ONLINE Lectures

Polka Dots, Pumpkins and Beyond

| Kenneth W. Park |

Marvel at the unique worldview of one of the world's most celebrated living artists spotlighted in a blockbuster exhibition at the NGV this summer.

Part I: The Birth of a Nation

| Dr Jeni Ryde |

Learn about the fascinating genesis of the oldest nation-state in Europe that went on to command a vast colonial empire during the late Middle Ages.  

Beyond the Elgin Marbles 

| Byron Comninos |

Be mesmerised by one of the world's greatest and most influential artistic traditions: the stone carvings of Ancient Greece. 

Gesamtkunstwerk - 'Total Work of Art' 

| Prof Carol B. Reynolds |

Discover how German composer Richard Wagner’s creative genius reshaped opera and sparked an artistic revolution that continues to this day. 

Part II: Borderlands and Rivalry with Spain

| Dr Jeni Ryde |

Discover the utterly charming historic villages along the Spanish and Portuguese frontier which loom large in the Portuguese psyche.  

Vita Sackville-West, William Robinson and Christopher Lloyd

| Mike Turner |

Discover how an Irishman, an English aristocrat, and a descendant of Oliver Cromwell used their pens to foster the British love of gardening. 

His Life and Work

| Dr Jeni Ryde |

Explore the Italian filmmaker considered one of the greatest directors of all time, whose distinctive work mixed fantasy and baroque excess with gritty social critique.

Part I: Portrait Painter

| Dr Sophie Oosterwijk |

In the first of two lectures on the work of the Dutch master, develop a newfound appreciation for the extraordinary portraits and self-portraits of one of the world's most revered artists. 

Colour, Life and Movement

| Anne Harbers |

Admire and appreciate the vivid art of a pioneering post-impressionist painter currently on show at a major retrospective in the National Gallery of Australia this summer.

King of Scots

| Dr Lauren Mackay |

In the wake of a new production starring David Tennant, explore the captivating life of the real Scottish King Macbeth whose dramatic reign inspired Shakespeare’s tragedy. 

Part II: The Bible

| Dr Sophie Oosterwijk |

In the second of two lectures on one the world's greatest artistic storytellers, explore Rembrandt's many masterly interpretations of biblical stories.