This 48 lecture series surveys the great movements of European painting, sculpture, and architecture from the age of Charlemagne to the onset of World War II.

When young Pablo Picasso arrived in Paris in October 1900 he made his way up the hillside of Montmartre ... The real revolution in the arts first took place not, as is commonly supposed, in the 1920s to the accompaniment of the Charleston, black jazz and mint juleps but more quietly and intimately, in the shadow of the windmills-- artificial and real-- and in the cafes and cabarets of Montmartre during the first decade of the century. The cross-fertilization...

The aim of these lectures is to make viewers feel welcome and comfortable in the company of paintings. By focusing on 65 masterpieces of Western painting, Professor William Kloss offers a vivid, visceral encounter with genius, shining light on the unique technical, stylistic, and expressive achievements of each painting. From the 14th century to the 20th, the images are examined for their qualities of uniqueness, impact, and emotional and intellectual...