ART OF THE WORLD I – FALL 2026 VIDEOS

Coordinators: Linda Downs, Lynnel Garabedian, Bob Reiss, Ellen Shapiro

Explore major art works across the ages and throughout the world from the Old Stone Age to the present in three semesters.

(Tuesday, B Week, AM, Room Auditorium, L. Downs)

To view a video click on the link above its description.

ART OF THE WORLD I
First Masters: Global Prehistoric Art

Presenter: Nancy Seng
Presentation Date: September 15, 2026

Did artists working thousands of years ago have anything like our concept of “art”? We’ll look at remarkable objects that anchor the story of our first image makers and let you weigh the evidence. Global in scope, varied in material and still being debated today. Come see how much the textbooks left out.

ART OF THE WORLD I
Mesopotamia: The Beginning of Civilization

Presenter: Susan Diehl
Presentation Date: September 29, 2026

Ranging from about 3500 to 340 BCE, Mesopotamia is known for seminal developments in human history. Starting in the fertile valley between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, now Iraq, the people of Mesopotamia were among the first to plant cereal crops allowing for urban living, work specialization, government and social organization. During this time written language appeared and laws were developed that were surprisingly humane and fair (it would take a few thousand years before western laws caught up). It was an era of turmoil with expansive wars. Massive architecture of extraordinary quality celebrated each successive king and his victories.

ART OF THE WORLD I
Egyptian Art

Presenter: Bob Reiss
Presentation Date: October 13, 2026

Egyptian art incorporates mythological and religious symbolism, often centered on the cult of the sun. Representations of humans make clear distinctions between the deified pharaoh and people in lower classes, using representational and stylistic cues such as hierarchical proportion and idealization versus naturalism. Approaches to portraiture depend on a figure’s rank in society. The artistic canon of dynastic Egypt, with strict conventions of representation, use of materials, and treatment of forms, was followed for many centuries with only short-lived periods of experimentation and deviation. Innovations in art and architecture tended to occur within the basic and established scheme.

ART OF THE WORLD I
Ancient Greek Art: Quest for Perfection / Etruscan and Early Roman Sculpture

Presenter: Linda Downs / Joyce West
Presentation Date: October 27, 2026

This class is in two parts:

1. Linda Downs will present the most representative architectural monuments, ceramics and figural sculptures created in Classical Greece from the 8th Century BCE (Archaic Period) through the 1st Century BCE (Hellenistic Period) and their lasting meaning today.

2. Joyce West will focus on the Etruscans, who occupied the middle of Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE, producing art that was distinctly their own, albeit influenced by other Mediterranean cultures nearby. Much of our knowledge of this culture comes from their burials and today’s lecture focuses on the wall paintings and gold and metal objects obtained from their tombs.

ART OF THE WORLD I
Monuments and Buildings Across the Roman World

Presenter: Lucas Rubin, Ph.D. Archeology, Director of CUNY’S esteemed Latin/Greek Institute, Administrator of Brooklyn College, and Latin teacher
Presentation Date: November 10, 2026

The Pax Romana. The immeasurable majesty of Roman peace. Few empires have left as an indelible and enduring legacy as that of Rome. And the basis of that empire was its network of cities, linked by a highly developed and secure road system, sustained by aqueducts, and flushed clean with sewers. The Romans were prolific builders and their legacy, now two millennia old, impresses and inspires to the present day.

Prof. Rubin will adhere to the general theme of the course, providing a basic overview of Roman architecture (and a little art), before undertaking a somewhat atypical exploration of the subject. Rather than a discussion of well-known monuments (such as the Pantheon and the Colosseum), it will consider a range of lesser-known monuments and buildings from across the Roman world. Along the way, we’ll weave in a little Roman history, literature, inscriptions, graffiti, and random thoughts and anecdotes.