The Arts & History   

It has now been 55 years since the United States enacted a substantive amendment to its Constitution, when the right to vote was extended to 18-year-olds through the 26th Amendment in 1971. The last time there was such a lengthy hiatus was the 61-year gap between the Twelfth Amendment (establishing the election of the President and Vice President) and the abolition of slavery in 1865 through the Thirteenth Amendment.

Of course, in the 1860s, it took the Civil War to break such a logjam. Are we today in similar straits? Are there issues that could be addressed through a constitutional amendment? Several modern scholars have suggested areas where useful compromise might be possible. This course will explore the history, purpose, and continuing  relevance of the Bill of Rights and later amendments, and consider what constitutional change might look like in the twenty-first century.

Step behind the curtain of one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics in this captivating lecture on The Wizard of Oz (1939). Discover the untold stories that shaped the magic, the on-set accidents and near-disasters, the surprising cast replacements, the unseen footage, and the behind-the-scenes intrigue that brought Dorothy’s journey to life.

Every reel of this Technicolor masterpiece hides astonishing secrets: from toxic makeup and blazing costumes to the mysterious fate of the Tin Man’s first actor. Packed with rare insights and fascinating trivia, this session will make you see The Wizard of Oz as you’ve never seen it before, where movie magic met real-life mayhem on the yellow brick road.

Raphael, one of the world’s most beloved artists, will be the subject of a once-in-a-lifetime retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this spring. Despite living only to the age of 37, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino is considered by many art historians to be the apotheosis of Italian Renaissance painting, unifying all of the accomplishments that came before him in the 14 th and 15th centuries, as well as creating a roadmap for the future of European painting. In this presentation, we will examine Raphael’s most important works within the context of his contemporaries and occasional rivals, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Highlights of the Met show will be discussed to enrich the experience of anyone planning to see it.

What’s happening on the west side? We’ll start at the new Manhattan West on 9th Avenue, take the new Moynihan Connector, the High Line’s newest spur, and see the completed Phase I of Hudson Yards, the city’s newest master-planned, mixed-use development, opened in 2019 and built over Penn Station’s 1911 train yard. From there, we’ll head to the High Line, once an elevated freight railroad and now a 1.45-mile public park where you’ll see historical sites, new swanky apartment buildings, and art installations along the way.

In a world before the benefits of modern medicine, how did people manage the injuries incurred from a life of backbreaking peasant labor, warfare, and congenital issues? Employing sources that illuminate the role of saints in miraculous recoveries as well as the difficulties faced by victims of various wounds, this lecture will also investigate the charity and care that was extended to those in need. From pilgrimage sites to prosthetic limbs, we will examine the curious stories of those who contended with bodily dysfunction in the Middle Ages, and those who could be counted upon to help.

Take a cinematic journey through the lives and legacies of three unforgettable Hollywood greats: Meryl Streep, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio. With curated film clips, behind-the-scenes insights, and lively guided discussions, the classes will explore how each of these icons shaped American film and culture through their groundbreaking performances, creative vision, and lasting influence on the industry.

To sign up individually, follow the links below:

• Legends of the Silver Screen: Meryl Streep, Thursday, 4/23
• Legends of the Silver Screen: Martin Scorsese, Thursday, 5/21
• Legends of the Silver Screen: Leonardo DiCaprio, Thursday, 6/4

In this class, we will explore the extraordinary career of one of the most beloved and respected actors in film history, Meryl Streep. Celebrated for her transformative performances, technical mastery, feminist leadership, and emotional depth, Streep has built a body of work that spans genres, decades, and cultures. From her roles in Kramer vs. Kramer, The Deer Hunter, and Sophie’s Choice to The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia!, and even playing the president in Don’t Look Up, we’ll examine how she balances craft and charisma while continually reinventing herself. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided discussion, this course will explore Streep as an actor of unmatched range and a cultural force who reshaped expectations of women on screen.

A walking tour along the Scarsdale stretch of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation (BRPR) will allow participants to step back in time, as they hear about significant time periods of Westchester’s history that occurred along the river’s banks. Native American encampments, Colonial Era mills, the extraordinary engineering and construction of America’s first parkway, the growth of one of the country’s most fashionable suburbs, and contemporary conservation measures are a few of the topics that will be covered.

