The World’s Greatest Paintings

Enjoy an unforgettable encounter with daring and sublime works of art in this compelling journey through masterpieces that shaped the history of painting.

Course Description

This course presents a sweeping exploration of the most influential paintings ever created, spanning from the Italian Renaissance to modern abstraction. Discover the power of Duccio and Giotto’s devotional works, the human drama in Masaccio, Van Eyck, and Caravaggio, the majesty of Michelangelo and Rembrandt, and the expressive force of Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Pollock, and beyond. Through careful analysis, you’ll gain insight into how these masterpieces revolutionized artistic expression, reflected cultural shifts, and continue to captivate audiences today.

---

Lecture List

01: Greatness in Painting
What makes a masterpiece? Explore the criteria for defining greatness, including uniqueness, impact, and enduring influence.
31 min

02: The Majesty of Duccio and Giotto
Study Duccio’s “Maestà” altarpiece and Giotto’s Arena Chapel frescoes, masterpieces that combine dramatic imagery, spatial power, and human emotion.
29 min

03: Acts of Faith—Masaccio, Van Eyck, Van der Weyden
Trace religious imagery in the works of Masaccio, Van Eyck, and Rogier van der Weyden, highlighting narrative depth, realism, and emotional intensity.
32 min

04: The Diversity of Piero, Mantegna, Botticelli
Examine Piero della Francesca’s “Resurrection,” Mantegna’s illusionistic innovations, and Botticelli’s poetic “Primavera.”
31 min

05: The Devotion of Bellini, Geertgen, Dürer
Explore Bellini’s “St. Francis in the Desert,” Geertgen’s layered “Madonna with Musical Angels,” and Dürer’s monumental self-portrait.
32 min

06: Masterworks by Leonardo, Raphael, Correggio
Analyze Leonardo’s “Last Supper,” Raphael’s ideal portrait of Baldassare Castiglione, and Correggio’s erotic “Jupiter and Io.”
30 min

07: Great Ensembles—Michelangelo and Grünewald
Reflect on Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling (Creation of Adam, Prophet Jeremiah) and Grünewald’s mystical “Isenheim Altarpiece.”
32 min

08: Ideal and Real—Giorgione, Titian, Holbein
Study Giorgione and Titian’s “Concert Champêtre,” Titian’s “Assumption,” and Holbein’s detailed portrait of Charles de Solier.
30 min

09: Living and Dying—Bruegel, El Greco, Caravaggio
Explore Bruegel’s “Hunters in the Snow,” El Greco’s “Burial of Count Orgaz,” and Caravaggio’s “The Entombment.”
30 min

10: Life Stories by Ter Brugghen, Rubens, Steen
Learn from Ter Brugghen’s “Healing of St. Sebastian,” Rubens’s operatic “Landing of Marie de Medici,” and Steen’s lively scenes.
30 min

11: Inside Vermeer, Velázquez, Rembrandt
Examine Vermeer’s “View of Delft,” Velázquez’s “Las Meninas,” and Rembrandt’s stoic self-portrait of 1658.
30 min

12: Spirit and Thought—Hals, Rembrandt, La Tour
Study Hals’s group portraits, Rembrandt’s intimate depictions, and La Tour’s meditative flame-lit compositions.
28 min

13: The Serenity of Poussin, Claude, Watteau
Analyze Poussin’s “Eliezer and Rebecca,” Claude’s landscapes, and Watteau’s wistful “Embarkation for Cythera.”
31 min

14: In Contrast—Chardin, Tiepolo, Gainsborough
Compare Chardin’s delicate still life, Tiepolo’s grand fresco “Apollo and the Four Continents,” and Gainsborough’s elegant portraits.
31 min

15: Dark Images of David, Goya, Friedrich
Examine David’s “Death of Marat,” Goya’s “Third of May, 1808,” and Friedrich’s Romantic contemplation of nature.
29 min

16: The Worlds of Constable, Turner, Delacroix
Explore Constable’s landscapes, Turner’s dramatic use of light, and Delacroix’s revolutionary “Liberty Leading the People.”
29 min

17: Dark to Bright—Courbet, Church, Monet
Compare Courbet’s Realism, Church’s Niagara Falls, and Monet’s sunlit “The Magpie.”
30 min

18: Alone and Together—Whistler, Degas, Renoir
Study Whistler’s intimate portrait of his mother, Degas’s café scenes, and Renoir’s festive “Luncheon of the Boating Party.”
29 min

19: Unlike Any Other—Sargent, Manet, Seurat
Reflect on Sargent’s unusual group portrait, Manet’s “Bar at the Folies-Bergère,” and Seurat’s “Sunday on La Grande Jatte.”
31 min

20: Close Observation—Cézanne, Van Gogh, Homer
Examine Cézanne’s “The Card Players,” Van Gogh’s “The Harvest,” and Homer’s “Fox Hunt.”
30 min

21: The Human Condition—Munch, Matisse, Schiele
Unpack Munch’s “The Scream,” Matisse’s “The Joy of Life,” and Schiele’s “The Family.”
31 min

22: Art in Time of War—Monet and Picasso
Compare Monet’s water-lilies series with Picasso’s anguished “Guernica.”
31 min

23: Time and Memory—Magritte, Hopper, Gorky
Analyze Magritte’s “Time Transfixed,” Hopper’s “Nighthawks,” and Gorky’s “The Plough and the Song.”
31 min

24: Expressive Abstractions—Pollock and Hofmann
Conclude with Pollock’s “Lavender Mist” and Hofmann’s abstract works, reflecting on the enduring power of modern painting.
32 min