portfolio
Learn how to create a photo essay, a set of photographs that tells a story or evokes a series of emotions. Homework assignments are designed to encourage students to explore their personal interests.
Show off your photos like a pro and learn how to assemble a personal portfolio that reflects your best work and your distinctive vision as a photographer. Targeted homework assignments help you increase your collection of portfolioquality work.
ONLINE: Wed., May 1 and 29, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GT; Members $90; Nonmembers $115
See videos, class photos, and meet students on
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By Joe Yablonsky
ONLINE: Thurs., May 16–30, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Yablonsky; details on website; CODE 1E0-0GX; Members $125; Nonmembers $150
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A New Year of Delightful Destinations
Note: All tour dates and content are subject to change.
ACROTERION
Smithsonian Associates Overnight Tours for 2024
Our study tours are designed for people who want more than just a getaway: They combine one-of-a-kind experiences with opportunities to gain new insights into the topics that fascinate you. Whether you’re a fan of history, art, theater, nature, or architecture—or simply love exploring new places—these expert-led excursions offer a year’s worth of tempting travels. We’ve added many new adventures, and several of our most popular sold-out tours return to the schedule for 2024.
Curtain Up in Shepherdstown
Philadelphia’s Finest Museums
The Hamptons for Art Lovers Sat., Sept. 21–Wed., Sept. 25 (on sale May 1) More than a haven for beach lovers, Long Island’s famed Hamptons have provided inspiration for artists from William Merritt Chase and Childe Hassam to Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Lee Krasner. View their works at the Parrish Art Museum, Guild Hall, and the former home and studio of Krasner and Pollock. Leader: Richard Selden PHOTO: THE PARRISH ART MUSEUM, WATER MILL, NEW YORK, LITTLEJOHN COLLECTION | THE BIG BAYBERRY BUSH BY WILLIAM MERRITT CHASE
Sat., Aug. 10–Sun., Aug. 11 Stroll thorough galleries that house the treasures of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rodin Museum, and Barnes Foundation—and savor a taste of the city, too. Leader: Ursula Rehn Wolfman PHOTO: STEVE HALL © HALL + MERRICK PHOTOGRAPHERS, COURTESY PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART, 2021)
Scenic Shenandoah: Staunton, Shakespeare, and Steam Sat., Oct. 19–Sun., Oct. 20
Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota Sat., Sept. 14–Wed., Sept. 18 (on sale Apr. 1) Fly west and experience the wild beauty of the Dakota Territory that shaped young Theodore Roosevelt’s course as a conservationist and naturalist. Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley
(on sale May 1) The beauty and culture of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley unfold as you ride the Virginia Scenic Railway; enjoy a performance at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse; and wander through historic Staunton. Leader: Lynn O’Connell
Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright: Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, and Polymath Park Oct. 2024 (on sale June 1) Visit prime examples of Wright’s organic architecture in the scenic Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, a location made even lovelier by its autumnal palette. Leader: Bill Keene
NICHOLE ANDONEGUI
Fri., July 12–Sat., July 13 One of the oldest towns in West Virginia comes alive every July with the newest plays at the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Take in the premieres and the summer countryside. Leader: Lynn O’Connell
Outdoor Adventures in Shenandoah National Park Sun., Oct. 20–Mon., Oct. 21 (on sale June 1) Celebrate the beauty of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park as you hike its trails and take in the panoramas from your accommodations at the historic Big Meadows Lodge, nestled along Skyline Drive. Leader: Keith Tomlinson
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
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Bus Tour
The Philadelphia Museum of Art: Frank Gehry’s Revision Join Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies, and architecture, for a day that spotlights architect Frank Gehry’s designs for the recent renovation of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Begin with a brief visit to the Gehry-designed Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial, the National Mall’s newest addition. En route to Philadelphia, Keene offers an overview of Gehry’s career and the backstory of the museum’s controversial Views of the north entrance and interiors designed and renovated by Gehry Partners (Steve Hall © Hall + Merrick Photographers, courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2021) remodeling. At the museum, a staff-led architectural tour brings you into some of the most dramatic of the reimagined spaces that blend past and present. From his earliest work, Gehry demonstrated his reaction against cold, formulistic Modernism by using the common materials of metal, wood, and stone in new and sometimes startling combinations. He brought a very different vision to the interior of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Inspired by the character of the historic 1928 building, Gehry’s renovations opened the interior with soaring public spaces and dramatic vistas, incorporating additional room for art and providing easier navigation while honoring the architecture and original materials. Nearly 90,000 square feet of space was repurposed in the main building, with a focus on the lower two levels. The project included rebuilding the West Terrace with integrated ramps to facilitate access for all visitors; renovating Lenfest Hall, the principal entrance; creating a new public space, the Williams Forum, which connects the ground floor to the upper levels and serves as the setting for a wide range of activities; and reopening the Vaulted Walkway, a 640-foot-long corridor that spans the width of the building and had not been open to the public for nearly 50 years. The afternoon offers plenty of time to explore the museum’s galleries before returning to Washington. Sat., March 23, 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-028; Members $215; Nonmembers $265 (includes lunch)
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Smithsonian Associates expert-led Study Tours offer one-of-a-kind in-person experiences. They’re the perfect way to learn more about the places and topics that fascinate you, and you’re sure to discover plenty of new favorites along the way.
