History & the Arts   

While the fourteenth-century manuscript commissioned by Sir Geoffrey Luttrell exhibits the Psalms and prayers, it is of most interest to historians as a snapshot of ordinary, run-of-the-mill life in the Middle Ages.  The artist-scribe, with a deft and delicate hand, offers viewers banquet scenes, harvest vignettes, ladies braiding their hair, and a host of scampering animals and elegant foliage.  This lecture will showcase the Psalter’s highlights in the context of medieval Lincolnshire, and discuss its ultimate preservation by one of my favorite patrons!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

A departure from our regular medieval fare, this lecture highlights the findings of a historical side project on the first generation of women who served as detectives and investigators for New York City institutions, including the NYPD and the County Medical Society. Join us as we explore how these glass-ceiling-shattering women went undercover to make the city a safer place in the early 20th century!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

For students who want to register for all four October History Happy Hour classes at the same time for a combined discounted rate. Series includes:

Medieval Witches - Wednesday, October 6

On the Medieval Farm - Wednesday, October 13

Rainbows, Comets, and Weeping Crosses, Oh My! - Wednesday, October 20

Alchemy - Philosophies and Practices - Wednesday, October 27

To register for individual classes of the series, please click on the class titles above.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

The accusation of witchcraft served as a way to punish outsiders, marginal figures, and, above all, women.  What did it mean to be branded a witch, and how did the system of punishment develop from inquisition to the early modern era?  Join us as we track the so-called witch craze, exposing the fears of past societies and the victims who faced them.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Although they had “time off” for one-third of the year, medieval peasants—both men and women—worked extremely hard, performing backbreaking labor under the hot sun, corralling oxen, and harvesting yields that were necessary guards against starvation.  In this lecture, we will look at the agricultural technologies that revolutionized medieval farming, depictions of harvest, and the traditions that made this time of year just a little bit fun!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Signs spotted in the sky were interpreted by medieval minds as indications of fortune or ill favor.  Deeply symbolic, the omens reported help us understand how medieval people connected to the natural environment.  This lecture will bring together text and image to pinpoint moments that were perceived as God reaching down to touch the earth, through celestial phenomena such as comets, eclipses, and other strange sightings!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

From ancient Egyptian writings to medieval hunts for the Philosopher’s Stone, alchemy’s long history continues to enchant and intrigue us.  What fueled the obsession with turning base metals into gold, seeking the elixir of life, and recording findings in arcane ciphers?  Join us as we pursue alchemical practices through natural philosophy, chemistry, and esoteric magical potions.  Grab a spooky beverage!

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

For students who want to register for all three History of Central Park classes at the same time for a combined discounted rate. 

Series includes:

Development, Design, and Construction - Thursday, September 23

Fountains, Castles, and Architectural Beauties - Thursday, September 30

Alice in Wonderland, Sojourner Truth, and Balto - an Outdoor Museum of Art - Thursday, October 7

To register for individual classes of the series, please click on the class titles above.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

The three online classes will be followed by an in-person walking tour of beautiful Central Park during peak foliage season on October 21. To register for the Historical Walking Tour of Central Park, please click here.

What is the most visited urban park in the country? New York’s Central Park! Join Ginny Poleman to discover the story behind the development, design, and construction of Central Park.
This class is part of a three-part series that covers how the city’s early 19th century elite called for a new large park in Manhattan— “to serve as a ventilator to a densely populated city,” how it became the country’s model for the urban park, and today’s beautiful and functional destination for New York’s residents and tourists, alike. To register for the The History of Central Park: 3-Class Series, please click here.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

What is the most visited urban park in the country? New York’s Central Park! Join Ginny Poleman to discover the story behind the fountains, castles, and other architectural beauties of Central Park.

This class is part of a three-part series that covers how the city’s early 19th century elite called for a new large park in Manhattan— “to serve as a ventilator to a densely populated city,” how it became the country’s model for the urban park, and today’s beautiful and functional destination for New York’s residents and tourists, alike. To register for the The History of Central Park: 3-Class Series, please click here.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

What is the most visited urban park in the country? New York’s Central Park! Join Ginny Poleman to discover the story behind the statues that turn Central Park into an outdoor museum of art.

