There’s more to getting ready for Europe than packing your bags!

Check out the course’s short preview lecture here!

Planning a trip to Europe? Already have gone? This four-week Zoom course helps you better savor your in-person experiences of the art and architecture in Paris, Florence, and Rome!  Equipping you with some groundwork needed for in-person visits and guided tours, this course examines a period when each city reached a height of artistic renown.  Join art historian Dr. Hannah Wong and featured guest Dr. Kelley Magill as we explore how art and artists shaped Paris, Florence, and Rome—often, quite literally—and vice versa. From the parks and plumbing of nineteenth-century Paris to the patronage of Florentine guilds during the Renaissance, we’ll consider the influence these cities had on the art and artistic movements they birthed.

The course also features special online features and two “Ask a Tour Guide” sessions with Dr. Kelley Magill (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), a Renaissance specialist and former guide in Italy with practical insider tips on how to best enjoy Rome and Florence. Classes are on Fridays from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm (1.5 hr lecture + 30-minute “Ask a Tour Guide” or discussion with the instructor) starting on Feb. 23, 2024. Recordings of classes will be posted weekly on the course’s private webpage.

Want a sneak peek? Check out the course’s short preview lecture!

Schedule and pricing are listed below.

Rome: Ancient Imperial Rome
(31 BC - 476 CE)

Class date: Friday, 2/23/24
(12:00 pm-1:30 pm lecture; 1:30 pm-2:00 pm discussion)

There’s a reason all roads led to Rome. Learn how technology such as concrete and innovative “borrowing” from and assimilation of other cultures led to imperial dominance.

(Possible works studied: Architecture and monuments such as the Arch of Constantine, Colosseum, Pantheon, aqueducts throughout Empire.)

Florence: Italian Renaissance
(1400 CE-1600 CE)

Class date: Friday, 3/1/24
(12:00 pm-1:30 pm lecture; 1:30 pm-2:00 pm “Ask A Tour Guide” with Dr. Kelley Magill)

Discover the origin story of the Italian Renaissance where it all began. We’ll examine the city and culture that shaped artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello, and many more!

(Possible works studied: Painting, sculpture, and architecture such as Brunelleschi’s Dome of Florence Cathedral, the niche sculptures of Or San Michele, and the Baptistery’s multi-paneled doors.)

Please note: This course offers participants a foundation for appreciating the art and architecture in Paris, Florence, and Rome. While guidebooks and in-person tours highlight a city’s “greatest hits”, Touring Europe uses famous and not-so-famous artwork to explore key historical and cultural contexts that shaped these cities and their art. Artwork ranges from a painting tucked away in a small church in Rome to Florentine statues that paved the way for Michelangelo’s David.

Course Details

Lectures are 1.5 hrs. each and held over Zoom on Fridays from 12:00 pm-1:30 pm (Central). Lecture is followed by a half hour “Ask a Tour Guide” session with Dr. Kelley Magill or Q & A with Dr. Wong. "Ask a Tour Guide” sessions with Dr. Magill are on Friday, 3/1/24 and 3/8/24 starting around 1:30 pm (Central) after lecture.

Format

Primarily an interactive lecture course with a lively, participatory learning environment followed by 30 minutes of discussion. All classes will be conducted online via Zoom. Video recordings of the live classes will be posted weekly on the course’s private web page and only made available to students.

Pricing

• Full course = 4 classes x 2 hours each) = 8 hrs. total + full access to course website & resources = $225

• Specifics: 4 lectures (1.5 hours each) + 2 live half-hour “Ask a Former Tour Guide” Q & A sessions with Dr. Kelley Magill, Italian Renaissance Art specialist and (previous) professional tour guide in Italy (3/1/24 and 3/8/24) + 2 half-hour discussions with instructor = 8 hrs. total

• Household/Partner Option: Details here.

Perks of This Course

• Private Online References & Resources Collection: Students have access to the private Touring Europe course website, which is full of goodies! Each week, the site will include a recording of the week’s lecture and discussion, online resources relevant to the lecture, and a handout featuring several of Dr. Magill’s dining and tour recommendations in Rome and Florence.

• Convenient & Accessible: Don’t worry about missing a class! Take this course from the comfort of your own home, and if you miss a lecture or want to review the material, video recordings will be posted weekly. This website will be available to students through summer 2024.

• Engaging & In Real Time: Live, interactive lectures that are not pre-recorded, plus in-person and experiential learning components.

• Community of Thoughtful Fellow Participants: Many of the students are curious, life-long learners just like you!

Still not sure? Check out the course’s short preview lecture!