What is the course about?
In this morning 6-session art history course we will look the art of Western Europe at a time when there was an increased value on independence of thought and creative self-ambition. For the north, this was a restorative time when it was freed from the Habsburg Empire and became a mercantile, maritime trading nation with a great sense of its place and power in the world. The region was open to exciting ‘material’ discoveries from the east such as Chinese porcelain, glass, textiles and wood. This was also a period of prolific painting. We will look at the subject matter of painters such as Pieter de Hooch and Johannes Vermeer and consider why they devoted subject matter to interiors displaying the material culture of the time, with a particular focus on the particular. Landscape painters such as Jacob van Ruisdael and Aelbert Cuyp will also be studied to see how a time of great political and geographical impetus brought about a visual confidence in depicting the natural world. The continuing concept and legacy of the ‘self-fashioning’ artist will be discussed in relation to Rembrandt.
The course will also consider how an art movement, in this case, the ‘Golden Age’ is invigorated by its histories. Here we will see how the German philosopher – G.W.F. Hegel (1820s) sought to establish the importance of Dutch painting seeing it as something encouraged by its citizens. We will also look at other canonical writings about the period such as Simon Schama’s The Embarrassment of Riches: an Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age (1987) and Svetlana Alpers’ The Art of Describing: Dutch Art in the Seventeenth Century (1983). We can learn to be critical of the application of art terms such as the Golden Age and discuss whether these are valid or purely promotional rhetorical flourishes.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
• The relevance and validity of the ‘Golden Age of Painting’ as a term
• An exploration of the paintings of Vermeer, de Hooch, Ruisdael and Rembrandt
• The how and why of the esteemed position of the painter during this period
• A consideration of some of the key themes found in the paintings.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Discuss together the application of art terms and how they contribute to art history, with reference to the ‘Golden Age of Painting’
• Look at images of some of the most famous artists of this period, analysing composition, tactile details and the nature of the subject matter
• Identify how and why the artist of this period came to have such a celebrated status in the history of art
• Identify key artists and themes of this period.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels.
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?
You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. Handouts will be provided by your tutor to support your learning on the course; these handouts will be available online/digitally for download, not printed out for you.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to purchase a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You might also be interested in:
• VB126: Art and identity: from the High Renaissance to the Reformation
• VB147: Art and power: from the Counter Reformation to the Baroque
• VB149: Art and Revolution: in the long 18th century
• VB152: Art and Anxiety: from the Enlightenment to the Victorian age
• VB857: Art and science
• VB888: Art and critical theory: ways to think about art - vision and gaze
• VB889: Art and critical theory: feminism, post-colonialism and the death of the artist.