Walking Tour
Springtime on the Potomac Heritage Trail
MELANIE CHOUKAS-BRADLEY
A Wildflower Hike at Turkey Run Park Discover the spring splendors of the Potomac Gorge, a 1,900-acre natural area spanning Maryland and Virginia that is one of the most botanically diverse places in North America. After meeting on site, hike north from Turkey Run Park along the Potomac Heritage Trail on a wilderness adventure inside the Beltway as you admire lush upland forests and floodplains brilliantly decorated by Virginia bluebells and other spring ephemeral wildflowers. Keep an eye out for great blue herons and other native fauna UT pools and side channels and SOLinDtheOtemporary in the Potomac River itself. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the adventure. Study leader Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a naturalist and the author of six regional nature books, has explored the Potomac Gorge from Great Falls to Theodore Roosevelt Island for a forthcoming book, and this trek covers one of her favorite sections. Thurs., April 4, 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; CODE 1CW-C18; participants meet on site; detailed tour information on website; Members $55; Nonmembers $75 Yellow trout-lily, Erythronium americanum
The National Arboretum in Bloom
LEA SHANLEY / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
Walking Tour
The U.S. National Arboretum is home to 9 miles of winding parkland roads covering more than 450 acres. Step outdoors and enjoy a spring day there during what is usually the peak blooming time for azaleas, dogwoods, and seasonal wildflowers. The visit includes a walking tour of popular collections on the grounds, a picnic box lunch on site, and a special guided tour of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, where you can explore the collection up close and learn how this living art form reflects the Asian aesthetics of its origins. Wed., April 17, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; participants meet on site; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-009; Members $90; Nonmembers $140
Grave of August Schoenborn at Prospect Hill Cemetery
All Things German in DC Even if your knowledge of German is limited to “ja” and “nein,” it’s easy to enjoy learning about Germany’s cultural influence on Washington, D.C., on this tour. Highlights include a visit to the German American Heritage Museum, which sits in the old European-American section of the city, to explore the cultural legacy of German Americans in the city; an inside look at St. Mary Mother of God Catholic Church, a parish founded by and for 19th-century German immigrants; and a visit to the Embassy of Germany. Begin the day with a stop at a hidden symbol of diplomacy on the National Mall: the German-American Friendship Garden, which was built to commemorate 300 years of German immigration to America and was restored in 2022. A visit to Prospect Hill Cemetery highlights the contributions German immigrants made to the growth of Washington as skilled craftsmen; it is the resting place of the architect of the dome of the Capitol, August Schoenborn. Lunchtime brings on traditional German fare at Old Europe, in business since 1948. The day also includes a visit to the National Gallery of Art for a guided tour of the exhibition “The Anxious Eye: German Expressionism and Its Legacy,” which features works from early 20th-century German Expressionist artists who interpreted the dramatic changes in the world around them during a tumultuous time.
