Becoming one of the first public art collections following the French Revolution and one of the most visited art museums in the world, the Louvre has both a storied history and an incredible art collection. This course provides an overview of the history of the museum and how it came to be. We will explore the history of the French Academy and focus on some of the Louvre’s most renowned works of art, including the Nike of Samothrace and Venus de Milo, the Oath of the Horatii and the Raft of the Medusa, and, of course, the Mona Lisa.

Katherine E. Zoraster (M.A) is an Art Historian and a Professor of Art History at several local colleges specializing in Western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. She graduated with a double major in English Literature and Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Master’s Degree with Distinction in Art History from the California State University at Northridge.

In addition to the courses Katherine teaches for other lifelong learning programs, she also works as an Adjunct Professor of Art History at Moorpark College and an Art History Instructor for the full-time program at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts. Katherine also serves as a commissioner for the Burbank Cultural Arts Commission and volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter. In her free time, Katherine is an avid runner and travels extensively.