Genres in art

Course Dates: 05/03/25 - 09/04/25
Time: 11:00 - 13:00
Location: Off Site
Tutors: 
Emma Rose Barber
We will look at the work of the 18th century artists in the National Gallery who epitomize the genres of art, the period when these categories were established. But we will also consider all the genres for the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries with the art on display in the gallery. And we might even wonder where religious subjects fit into this categorization, if at all!
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Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00

Genres in art
  • Course Code: VB129
  • Dates: 05/03/25 - 09/04/25
  • Time: 11:00 - 13:00
  • Taught: Wed, Daytime
  • Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
  • Location: Off Site
  • Tutor: Emma Rose Barber

Course Code: VB129

Wed, day, 05 Mar - 09 Apr '25

Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 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?

What is a genre and what is a genre when it comes to art and the discussion of art? And why does it matter? It all begins when art starts to be concerned with humanity at the centre of things. Rather than God. Many paintings started to appear in the early modern period that were concerned with the endeavours, achievements, creations and enterprises of humans. Join us at the National Gallery to find out more.

‘Genres’ were a way to define and categorise different works of art and include history painting, landscape, portraiture, still-life and rather curiously, at the bottom of the hierarchy, ‘genre’ painting. This last category defines images of ordinary and everyday life that started to become popular in the 19th century. The hierarchy of genres was established at the French Academy and then in the mid-18th century by Joshua Reynolds, the president of the Royal Academy. For him, history painting, was the highest genre, as it represented the high forms and artistic values of the ancient classical world, with subjects depicted taken from the great mythologies and tragedies in Greek literature. In some ways, that viewpoint set the course of how we look at western art even to this day.

What will we cover?

• Identify the different genres of painting, using the National Gallery as a case study.
• Consider the approach to the genres and what artists had to think about when painting these genres.
• Assess whether genre painting over the periods represented in the National Gallery change over time.

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

· Describe the treatment of genre paintings in the National Gallery.
· Identify the different types of genre and what they tell us about the history of western art.
· Consider whether the discussion of genre painting has any place in how we consider works of art today.

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, and health and safety information. You 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 with lecture and discussion in a museum gallery in front of artworks. 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.) 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 purchase a notebook for taking notes. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list provided. You may also wish to purchase a portable gallery stool to ensure seating for yourself, if that is something that you require. Entrance to the gallery is free.

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

A history of art in 100 objects
A history of Western art in 100 paintings.

Emma Rose Barber

Emma Rose Barber is an art historian who has been teaching adults for over 25 years. She specialises in the visual culture of the Middle Ages and the Italian and Northern Renaissance. She has also taught classes on British art and has designed many different courses such as Last Suppers in Florence and Bosch, Breughel and the Surrealists. She has also given lectures on Women and Art. She used to run the history of art department at the British Institute in Florence and works for many institutions such as the Open University, Morley College and the department of continuing education at the University of Oxford. Her book – 111 Churches that you Shouldn’t Miss in London - is coming out in the autumn of 2020. She has spent the last five years with a Mini A-Z looking for churches to write about, many of which can be found on her blog – https://theitinerantchurchgoer.wordpress.com/. She is also writing a Cultural History of Wayfaring and writes articles for Selvedge Magazine.

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.