Smithsonian eAlert - Art & Architecture

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Find out what may have compelled humans to create art and what they were thinking in The Origins of Art 35,000 Years Ago. Venture to Europe from the 1400s to 1700s and examine Renaissance and Baroque Art: From Sacred to Secular—works worthy of adorning the Catholic church to the famous pieces by "Renaissance men" like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Discover From Palaces to Plein Air: 18th- and 19th-Century Art where the periods of neoclassicism and Impressionism were unveiled with the popularity of en plein air, working in the open air.

Sail across the sea and explore the wealth of the Gilded Age through portraits painted by post-Civil War artists of American nouveaux riches. Also, see how American Art Since 1950 has been pushing boundaries and constantly redefining visual art.

Go behind-the-scenes at the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art and learn about the Arts of the Indian Subcontinent, beautiful, lavish pieces of artwork fit for an emperor, and take a look at some of the treasures held at the Freer Gallery—artwork that's not even on display!

Fast forward to the present and listen in as artists discuss Living the Crafted Life: Beyond Stuff, highlighting technical expertise, function, and the qualities to look for and criteria to apply when evaluating and selecting craft art.

Portraying the Gilded Age
Certificate in the History of Western Art Elective
With Luncheon
All-Day Seminar
Sat., March 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art historian Bonita Billman discusses Gilded Age artists William Merritt Chase, James Whistler, John Singer Sargent, and Cecilia Beaux. From the Civil War to WWI, American nouveaux riches had their portraits painted for posterity. Luncheon included.

Arts of the Indian Subcontinent
Behind the Scenes Talk in Collections & Docent-led Highlights Tour
Thurs., April 1 also available on Fri., April 9 and Tues., April 20
A docent-led tour provides history and commentary on treasures at the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art. Join collections staff behind the scenes to see pieces of art that are currently not on view.

The Origins of Art 35,000 Years Ago: What Were They Thinking?
In Collaboration with the National Museum of Natural History and the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins
Mon., April 5, 6:45 to 9 p.m.
Why did early modern humans begin creating art over 35,000 years ago? Archaeologist Nicholas Conard addresses this question and discusses delicate figurines he excavated in southwestern Germany.

Renaissance and Baroque Art: From Sacred to Secular
With Tour of the National Gallery of Art
5-Session Daytime Course
Certificate in the History of Western Art: Third Course
Tues., April 6–27; 6:45 to 8:45 p.m.
Explore the major artists and monuments of European art and architecture from 1400-1700. Major artists discussed include Brunelleschi, Donatello, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Rubens.

From Palaces to Plein Air: 18th- and 19th-Century Art
With Tour of the National Gallery of Art
7-Session Daytime Course
Certificate in the History of Western Art: Fourth Course
Wed., April 7–May 19, 12 noon
Discover the richness and contrasts of 18th and 19th century art from the flowering of the Rococo, to the stoic sobriety of neoclassicism to the drama of Romanticism, the fervor of a new and bold realism, and the ever popular Impressionists.

American Art Since 1950: Pushing Boundaries
In collaboration with the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Wed., April 7—28, 6:45 p.m.
Since 1950, American artists have worked at break-neck speed creating and redefining art. From Pollock's drip painting to Mark Tansey's painting with hidden images, their work is worth exploring to see where art is headed in the 21st century and why.

Living the Crafted Life: Beyond Stuff
Tues., April 20, 7 p.m.
Everyone sits on a chair, eats off a plate, and drinks out of a glass. Join Smithsonian curator Jane Milosch and 2010 Craft Show artists for a discussion on extraordinary beauty of ordinary objects and the qualities to look for in selecting crafts.

Elizabeth Kostova: Art and Obsession
Thurs., April 15, 6:45 p.m.
Elizabeth Kostova delves into the world of art and psychiatry in her latest novel, The Swan Thieves. In a discussion with NPR's Lynn Neary, she shares the intricate story lines that reach back and forth into history that shaped her story.