This class is part of a three-part series that covers how the city’s early 19th century elite called for a new large park in Manhattan— “to serve as a ventilator to a densely populated city,” how it became the country’s model for the urban park, and today’s beautiful and functional destination for New York’s residents and tourists, alike. To register for the The History of Central Park: 3-Class Series, please click here.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Join Ginny on a scenic walking tour of Central Park. As a culminating field trip to her three-part series or as a stand-alone tour, the best way to see the NYC’s largest park is on foot. Ginny will highlight the history of Calvert & Vaux’s vision covering the sites and sights of the country’s most visited tourist attraction. This two-hour comprehensive stroll will make stops at the Arsenal, Zoo, Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Terrace, and many more on the way!

What do The Night Before Christmas, Oreos, and cowboys in New York City have in common? Learn that and much more as you take this two-hour walk through the history of Chelsea including a look at the former National Biscuit Company building—now Chelsea Market, the funky Hotel Chelsea, and the General Theological Seminary (the world’s oldest Episcopal seminary.) Join Ginny Poleman as she shares the stories of this revitalized area of restaurants, high-end shops, art galleries and mid-19th century brownstones.

How many times have you walked with speed and purpose through Grand Central Terminal without stopping to look at this world-class landmark? Learn about the hidden secrets and the secrets behind the obvious of Grand Central Terminal with Ginny Poleman.

One of New York City’s most devastating architectural losses was the original Beaux Arts masterpiece Penn Station, designed by Charles McKim of the Gilded Age’s McKim, Mead & White. Learn what made building the station possible, how it connected Manhattan to the country, and its ultimate demise in this informative webinar with Ginny Poleman.

Please be sure to register by the day before the class at the latest. You will receive an invitation email with a link to join the Zoom meeting. Click here for a tutorial on how to join a Zoom meeting.

Artworks have been the subject of looting throughout history, from ancient to current wars. However, Napoleon Bonaparte’s unprecedented looting at the end of 18th century, and what followed his fall from power, has been transformative in some unexpected ways in addition to the expected devastation it caused. In this lecture we will follow the fascinating stories of some of the most admired artworks in Western Art, how they ended up where they are today, and the long lasting consequences of Napoleon’s looting, from the idea of “public museums” to the practice of “restitution of looted art”.

Looting of artworks has been standard practice throughout history, from ancient to current wars. Yet, as various forms of looting historically bolstered public museums around the world, they also prompted the idea of moral responsibility and the practice of restitution. Today, the question of who should be the keeper of cultural heritage is once again transforming the museum world. In this lecture we will follow the fascinating stories of some of the most admired artworks in world art, how they ended up where they are today, and the unprecedented developments concerning ownership of art in the museum world.

Whether a new van Gogh is discovered in an attic, or a Renaissance fresco emerges behind a fallen wall, the mysteries of artworks lost and/or found are enduring. They involve detective work both in locating and authenticating these works, while the story lines spark our imagination and become a part of the artwork’s aura and attraction. In this lecture we will study some key artworks by Leonardo, Caravaggio, Bosch, Rembrandt, van Gogh, and others, and immerse ourselves in the lush details of the artworks and their mysteries.

There is nothing like sitting in a small dark club with your favorite cocktail and seeing a cabaret artist tell you an intimate story through music that makes you discover something new about a song you’ve known for years. Cabaret performances are often known for bringing alive the Great American Songbook from the 1920s through the 1950s for contemporary audiences. But modern-day cabaret does much more than preserve the past—it also promotes and fosters the new generation of American composers and creates a uniquely vibrant musical and theatrical experience for its audiences. Join Dr. Regina Zona, an award-winning cabaret artist herself, for some history of the artform and to hear classic performances of some of the world’s best cabaret artists from yesterday and today.

Interpretation is a central activity in human life, but it is often an activity that goes unexamined. This class will touch briefly on the activity of interpretation in general (literature, art, law) and then examine some examples of musical interpretation. In the classical music world, interpretation – the process of translating the notes on the page into a performance – is the central preoccupation. How differently is it possible to do this with the same piece of music? (Answer: very differently!) How do performers make these choices and how can we, as listeners, assess those choices? How have performance styles changed over the years?