GERMANBO / CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED
TIM EVANSON / CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
Bus Tour
Azalea garden at the U.S. National Arboretum
The German-American Friendship Garden
Thurs., April 18, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-030; Members $160; Nonmembers $210
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Two of Virginia’s Historic Gardens
Oak Spring and Blandy Experimental Farm Historic Garden Week in Virginia offers the opportunity to visit beautiful homes and gardens in the state, ranging from classic to modern. Oak Spring, the former home of philanthropists Paul Mellon and Rachel “Bunny” Mellon—usually closed to the public—opens its doors to visitors for this special event. Although she had no formal training, Bunny Mellon designed landscapes for many of the Mellons’ properties and is known for her 1961 redesign of the White House Rose Garden and East Garden. Spend the morning discovering the nearly 700-acre Oak Spring estate. The visit includes the main Mellon residence and its extensive gardens, the formal greenhouse, Oak Spring Gallery, and the Broodmare Barn, where Paul Mellon raised his most successful thoroughbreds, including Sea Hero, winner of the 1993 Kentucky Derby. The walled garden, which Bunny Mellon created, incorporates individually designed formal and informal spaces. Distinctive features include fruit trees trained to grow flat against walls, reflecting pools, and a bridge to a garden pavilion. Beyond the north wall, a crabapple arbor leads to the greenhouse, which has an extraordinary trompe l’oeil mural. The afternoon takes you to the University of Virginia’s Blandy Experimental Farm, which includes the State Arboretum of Virginia. Learn about Blandy’s history, visit its arboretum collection, and tour the herb and pollination gardens and historic Quarters building. The 712 acres of land were once part of the Tuleyries estate, home to the Tuley family tannery, fields, and orchards. Since 1924, the University of Virginia has Views of Oak Spring, the former estate of Paul and owned the former estate land, using it to train college students in farming methods Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and to perform scientific experiments. In the 1980s, it was opened to the public. Horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey leads this tour and lectures en route. Members of the Middleburg Garden Club welcome you at Oak Spring and offer interpretation throughout the estate. Hands-on activities, demonstrations, and tastings are available during the visit. A boxed lunch is included.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF OAK SPRING GARDEN FOUNDATION
Bus Tour
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF OAK SPRING GARDEN FOUNDATION
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Fri., April 26, 7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CD-031; Members $215; Nonmembers $265
2-Day Tour
Chincoteague and Assateague
Assateague Island National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge are home to natural splendor, cultural treasures, and coastal charm. Spend two days with naturalist and educator Liana Vitali immersed in island life, exploring the natural wonders the barrier islands have to offer—and hear the lore of the Chincoteague ponies’ origin. Upon arriving on Assateague, enjoy an orientation and talk at the visitors center with a park ranger, followed by a guided hike on one of the island’s many trails to explore the enxtraordinary seashore ecosystem. Don’t forget your binoculars: The barrier island is home to over 320 species of birds during the year and is a vital stopover for migratory shorebirds. At sunset, a pontoon boat ride takes you to see Assateague’s topography, herds of wild horses, and other wildlife—plus dolphins. After dinner, settle in for a lecture on historic Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland shipwrecks near Assateague. After your overnight stay at the Refuge Inn on Chincoteague, a day filled with exploration awaits. A visit to the Museum of Chincoteague Island includes a tour led by the museum’s executive director, Cindy Faith. She discusses the history and culture of the island, including how pony penning came about. After lunch, take a leisurely guided hike on one of Chincoteague’s nature trails, watching for ponies, deer, and spring blossoms before returning to Washington. INSIDE Sun., April 28, 7:30 a.m.–Mon., April 29, 9 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1CN-CAV; SCIENCE Members $560; Nonmembers $745
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Bus Tour
Mid-Century Modern Design in Pennsylvania
From the period after World War II through the late 1960s, the Mid-century Modern design movement swept through the United States and Europe, emphasizing functionality, clean lines, and simplicity. Design historian Elizabeth Lay Little leads a tour to eastern Pennsylvania that explores how the movement took root in the region. Begin the day with a private tour of the George Nakashima House, Studio, and Workshop in New George Nakashima House, Studio Hope, Pennsylvania. Nakashima (1905-1990), a preeminent furniture designer-craftsman of the and Workshop, Arts Building American studio craft movement of the mid-20th century, embraced American and International Modern styles while infusing his pieces with Japanese designs. A guided tour of the complex visits structures Nakashima built using traditional Japanese building principles—including incorporating indigenous materials and demonstrating respect for the natural landscape— while experimenting with innovations. During the afternoon, visit Rago Auctions in Lambertville, New Jersey, one of the country’s principal specialty auction houses, founded by David Rago, a leading dealer in the field of American arts and crafts. Meet with staff members, who talk about notable modern pieces and show examples before they go to auction. Conclude with a tour of the Michener Art Museum that focuses on the permanent collection, which showcases the strong Arts and Crafts and modern studio furniture traditions of southeastern Pennsylvania. Visit exhibitions on the studio craft movement and the Nakashima Reading Room, a traditional Japanese-style room that includes several classic pieces of furniture in the Nakashima tradition. Fri., May 3, 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; CODE 1CD-032; by bus; detailed tour information on website; Members $215; Nonmembers $265 (includes lunch)
Bus Tour
The Seven Days Battles In March 1862, Union Gen. George B. McClellan embarked upon a bold campaign to move his 100,000-man army by ship from Alexandria to Fort Monroe, Virginia, only 80 miles from Richmond, the Confederate capital. By the end of May, McClellan and his army were on Richmond’s outskirts. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was assigned the daunting task of stopping a Union juggernaut capable of ending the Civil War. Thus, the stage was set for what became known as the Seven Days Battles. Led by Civil War tour guide and career military intelligence officer Col. Marc Thompson, travel to five of these battlefields: Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines’ Mill, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, and Malvern Hill. The tour also includes other significant locations associated with the Seven Days Battles, including Chickahominy Bluff, Walnut Grove Church, and McClellan’s headquarters at the Trent House.
