Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Gallery
Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
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When we think of the Renaissance we usually think of Italy, in particular Florence and Rome. Yet from around 1400 to 1600 there were arguably equally significant cultural advances in northern Europe, which for the purposes of this course includes the modern day countries of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Germany. Many artists in these countries had the desire to make images of the visible world more believable and accessible, humanizing art and culture in the process. The paintings are often jewel-like in their precision, rendered with astonishing realism, skill and clarity.
This museum-based course introduces the painting of northern European countries from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 16th held in the collection of the National Gallery. It will introduce some of the contexts and debates surrounding the idea of the Northern Renaissance while also enjoying and analysing some of the period’s astoundingly beautiful paintings along the way.
This short-course can me taken as a stand alone or as an add on to our 10-week Art of the Northern Renaissance.
A meeting point will be emailed to you within a week of the course start date.
What will we cover?
• The paintings of significant Northern Renaissance artists held by the National Gallery
• Cultural contexts of northern Europe at this time
• Some work of the Northern Renaissance’s most innovative artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• You will be able to identify certain key features of Northern Renaissance art from this period
• You will be able to name and identify the works of Northern Renaissance artists discussed in our session
• You will be able to explain how the techniques used by these artists affects the appearance of these works
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels and requires no prior 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 although you are not obliged to contribute if you prefer not to.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will be taught with a mixture of guided gallery visits, group discussion and short activities.
This course takes place offsite in the National Gallery. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or the behaviour 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 buildings), you will need to be able to walk between galleries and stand for some time while looking at exhibits. You may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite. If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, in order to discuss reasonable accommodations that we can make to assist your learning offsite.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to bring a notebook and something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list in the handouts. You might want to invest in a portable gallery stool. Museum entry is free.
This course will have an approximately 1 hour break for lunch. You may wish to bring a packed lunch, or have lunch together with the group in the National Gallery café. Please be advised:the National Gallery does not allow external food in the museum spaces, so if you bring a packed lunch, it needs to be eaten outside the museum.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Art of the Northern Renaissance, a 10-week course from winter 2027
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.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/art-of-the-northern-renaissance-at-the-national-gallery2777439Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Galleryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpg4949GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Early modern world22851136117718891228511771136<p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p>003030865Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Gallery7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeTueOff SiteAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-12-08T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allDec 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB2827979Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Gallery635179Elizabeth Eyresart-of-the-northern-renaissance-at-the-national-gallery/vb282-2627<p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p>0000-Available|2026-12-08 00:00:00<p>When we think of the Renaissance we usually think of Italy, in particular Florence and Rome. Yet from around 1400 to 1600 there were arguably equally significant cultural advances in northern Europe, which for the purposes of this course includes the modern day countries of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Germany. Many artists in these countries had the desire to make images of the visible world more believable and accessible, humanizing art and culture in the process. The paintings are often jewel-like in their precision, rendered with astonishing realism, skill and clarity.</p><p>This museum-based course introduces the painting of northern European countries from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 16th held in the collection of the National Gallery. It will introduce some of the contexts and debates surrounding the idea of the Northern Renaissance while also enjoying and analysing some of the period’s astoundingly beautiful paintings along the way.</p><p>This short-course can me taken as a stand alone or as an add on to our 10-week Art of the Northern Renaissance.</p><p>A meeting point will be emailed to you within a week of the course start date.</p><p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• The paintings of significant Northern Renaissance artists held by the National Gallery</p><p>• Cultural contexts of northern Europe at this time</p><p>• Some work of the Northern Renaissance’s most innovative artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• You will be able to identify certain key features of Northern Renaissance art from this period</p><p>• You will be able to name and identify the works of Northern Renaissance artists discussed in our session</p><p>• You will be able to explain how the techniques used by these artists affects the appearance of these works</p><p>This course is suitable for all levels and requires no prior art history knowledge.<br><br>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 although you are not obliged to contribute if you prefer not to.</p><p>The course will be taught with a mixture of guided gallery visits, group discussion and short activities.</p><p>This course takes place offsite in the National Gallery. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or the behaviour 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 buildings), you will need to be able to walk between galleries and stand for some time while looking at exhibits. You may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite. If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, in order to discuss reasonable accommodations that we can make to assist your learning offsite.</p><p>You might wish to bring a notebook and something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list in the handouts. You might want to invest in a portable gallery stool. Museum entry is free.<br><br>This course will have an approximately 1 hour break for lunch. You may wish to bring a packed lunch, or have lunch together with the group in the National Gallery café. <strong>Please be advised:</strong>the National Gallery does not allow external food in the museum spaces, so if you bring a packed lunch, it needs to be eaten outside the museum.