Ancient art serves as a portal to understanding the cultural, historical, and technological aspects of civilizations long past. This interdisciplinary course will explore the science and engineering aspects of ancient art from cave paintings to frescoes, mummy portraits, and sculptures in stone and bronze. This journey back in time will unravel the mysteries of how the ancients made the captivating art that we love today and the role that technology played in its creation. This course invites students to delve into the fascinating world of color creation, technique, tools, and materials used by ancient artists. We will explore various art forms including cave painting, frescoes, portraits, stone statuary, the lost-wax method of bronze casting, and ancient Greek pottery.

It will answer the question, “How did they do that?”

Visit the website for an extended description.

Bio:

Scott Jones is a retired naval officer and businessman with broad experience in national security, foreign relations, and politics. Scott is also a docent at the J. Paul Getty Museum (Getty Villa) where he leads tours in the Greek and Roman Galleries, special exhibitions, Roman architecture, and Roan gardens. He teaches for a few lifelong learning programs in the area.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people 50 years of age and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.