Beaver Dam Creek Battlefield
Captivating Spring Gardens
SMALLBONES
Bus Tour
Sat., May 4, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.; by bus; CODE 1CD-033; Members $160; Nonmembers $210 (ticket purchase includes free access to the related online program McClellan and the Seven Days Battles, p. 14)
The Scott Arboretum and the Mt. Cuba Center The Philadelphia region boasts the title of America’s Garden Capital—and with more public gardens than anywhere else in the country, it’s a well-deserved one. Spend a day with horticulturist Chelsea Mahaffey exploring two captivating green spaces in the area and gathering new ideas for your own home garden. Spread across more than 300 acres of the Swarthmore College campus, the Scott Arboretum is a plant lover’s delight that focuses on engaging horticultural designs, plants of merit, and creative ideas to Cunningham House and the site encourage the home gardener. The campus acts as a “garden of ideas” and as you meander through the of the former observatory at spectacular landscapes you’re sure to get your inner designer excited about the next growing season. Swarthmore College After lunch, visit a hidden gem in the Brandywine Valley, the Mt. Cuba Center. This native-plant haven covers 1,000 acres and is anchored by a stately Colonial Revival manor house built in 1935 by Lammot du Pont Copeland and his wife, Pamela. Sustainable gardening practices are reflected throughout the landscape as you take in the beauty of native plants in conservation settings such as woodlands and grasslands; in more formal settings around the residence; and in the trial garden, which offers insights into how the center’s research team evaluates native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value. Thurs., May 9, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1ND-010; Members $195; Nonmembers $245
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World Art History Certificate elective: Earn ½ credit
The Wyeths, Kuerner Farm, and the Brandywine Valley
For the past century, the Brandywine Valley has been home to the Wyeth dynasty and the origin of their artistic inspiration. While all of the area’s breathtaking scenery has been a source of creativity, Kuerner Farm, with its 19th-century farmhouse and adjacent barn, fascinated Andrew Wyeth for over 70 years. A day-long visit to the Brandywine Museum of Art led by art historian Bonita Billman brings the landscape to life and offers an opportunity to explore a trio of special exhibitions, featuring works by Andrew Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth, and Karl J. Kuerner—plus the N.C. Wyeth house and studio and Kuerner Farm (open to public tours for only a few days of the year). “Karl J. Kuerner: The Continuity of Creativity” marks the 25th anniversary of Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s acquisition of Kuerner Farm as well as highlighting Kuerner’s work there over the decades as he continues to mine the property’s power of creative inspiration. In addition to painting, Kuerner has been offering art classes on-site for many years, part of Brandywine’s programmatic interpretation at the farm. Also on view is “Jamie Wyeth: Unsettled,” which traces a vein of intriguing, often disconcerting imagery over the artist’s career. The exhibition, while not a retrospective, provides both a reflective look at Wyeth’s imagery and insights into the artist and the art of visual storytelling. N.C. Wyeth’s studio The third exhibition, “Every Leaf & Twig: Andrew Wyeth’s Botanical Imagination,” tells the story of Andrew Wyeth’s focus on the fragile rhythms and intimate dramas of plant life. Drawn from the holdings of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, most of the 40 watercolors and drawings have never been exhibited before. Travel offsite in small groups to tour N.C. Wyeth’s nearby home and studio as well as Kuerner Farm. Enjoy a boxed lunch at the museum’s Millstone Café. The day ends with a private wine tasting at Chaddsford Winery, just down the road from the museum. The guided tasting features five of their signature wines. Fri., May 10, 7:15 a.m.–8:15 p.m.; by bus; CODE 1CD-034; detailed tour information on website; Members $220; Nonmembers $270
Cleveland Park and the National Cathedral Grounds Walking Tour
Dubbed “The Queen of the Washington Suburbs” in 1903, Cleveland Park is one of the District’s most beautiful and architecturally eclectic neighborhoods. With a rich history that spans from its beginnings as pastoral farmland to the summer escape of wealthy Washingtonians to one of the first streetcar suburbs, the neighborhood boasts fanciful Victorian mansions, gorgeous gardens, and the second-largest cathedral in the United States. Carolyn Muraskin, founder of DC Design Tours, leads a visit to the National Cathedral’s grounds, including the Bishop’s Garden, and explores Cleveland Park highlights including the Rosedale Conservancy, the location of the oldest home in the District; the site of President Grover Cleveland’s summer home, Red Top; the National Cathedral grounds William Slayton House, designed by I.M. Pei; and the condominium complex McLean Gardens, built on the grounds of the former estate of Evalyn Walsh McLean, owner of the Hope Diamond. THREE OPTIONS: Thurs., May 16, 4–6 p.m. (CODE 1CW-A19); Fri., May 17, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-B19); Sun., May 19, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (CODE 1CW-C19); detailed tour information on website; Members $45; Nonmembers $55