The Dreyfus Affair combines a moral crusade to save a man wrongly condemned for treason with a political drama that nearly tore a nation apart. In this lecture, Jess Velona combines video clips with contemporary photos and newspaper headlines to bring this story to life. See how the Affair emerged in a Belle Epoque France already roiled by political unrest, scandal, and cultural and economic change. Watch how Dreyfus's supporters and Zola's "J'Accuse" exposed the forgeries, prejudice, and official corruption that sent the Jewish army officer to prison on Devil's Island, and how they also identified the real traitor. Observe the ensuing political firestorm and antisemitic mob violence, during which Zola found himself on trial, and the courts for years ignored the truth. Finally, consider how long after Dreyfus's reinstatement, the popular hatreds, Zionist stirrings, and media and political changes that the Affair produced echoed deep into the 20th century.

Join fashion designer Kathlin Argiro for a presentation and hands-on fabric flower workshop that brings heritage craftsmanship into the present.

Begin with the story of M & S Schmalberg, America’s last remaining fabric flower factory, and learn how this iconic Garment District atelier continues to serve fashion, theater, and film. Watch a live demonstration of the traditional hand-pressed techniques that define this rare craft.

Then create your own fabric flower using authentic, hand-pressed petals from the atelier itself. You’ll leave with a beautifully finished piece, and a deeper appreciation for the artistry and skill behind this enduring New York tradition.

“All art is propaganda,” Diego Rivera famously pronounced. In this presentation, we will look at how art has been used to inspire people in bringing about social change and upending oppressive power structures. Our investigation will span from the call for liberté, egalité et fraterité in the French Revolution with artists such as David, Gros, and Delacroix, to the anti-war and anti-authoritarian messages of Goya, Picasso, and Kollewitz, to the socialist aspirations of the Mexican painters, Rivera, Kahlo, Orozco, and Sequeiros, and finally to some recent artists such as Barbara Kruger, David Wojnarovicz, Kehinde Wiley, and Ai Weiwei. By the end of the evening, maybe we will all be inspired to make a better world.

What’s up north? Join Ginny on this spring tour of the most natural part of Central Park, the North Woods and Harlem Meer, featuring stone arched bridges and manmade waterfalls. We’ll visit the newly renovated Conservatory Gardens’ formal French, English, and Italians gardens with their beautiful spring blooms, and see the gate that belonged to a Vanderbilt. Then we’ll venture over to explore the brand new, state-of-the-art facility, Harlem Meer Center, that replaced the Lasker Pool and Rink.

How did medieval warriors fight and win unruly battles? What weapons did they have at their disposal to defend against and conquer foreign enemies, walled cities under siege, and surprise attacks? This lecture will examine the mechanics of key weapons like the crossbow, trebuchet, and broadsword to better understand what it meant to fight for one’s life in the Middle Ages. Join us as we hear the testimony of victorious soldiers, defeated rulers, and ordinary people conscripted to defend their homelands, for better or worse.

For much of the 20th century, Berlin was at the center of conflicts that nearly tore the city and the world apart.  Learn how Berlin, the heart of libertine Weimar culture, became the Nazis' capital and by 1945 a nearly bombed out city.  See how recovery was overtaken by the city's Cold War division, Stalin's 1948 blockade of West Berlin, and a Western airlift that saved from starvation people who'd been America's enemies just three years before.  Relive East Berliners' futile 1953 uprising against Communist rule, Khrushchev's construction of a wall that denied freedom to millions of East Germans, and the fear of both sides during the Cuban Missile Crisis that if war broke out, it might well start in Berlin.  Finally, watch JFK's and Reagan's speeches making the Berlin Wall the symbol of Communist failure, the stunning day the Wall came down, and the renaissance of a reunified Berlin today.  Throughout, learn of the courage of average Berliners, East and West, who struggled for decades to survive.

Discover the craftsmanship behind one of fashion’s most enduring embellishments. Led by Fashion Designer Kathlin Argiro, this exclusive tour of M&S Schmalberg, America’s last remaining fabric flower factory, offers a behind-the-scenes look at a working Garment District atelier that continues to serve designers across fashion, theater, and film. Participants will observe the traditional processes used to cut, dye, press, and assemble fabric flowers by hand, gaining insight into how heritage techniques remain relevant within today’s industry. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see slow craftsmanship in action within a rapidly evolving fashion landscape and the role it plays in contemporary fashion.