</p><p>Art of the Northern Renaissance, a 10-week course from winter 2027</p><p>A Day at the National Gallery</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p>Art historyEarly modern worldvirtual3041734Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Gallery4949https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/an-introduction-to-european-decorative-arts-at-the-v_a-vb909-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeWedOff SiteAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJun 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB2834949Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Gallery393249Elizabeth Eyresart-of-the-northern-renaissance-at-the-national-gallery/vb283-2526<p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-03 00:00:00<p>When we think of the Renaissance we usually think of Italy, in particular Florence and Rome. Yet from around 1400 to 1600 there were arguably equally significant cultural advances in northern Europe, which for the purposes of this course includes the modern day countries of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Germany. Many artists in these countries had the desire to make images of the visible world more believable and accessible, humanizing art and culture in the process. The paintings are often jewel-like in their precision, rendered with astonishing realism, skill and clarity.</p><p>This museum-based course introduces the painting of northern European countries from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 16th held in the collection of the National Gallery. It will introduce some of the contexts and debates surrounding the idea of the Northern Renaissance while also enjoying and analysing some of the period’s astoundingly beautiful paintings along the way.</p><p>This short-course can me taken as a stand alone or as an add on to our 10-week Art of the Northern Renaissance.</p><p>A meeting point will be emailed to you within a week of the course start date.</p><p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• The paintings of significant Northern Renaissance artists held by the National Gallery</p><p>• Cultural contexts of northern Europe at this time</p><p>• Some work of the Northern Renaissance’s most innovative artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• You will be able to identify certain key features of Northern Renaissance art from this period</p><p>• You will be able to name and identify the works of Northern Renaissance artists discussed in our session</p><p>• You will be able to explain how the techniques used by these artists affects the appearance of these works</p><p>This course is suitable for all levels and requires no prior art history knowledge.<br><br>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 although you are not obliged to contribute if you prefer not to.</p><p>The course will be taught with a mixture of guided gallery visits, group discussion and short activities.</p><p>This course takes place offsite in the National Gallery. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or the behaviour 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 buildings), you will need to be able to walk between galleries and stand for some time while looking at exhibits. You may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite. If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, in order to discuss reasonable accommodations that we can make to assist your learning offsite.</p><p>You might wish to bring a notebook and something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list in the handouts. You might want to invest in a portable gallery stool. Museum entry is free.<br><br>This course will have an approximately 1 hour break for lunch. You may wish to bring a packed lunch, or have lunch together with the group in the National Gallery café. <strong>Please be advised:</strong>the National Gallery does not allow external food in the museum spaces, so if you bring a packed lunch, it needs to be eaten outside the museum.</p><p>Art of the Northern Renaissance, a 10-week course from winter 2027</p><p>A Day at the National Gallery</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p>Art historyEarly modern worldvirtual63,3979,4951,32VB282,VB283NONETue,Wed03/06/2611:00 - 15:0011:0015:001 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekdayOSOff SiteElizabeth EyresBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-12-08T00:00:00+00:00,2026-06-03T00:00:00+00:00Dec 2026,Jun 2026Culture, history & humanities4979,49Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National Galleryart-of-the-northern-renaissance-at-the-national-gallery/vb282-2627,art-of-the-northern-renaissance-at-the-national-gallery/vb283-2526<p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-03 00:00:00<p>When we think of the Renaissance we usually think of Italy, in particular Florence and Rome. Yet from around 1400 to 1600 there were arguably equally significant cultural advances in northern Europe, which for the purposes of this course includes the modern day countries of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Germany. Many artists in these countries had the desire to make images of the visible world more believable and accessible, humanizing art and culture in the process. The paintings are often jewel-like in their precision, rendered with astonishing realism, skill and clarity.</p><p>This museum-based course introduces the painting of northern European countries from the beginning of the 15th century to the end of the 16th held in the collection of the National Gallery. It will introduce some of the contexts and debates surrounding the idea of the Northern Renaissance while also enjoying and analysing some of the period’s astoundingly beautiful paintings along the way.</p><p>This short-course can me taken as a stand alone or as an add on to our 10-week Art of the Northern Renaissance.</p><p>A meeting point will be emailed to you within a week of the course start date.</p><p>Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work on display at the National Gallery, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• The paintings of significant Northern Renaissance artists held by the National Gallery</p><p>• Cultural contexts of northern Europe at this time</p><p>• Some work of the Northern Renaissance’s most innovative artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.</p><p>• You will be able to identify certain key features of Northern Renaissance art from this period</p><p>• You will be able to name and identify the works of Northern Renaissance artists discussed in our session</p><p>• You will be able to explain how the techniques used by these artists affects the appearance of these works</p><p>This course is suitable for all levels and requires no prior art history knowledge.<br><br>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 although you are not obliged to contribute if you prefer not to.</p><p>The course will be taught with a mixture of guided gallery visits, group discussion and short activities.</p><p>This course takes place offsite in the National Gallery. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or the behaviour 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 buildings), you will need to be able to walk between galleries and stand for some time while looking at exhibits. You may bring your own portable stool if you have one, but we cannot guarantee access to seating offsite. If you feel you may be impacted by these environmental variations, please inform the department on humanities@citylit.ac.uk before the course begins, in order to discuss reasonable accommodations that we can make to assist your learning offsite.</p><p>You might wish to bring a notebook and something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list in the handouts. You might want to invest in a portable gallery stool. Museum entry is free.<br><br>This course will have an approximately 1 hour break for lunch. You may wish to bring a packed lunch, or have lunch together with the group in the National Gallery café. <strong>Please be advised:</strong>the National Gallery does not allow external food in the museum spaces, so if you bring a packed lunch, it needs to be eaten outside the museum.</p><p>Art of the Northern Renaissance, a 10-week course from winter 2027</p><p>A Day at the National Gallery</p><p>Introduction to the Italian Renaissance</p>Art historyEarly modern worldconfigurable
18891136Early modern worldhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/art-history/early-modern-world1/2/285/1177/1136/18891/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Early modern world