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Bus Tour
Hiking Tour
CULTURE
SCIENCE
ART
STUDIO ARTS
TOURS TOURS
TRAILVOICE
HISTORY
Spring on Sugarloaf Mountain
Natural beauty and fascinating history await on a day spent hiking to the summit of Washington’s local mountain, a natural treasure less than an hour’s drive from the city. Picturesque and rocky Sugarloaf Mountain offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside of Montgomery and Frederick counties in Maryland. Guided by study leader Melanie Choukas-Bradley, learn about the mountain’s plants and wildlife, seasonal changes, geology, and history. Spend time on the summit, composed of pink quartzite and forested with uncommon table mountain pines and mountain laurel, for a light lunch and a bit of forest bathing. In addition to the deep dive into the flora and fauna, get insights into two remarkable preservation stories: Gordon Strong’s lifelong mission to save Sugarloaf Mountain from development and Montgomery County’s innovative 93,000-acre farmland preservation View from the peak of Sugarloaf Mountain area known as the Agricultural Reserve. Hikers also hear tales about how plans for Sugarloaf Mountain by Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Frank Lloyd Wright were thwarted. THREE OPTIONS: Tues., May 21 (CODE 1NW-A01); Wed., May 22 (CODE 1NW-B01); Thurs., May 23 (CODE 1NW-C01); 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; each tour is limited to 20 participants; detailed tour information on website; Members $60; Nonmembers $85
2-Day Tour
Birding in the Delaware Bay
A beach full of horseshoe crabs illuminated by the light of the full moon is a sight to behold. A spring visit to the Delaware Bay is perfectly timed to view the amazing spectacle of these crustaceans arriving ashore in large numbers to breed. Naturalist Matt Felperin leads a two-day adventure for nature lovers that explores the Delaware Bay and its environs, where the diverse life of a tidal marsh and the expanse of the bay come together. Visit Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, where the vast stretch of tidal impoundments is ideal for hosting a myriad of migratory shorebirds, including Red Knots and a variety of terns, raptors, and songbirds. At the Dupont Nature Center, learn the connection between horseshoe crab breeding and shorebird migration and observe banding operations. Stops at the shore communities of Broadkill Beach and Slaughter Beach offer excellent opportunities Marshlands at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware for viewing both crabs and birds, and an optional sunrise excursion to Bennett’s Pier Beach Road provides a chance to spy the near-endangered Saltmarsh Sparrow, a species of concern in decline due mainly to habitat loss and sea-level rise. Wed., May 22, 7 a.m.–Thurs., May 23, 7 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1NN-DEL; Members $465; Nonmembers $620
A Great White Egret, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware
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HISTORY
SCIENCE
ART
STUDIO ARTS
TOURS TOURS
The Battle of Cedar Creek and Its Aftermath
Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat Among all the battles fought in the Shenandoah Valley, none achieved more significant results and had wider consequences than the Battle of Cedar Creek on Oct. 19, 1864. What began disastrously for Union forces in the morning, as Confederate Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early’s Army of the Valley launched a surprise attack, transformed during the afternoon into arguably one of the Union’s most remarkable triumphs. Militarily, the battle finally wrested the Shenandoah Valley, a vital source of provender for Confederate troops in Virginia and an avenue of invasion into the North, from Confederate Belle Grove Plantation control. Politically, the victory achieved by Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah tremendously aided President Abraham Lincoln’s bid for reelection in November 1864. Additionally, Union success at Cedar Creek defined Sheridan’s legacy and elevated him to the pantheon of great American generals. In the decades after the Civil War, the Cedar Creek battlefield attracted both Union and Confederate veterans as they attempted to shape how this critical moment in the Republic’s history would be remembered. History professor Jonathan A. Noyalas leads a daylong tour exploring the complexities of the battle, its impact on the soldiers who fought there and their families, its significance in the Civil War’s broader context, the battle’s aftermath, and veterans’ efforts to shape the battlefield’s commemorative landscape. The tour includes a visit to Belle Grove Plantation, a National Trust Historic Site. Lunch at the historic Wayside Inn is included. Sat., June 1, 8 a.m.–6:15 p.m.; by bus; CODE 1CD-035; Members $165; Nonmembers $215
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1 credit
3-Day Tour
The Hudson River Valley: Art and Culture
MUSEUM OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
View on the Hudson River by Jasper Francis Cropsey, 1890 PETER AARON/OTTO