In this class, we will pay tribute to one of the most influential filmmakers in American cinema, Martin Scorsese. Celebrated for his electrifying style, moral complexity, and deep passion for film history, Scorsese has spent decades exploring themes of crime, masculinity, faith, obsession, and redemption. From Taxi Driver and Goodfellas to Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Killers of the Flower Moon, we’ll examine how his dynamic camera work, editing rhythms, and long-standing collaborations have shaped modern filmmaking. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided discussion, this course will examine why Scorsese remains both a master storyteller and one of cinema’s greatest directors almost sixty years after his directorial debut.

Johannes Vermeer, the 17th century Dutch artist, has given us mesmerizing and enigmatic paintings. Yet, several paintings attributed to him are problematic to say the least, even though they all have the right provenance. Some look like an amateur’s work, others are emotionally powerful while technically inferior. We will explore the enduring mysteries, including the theory that Vermeer’s daughter became his apprentice.

Please join Page Knox for a walk through the Metropolitan Museum of Art's iconic Nineteenth Century wing, and witness the evolution of Impressionism. Beginning with Romantics like Eugene Delacroix and the Barbizon landscape painters, the collection reveals the rise of the avant-garde in the 1800s. We'll see how the work of realist Gustave Courbet and proto-Impressionist Edouard Manet leads to the creation of the movement with its beloved artists Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, and Berthe Morisot. As the century ends, we'll witness the rise of Post Impressionism, with iconic works by Vincent Van Gogh, Georges Seurat, and Paul Cezanne, as they lay the foundations for modern art.

In this class, we will examine the evolution of Leonardo DiCaprio from teen heartthrob to one of the most critically acclaimed actors of his generation. Beginning with his early breakout roles and moving through acclaimed performances in films like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Titanic, The Departed, Inception, The Revenant, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and One Battle After Another, we’ll explore how DiCaprio built a career rooted in risk-taking and reinvention. Through curated film clips, historical context, and guided discussion, this course will highlight his intense, often method-influenced screen presence, frequent collaborations with major directors, and commitment to complex, often morally ambiguous characters, thereby solidifying his status as a modern legend of the silver screen.

Although historians enjoy a world of beautifully curated manuscripts, sometimes the “garbage” of the past tells us more about the people who lived then. This lecture will explore discovered graffiti from the ancient and medieval past to get a glimpse of daily life as it was recorded on public walls, outhouses, and even church balconies. Join us as we track these unofficial recorders of history through humorous, lewd, and enigmatic graffiti markings.

Held 100 years to the day after his death, this lecture commemorates Antoni Gaudí’s enduring legacy and explores his most ambitious architectural undertaking in extreme detail. Still unfinished after 143 years, the wondrous cathedral of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona recently became the tallest church in the world. Full of surprises at every turn, it awes with innovative engineering and wildly creative design. Its architect, Antonius Gaudí, became an international icon with a cult-like following, his many buildings in and around Barcelona defining the city’s unique character. We will explore his extraordinary achievements in depth, uncovering the ideas, innovations, and symbolism that make La Sagrada Familia unlike any other building in the world.

This lecture traces the meteoric rise and lasting legacy of the "King of Rock and Roll." We explore how Elvis blended diverse musical styles to spark a global cultural revolution, inspiring a generation of legends like John Lennon, David Bowie, and Bruce Springsteen. The journey follows Elvis from his humble beginnings in poverty to his dual stardom in music and film, through the lean years of the British Invasion, and into his triumphant 1968 "Comeback Special." We conclude with his final era as a Las Vegas headliner—a period marked by massive success, personal struggles, and his untimely death at 42—to understand his permanent impact on popular culture.

Before Central Park, New Yorkers escaped the city to the Green-Wood Cemetery, not just a resting place for some of New York City’s notable residents, but an oasis tucked away in Brooklyn. On this tour, we’ll start at the high Victorian Gothic Revival Brownstone gates designed by the distinguished American architect Richard Upjohn. We’ll visit the historic chapel designed by Warren & Wetmore (architects of Grand Central Terminal), as well as explore the grounds of Beaux Arts mausoleums, some featuring Tiffany glass windows, while listening to the stories of some of New York City’s prominent families that eternally reside on the grounds.