This series of twelve lectures by art historian John Walsh (who holds a PhD in art history from Columbia and headed the J. Paul Getty Museum for almost two decades) explores the history of painting as a way to express stories. As Walsh notes, History painting is a genre that dominated the art world for several centuries until other forms of art - most notably abstract art - eventually became more prominent. This proliferation of abstract art has impacted how contemporary art historians and museum visitors interpret History paintings; viewers are more likely to focus on design than narrative. In this series of one hour lectures, Walsh explores the genre of History painting in depth. Lectures may especially be of interest to art history students and instructors.