New York’s Hudson River Valley has long been a center for art and culture, attracting artists north from the cities to explore and visually capture the pristine riverbanks and mountainsides that stand in contrast to centers of industry and urban development. Beginning in the early 19th century, the artists who came to be known as members of the Hudson River School of painting visited and lived in the Catskill Mountains, drawn to the region’s sublime vistas. Their paintings depicted the sylvan landscape and documented how new feats of engineering such as railroads and canals were impacting their beloved Hudson Valley. Over the course of this three-day tour, share the perspectives of these artists as historian Paul Glenshaw explores the homes and studios of Hudson River School founder Thomas Cole and his fellow painters Jasper Cropsey and Frederic Church, whose stunning mansion Olana, set on the banks of the Hudson, blends Victorian and Middle Eastern influences. Enjoy a private guided tour of the William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation collection in Mount Kisco and explore more unique aspects of the area with a visit to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome and a tour and lunch at an innovative local farm. Sun., June 2, 7 a.m.–Tues., June 4, 9 p.m.; by bus; detailed tour information on website; CODE 1NN-HUD; Members $1,215; Nonmembers $1,620
Olana, Frederic Church’s former home
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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Bus Tour
CULTURE
Expand Your World: Join Smithsonian Associates Your Membership Support Will Shape Our Future Membership Levels Becoming a member of Smithsonian Associates makes you part of the largest museum-based educational program in the world. You’ll be among the first to know about the outstanding programs we bring you every month, and as an insider you’ll have unparalleled access to the Smithsonian’s world of knowledge—and enjoy exclusive benefits. You might not be aware that unlike the Smithsonian’s museums, Smithsonian Associates is not federally funded. We rely on individual member contributions to help bridge the gap between program expenses and ticket revenues. And that support ensures that Smithsonian Associates can continue to grow and reach even more people—all across the country—with outstanding educational programs.
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Bonus: Contributions at the Advocate level and higher include membership in Smithsonian Associates’ Circle of Support.
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HELPFUL INFORMATION Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•) Courses, Performances, and Lectures—Multi-Session Tues., March 5, 12, and 19 Write Into Art: Creative Writing Inspired by Visual Art ....................41 Thurs., March 7, 14, and 21
The Best of the Barnes Foundation .................................................42 Thurs., March 7–May 30 Smithsonian Chorus: Legends of Broadway •.....................................25 Fri., March 8–29 Writing a Novel: A Character-Driven Approach.................................26 Sat., March 16 and Sun., March 17 Masterworks of Five Centuries (Saturday series) • .............................25 Masterworks of Five Centuries (Sunday series) • .................................25 Sat., March 16 and 23 The History of Western Art......................................................................43 Fri., April 5 and Sat., June 1 Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra • .......................................23 Sat., April 6 and 13 Art and Kingship in Southeast Asia ......................................................45 Sat., April 6 and April 27 Axelrod String Quartet (Saturday series) • ..............................................24
Sun., April 7 and April 28 Axelrod String Quartet (Sunday series) • ...............................................24 Thurs., April 11–May 2 Enduring Splendors: Historic English Cities........................................12 Wed., April 17–May 8 Great Musical Partnerships .....................................................................30 Wed., April 24–May 22 The Art of the Italian Renaissance........................................................46 Wed., May 1-22 A Journey through Ancient China ..........................................................14 Tues., May 7–21 The 80th Anniversary of D-Day ................................................................8 Wed., May 15, May 29, and June 12 More Stories from the American Songbook .....................................32 Tues., May 28–June 25 Igor Stravinsky: The Classicist.................................................................33 Wed., May 29 and June 5 Impressionism’s Roots in Normandy and Beyond.............................50
Lectures and Seminars—Single Session Sat., March 2
Making of a Monarch ...................................................3
Tues., March 5
The Saratoga Campaign..............................................3
Mon., March 18 Materializing the Sacred...........................................43 Tues., March 19 The Stories Behind the Chinese Menu..................19
Henri Matisse: An Enduring Fascination ..............42 Wed., March 6
The Japanese Empire...................................................4
Solar System: Uranus and Neptune ......................34 Wed., March 20 Rivalries in Medicine ....................................................5
Birds of Puerto Rico ...................................................34 Thurs., March 7 The Studio House • .......................................................4 Bedřich Smetana ........................................................26 Leonardo da Vinci’s Infinite Curiosity ...................35 Fri., March 8
