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The White House
The White House, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. is the home of the President of the United States. It has served as the president's home since John Adams moved in in 1800. It was designed by James Hoban and began construction in 1792. Many presidents such as Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Taft added on to the mansion to fit their personal tastes or presidential needs. The architectural style can be classified as Neoclassical. -
Red Square in Moscow
This oil-on-canvas is by artist Fedor Alekseev. The piece falls into the Neoclassical movement. Alekseev focused mainly on landscape paintings, though he was discouraged from doing so throughout his education. Tsar Paul I commission Alekseev to create an accurate depiction of Russian architecture, which he did through "Red Square in Moscow." -
1812-1850 Grimm's Fairy Tales Vols. 1-6
The first six volumes of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's fairy tales were published between 1812 and 1850. Their tales include classics such as Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and Cinderella. Their work has been adapted many times over the years, most notably by Disney. The original content of theses fairy tales often contain graphic and violent imagery that has been removed to make the stories more "family friendly." The completed seventh edition contained 211 stories in total. -
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen published many works during this time period, but perhaps none so beloved and well-known as Pride and Prejudice. The story follows Elizabeth Bennett, an extremely bright and strong willed young woman of meager upbringing. She encounters the very rich and proud Mr. Darcy and swears to "loathe him for all eternity". Austen uses their budding and unlikely romance as means to comment on the roles of women, marraige, and propriety in British society. -
Frankenstein
This novel by author Mary Shelley was originally published anonymously in 1818. Five years later, in 1823, a second edition was printed, this time featuring Shelley's name. The idea for the story came to the author in a dream. The novel can be classified into both Gothic and Romantic eras of literature. Many critics argue that this novel is the first true example from the science-fiction genre. Adaptations and retellings of Shelley's novel are numerous and still continue to this day. -
Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Caspar David Friedrich created this oil-on-canvas in 1818. He was a German artist during the Romantic era. The orginial now hangs in Kunsthalle Hamburg in his home country of Germany. Critics have varied opinions as to the purpose of the piece. Some view it as a form of self reflection, while others see the man gazing at the fog not knowing what the future may hold. -
Church of St John the Evangelist
William Burn designed the Church of St John the Evangelist in Edinburgh, Scotland at the age of 25. The decorated ceiling is mirrored after Henry VII's Chapel, located in Westminister Abbey. Ballentine and William Raphael Eginton are responsible for the stained glass througout the church. -
The Judgment of Paris
Jean Baptiste Regnault created this oil-on-canvas in 1820 and currently resides in the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in Germany. The painting depicts the Greek myth of Paris (a mortal from Troy) being asked by Zeus to judge the beauty of Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. The winner receives the golden apple. Each goddess tries to win Paris' favor, with Aphrodite being victorious in offering him Helen of Troy in return for the apple. -
Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat)
This painting is an oil mural by Spanish artist Francisco Goya. It is estimated that the mural was completed between 1821 and 1823. The goat in the forefront is meant to represent the devil, forcing the people to confront fear and the possibility of death. It is known that Goya was not mentally sound when creating this piece and, at age 75, was confronting his own mortality. The original mural was painted on the walls of his home, then later transferred to canvas after his death. -
Symphony Number 9 in D minor
Listen Widely recognized as one of Ludwig van Beethoven's greatest works, Symphony Number 9 first premiered in Vienna to a full audience. The premier marked Beethoven's first time on stage in twelve years. Number 9 was the first symphony to include voices in it's composition. This piece is now considered to be one of the greatest, and most widely recognized, musical compositions of all time. -
Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church
This uniquely colored church was designed by architect Vasily Stasov and built in Potsdam, Germany as an orthodox church for its Russian residents. The church is still active today and holds the honor of being the oldest Russian orthodox church in the country. -
Wellington Arch
This arch is located in Hyde Park in London. It was designed by architect and designer Decimus Burton originally for a different location. Since the arch's construction, it has been moved from its original location to its current position. George IV commissioned the arch as a celebration of English victory during the Napoleonic Wars. The arch is not solid, and contains one entrance. However, the interior was not decorated as originally intended to save money. -
Bridge Real Ferdinando sul Garigliano
The bridge of Real Ferdinando sul Garigliano marked an architectural breakthrough in becoming the first iron suspension bridge in Italy and one of the first in all of Europe. Engineer Luigi Guira designed the bridge for the Kingdom of two Sicilies. -
Die Feen
Listen HereGerman composer, Richard Wagner, wrote the opera Die Feen in 1833, though it was not actually performed until July 29th, 1888. The title translates to “The Fairies” and details a forbidden love story between a half-fairy, Ada, and a mortal, Arindal. The piece boasts a cast of thirteen voices of varying types and is classified as German Romantic. Wagner died before he could ever see it performed. -
Manfred on the Jungfrau
This painting is a watercolor piece by John Martin. It currently resides in the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in England. The piece is based off of the poem "Manfred" by Lord Byron. The setting is the Jungfrau mountain, located in the Bernese Alps. The two men in the painting are Manfred, the title character who was about to jump from the edge of the cliff, and a hunter who pulls him from the ledge, saving his life. -
Philopoemen Hurt
This statue by David d'Angers (real name Pierre Jean David) is currently located at the Louvre in Paris. The piece depicts the Greek general Philopoemen wounded in battle. He was a brave warrior who saw many battles throughout his lifetime, and was known for continuing on in the face of adversity. The statue shows him sword-in-hand, seemingly continuing to fight regardless of his injury. -
Persephone
This bronze statue of the Greek goddess Persephone sits in the center of a pool on the Butler University campus in Indiana. Her pool is located in Holcomb Gardens. The base in engraved with the history of the goddess. She was the daughter of Zeus, and the Greeks sought her favor each spring to provide plentiful harvests. This rendering was created in 1840 by Armand Toussaint. -
A Christmas Carol
This novel, by Charles Dickens, tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his hatred of all things Christmas. He is softened over the course of the novel by visits from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. Dickens drew from personal experience when writing this novel, and it has become one of the most well known and beloved Christmas stories of all time. It has been in print since its debut in 1843 and as been adapted hundreds of times over various mediums. -
The Raven
One of Edgar Allen Poe's most well known works, the poem is from the persective of a man who is mourning the death of his lover, Lenore. He is haunted by a raven, who taunts him with the phrase "Nevermore." There is an element of the supernatural within the poem. Critics were divided at the time of its release. Many praised the piece and requested to hear it read by the author himself, while others found it to be remedial and of little consequence. -
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a classic novel written by Charlotte Bronte, who used the pseudonym "Currer Bell" at the time of publication. Bronte was praised for her ability to truly get into the mind of her title character in an authentic way. The novel follows the title character as she navigates love and morality while remaining true to her values. Jane embodies feminist ideals by refusing to give up her principles to please the men around her.
