A History of European Art

We all know Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Michelangelo's David. Van Gogh's Starry Night. But few have the knowledge of the sweeping history of European art that makes a trip to a museum like the Louvre as thrilling as it is educational. What if you could walk through the rich landscape of European art history alongside a renowned art historian and learn to see pieces of art with a deep understanding of what makes them great? In the 48 parts of this course, you will do just that. Join award-winning art historian and scholar William Kloss as he guides you through the development of the arts in Europe from the Middle Ages to the modern era. It's a story of astonishing cultural achievements, from the soaring architecture of Gothic cathedrals to the daring visual experiments of the Cubist painters. This visually stunning story will include the landmarks you would expect to find in a comprehensive survey of Western art: Giotto's Arena Chapel, Van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece, Leonardo's The Last Supper, Vermeer's View of Delft, Picasso's Guernica, and others. But you will also encounter hidden gems and meet lesser-known artists that truly deserve to be classed among the great masters. Professor Kloss's gift for pulling you into an artistic work to show you what makes it function at different levels will make you want to walk through this virtual museum of masterpieces with him over and over again. Most importantly, you will find yourself looking at all art with new appreciation.