A Night at the Oscars................................................26
Sat., March 9
Why Shakespeare’s Histories Matter .....................27
Sun., March 10
Great Horned Owls .....................................................35
Mon., March 11
Bargello Museum ........................................................42
Tues., March 12 “Make ‘Em Laugh".......................................................26 Gut Health with WebMD’s John Whyte.................35 Wed., March 13 Evangelicalism in America..........................................5 Thurs., March 14 Wuthering Heights......................................................28
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The Lush World of Botticelli’s La Primavera .......43 Thurs., March 21 Bach’s Sacred Cantatas ............................................27 Fri., March 22
Winter Wine Adventures: Languedoc .....................19
Sat., March 23
Insider’s London.............................................................7
Sun., March 24
Architects Respond to Nature.................................44
Mon., March 25 Federalists vs. Antifederalists ...................................5 The Ashcan School of Painting...............................44 Tues., March 26 The WWI Navy: Second to None ...............................6 Washington’s First World Series................................6 Wed., March 27 Wales and England........................................................6 Justice Stephen Breyer ..............................................7 Mexico City: Aztec Art and Architecture..............44
HELPFUL INFORMATION Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•) Thurs., March 28 The American Revolution and India .........................3
Fri., April 26
Butterflies and Moths: Winged Wonders..............37 Notre-Dame de Paris ................................................47
Ever-Evolving Emerson................................................7
Sat., April 27
Queens, Crowns, and Conflicts ................................11
Wed., April 3
Artemisia Gentileschi ................................................45
Mon., April 29
To Be Is To Be Anxious ...............................................31
Thurs., April 4
The American Musical: Evolution ...........................27
Fri., March 29
Images of Christ .........................................................40
Tues., April 2
Beyond Audubon.........................................................36
The Bauhaus: A Brief History ..................................47 Tues., April 30
McClellan and the Seven Days Battles .................14
Not the End of the World..........................................36
Steinbeck and the Arthurian Saga .........................31
Fri., April 5
Ravenna: The Roman Empire ..................................40
The Human Disease ...................................................38
Sun., April 7
Mark Rothko and the Spiritual in Art ....................45
Hieronymus Bosch: Heaven and Hell ....................48
Mon., April 8
The Battle of the Bulge ...............................................8
Wed., May 1
Lincoln: The Months Before Sumter • .....................9
How Jazz Captivated France...................................29
Thurs., May 2
Making Democracy Count.........................................14
Third Millennium Thinking........................................29
Fri., May 3
The Footsteps of Piero della Francesca...............40
"One Life: Frederick Douglass" .................................9
Sat., May 4
Great Houses of Scotland ........................................48
“It’s a Wonderful Town” .............................................29
Mon., May 6
The Real World of Regency London ......................15
Tues., April 9
The Future of Exploration • ......................................38
Human–Canine Connection.....................................36 Figurines of the Ice Age ...........................................46 Wed., April 10
Wed., May 8
National Identity and International Affairs...........15 Susan Page on Barbara Walters .............................22
Royal History at Hampton Court Palace................11 A National History of Puerto Rico...........................12
The Golden Age of Television...................................31 Mothering: A Reflective Writing Workshop ..........41
Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus ..............................10 Law and Order on the Railroad................................10
Thurs., April 11
Tues., May 7
Thurs., May 9
Macbeth ........................................................................28
Frankenstein ................................................................28
Language Peeves ........................................................32
Fri., April 12
Lunch at Nama Ko: Japanese Essentials • ...........21
Molds, Mushrooms, and Medicines........................38
Mon., April 15
Booth’s Escape Route.................................................12
Mon., May 13
Westminster Abbey: A Royal Destination ............48
The Pacific Ring of Fire: A Geologic Overview ...37 Tues., April 16
Joan Nathan: My Life in Recipes • ..........................21
Tues., May 14
Thurs., April 18
Spiritual But Not Religious .......................................31 Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.....................49
The Genius of Akira Kurosawa ................................30
Wed., April 17
A Wine Dinner at Shilling Canning Company • ...22
