A stroll through British art: 1500-1850

Course Dates: 04/03/25 - 01/04/25
Time: 13:30 - 15:30
Location: Off Site
Tutors: 
On this informal gallery-based course you will explore and discuss the history and characteristics of British art from the 16th century to the mid-19th century. The course will take place offsite at both the National Gallery and Tate Britain.
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Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00

A stroll through British art: 1500-1850
  • Course Code: VB904
  • Dates: 04/03/25 - 01/04/25
  • Time: 13:30 - 15:30
  • Taught: Tue, Daytime
  • Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
  • Location: Off Site
  • Tutor: Elizabeth Eyres

Course Code: VB904

Tue, day, 04 Mar - 01 Apr '25

Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)

Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.

What is the course about?

In addition to exploring and discussing art produced in Britain from the 1500 to around 1850, on this course we will also question what is meant by “British Art”, since work produced by artists who spent time in Britain is also often considered to be “British”. We will also consider whether British art has any particular common characteristics, and the impact of historical contexts and patronage on the work produced during this period.

Key artists whose work we shall be investigating include Hans Holbein the Younger, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck, William Dobson, Peter Lely, Godfrey Kneller, Mary Beale, William Hogarth, Thomas Gainsborough, Canaletto, Joshua Reynolds, Johan Zoffany, Joseph Mallord William Turner, John Constable, George Stubbs, Joseph Wright of Derby, Angelica Kauffman, Samuel Palmer, William Blake, John Crome, Edwin Landseer, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Ford Maddox Brown.

Please note: the National Gallery is currently undergoing refurbishment of major spaces. This means some artworks you may already be familiar with may not be available for viewing.

What will we cover?

• The nature of British art in the period 1500-1850
• The impact of overseas artists on British artistic practice during this period
• Key themes in British art, such as portraiture, landscape, genre painting and animal painting and significant advances made in these genres during the period.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Recognise the work of at least ten British artists from the period
• Explain and discuss the influences of overseas artists on British art during the period
• Give at least one example of each genre of British painting and explain the work’s significance.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for all levels and requires no previous art history knowledge.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The course will be taught with guided gallery visits, which include group discussion and short group activities. Handouts will be provided by your tutor to support your learning on the course. These will mainly be on Google Classroom although some may be printed out for you by your tutor for use on the day but this cannot be guaranteed.

Museum/gallery-based courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between galleries), you will need to be able to walk between exhibits and stand for some time while looking at them. You may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to any gallery stools, although some may be available on the day. If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, to discuss reasonable accommodations we can make to assist your learning in the museum space.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You might wish to buy a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list given out in the sessions.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

A History of Modern Art in 50 Objects
Introduction to Tate Britain
Introduction to Tate Modern.

Elizabeth Eyres

Liz Keevill Eyres worked as a textile designer in the fashion industry for four years and then as a magazine journalist specializing in interior design for 13 years. Her first degree was at Camberwell School of Art which she did at the same time as completing a degree in History and Art History with the Open University. Liz studied and has taught at Kingston University, where she lead modules and lectured in history of art, design history and architecture for ten years and ran study visits both at home and abroad. Liz has researched into English Modernist textile design of the 1950s and the professional practice of the provincial Edwardian architect, in particular Norwich-based architect George Skipper.

Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.