Solar System: Pluto....................................................34
Wed., May 15
The Reverse Underground Railroad .......................16
The Knights Templar ..................................................13
Thurs., May 16
The Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials.......8
The Private Gardens of Philadelphia .....................37
The Wonders of Copan and Tikal ............................16
Master of Composition: Hiroshige .........................46
Urban Oasis: A History of Rock Creek Park .........17
Lincoln’s Legacy: A Dual Perspective ......................9
Fri., May 17
It’s About Time .............................................................17 Spring Wine Adventures: Chilean Wine ................20
Clovis and the Franks.................................................13 Fri., April 19
Spring Wine Adventures: Walla Walla Wine .........20
Sat., May 18
The Archaeology of Judaism ..................................16
Sat., April 20
Love and Death in Dante: Reading Inferno..........30
Mon., May 20
Words, Words, Words .................................................32
Pioneering Women in Architecture ........................47
Tues., May 21
A New Theory of Being Human ..............................39
Wed., April 24
“Brilliant Exiles” ...........................................................50
Thurs., April 25 Thinking about Nuclear Conflict .............................13 The Old Man and the Sea.........................................28
Wed., May 22
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue ..................................33
What time does the program end? Unless noted, Smithsonian Associates programs run 1 hour 15 min.–2 hours, including Q&A
MARCH 2024 SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES
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HELPFUL INFORMATION Program Planner (New listings in red); (In-person programs•) Tues., May 28
Working the Night Shift .............................................17
Wed., June 5
After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations........18
Wed., May 29
Hog Island: Maine’s Showcase of Nature.............39
Thurs., June 6
Georgia O’Keeffe: American Modernist ................50
Thurs., May 30
Adventures in the Archives ......................................18
Tues., June 11
Henry VIII .......................................................................11
Koji: The Secret Ingredient • ....................................22
Fri., June 14
Inside Georgetown ......................................................18
Anna May Wong: Hollywood’s Unsung Heroine .....33
Sat., June 15
Van Gogh and Painters of Petit Boulevard ..........49
Literary Theory for Robots.......................................39
Fri., June 28
Spring Wine Adventures: New Zealand Wine ......20
The Philadelphia Museum of Art............................66
Thurs., May 16
Cleveland Park and National Cathedral Grounds ....70
Wed., April 17
The National Arboretum in Bloom..........................67
Fri., May 17
Cleveland Park and National Cathedral Grounds ....70
Thurs., April 18
All Things German in DC ..........................................67
Sun., May 19
Cleveland Park and National Cathedral Grounds ....70
Tues., May 21
Spring on Sugarloaf Mountain ....................................71
Fri., April 26
Two of Virginia’s Historic Gardens .........................68
Sun., April 28
Chincoteague and Assateague ...............................68
Fri., May 3
Mid-Century Modern Design in Pennsylvania ....69
Thurs., May 23
Spring on Sugarloaf Mountain ....................................71
Sat., May 4
The Seven Days Battles...............................................69
Sat., June 1
The Battle of Cedar Creek ..........................................72
Thurs., May 9
Captivating Spring Gardens ....................................69
Sun., June 2
The Hudson River Valley: Art and Culture............72
Fri., May 10
The Wyeths......................................................................70
Tues., June 4
Tours—Single and Multi-Session• Sat., March 23
Wed., May 22
Spring on Sugarloaf Mountain ....................................71
Birding in the Delaware Bay .....................................71
Please visit SmithsonianAssociates.org to view the FAQ on Health & Safety guidelines for in-person programs
Studio Arts In Person: Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Fiber Arts, Sculpture, Calligraphy, Other Media, Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51-54 Online: Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Fiber Arts, Sculpture, Calligraphy, Other Media, Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55-64
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NOTICE TO OUR PATRONS: Smithsonian Associates offers our popular online programs, as well as a number of in-person programs. Because our patrons’ well-being remains Smithsonian Associates’ highest priority, all in-person programs will follow current CDC guidelines. For additional information, please contact us at 202-633-3030 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday To address your concerns, we are providing the most current information on ticket purchasing and policies, membership and audience services, and communicating with our staff.
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SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES ONLINE
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