Art History courses online and in London
Looking to build your confidence in discussing and interpreting art? Or are you interested in taking your established knowledge of art in new directions? Then come and join City Lit’s Art History learning community!
Our exceptional range of courses, both introductory and in-depth, are designed for all learning levels. Our programme approaches art history from a variety of perspectives including social and cultural context, art theory and philosophy, curation and collecting, general art appreciation and so much more.
Choosing the right class for you
Our courses are open to all. Our students come from all backgrounds and learning experiences, from the absolute beginner to those refining their knowledge and understanding. We aim to give you the confidence to engage meaningfully with art, whatever level you are working from. Our students use our courses for personal fulfilment as well as professional and educational development. Many of our students go on to advanced degree and certificate programmes and many are able to use their knowledge in art making and gallery work.
Learn from expert tutors
At City Lit we are proud of the expertise of our tutors who are all professional art historians working actively in museums, galleries, research and writing, universities and auction houses. As experts in the field, they are able to provide you with the support and guidance you need to develop your art historical knowledge. As teachers they provide student-focused education, helping students achieve their art historical goals, both the personal and the professional.
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- Friday lates: Jean-Michel Basquiat: painting historyCourse start date: Fri 3 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayExplore how Jean-Michel Basquiat used art history, from Ancient Africa to Abstract Expressionism, to dialogue with contemporary culture and issues of racism, money and fame.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Lunchtime lecture: Winter Sun: Nancy Holt's land artCourse start date: Wed 8 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayJoin us for an introduction to the work of Nancy Holt, one of the foundational figures of the land art movement.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £8.00 Concession £7.00 - Art history tasterCourse start date: Wed 18 Jan 2023 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayCurious about art history? Join us for this taster session where we explore different ways into visual art and its histories, from the ancient to the contemporary.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00 - Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
- Focus on: British printmaking in the late 19th and early 20th centuryCourse start date: Sun 26 Feb 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julia MusgraveDiscover the work of the significant artist-printmakers who worked in Britain from the late 19th century through to the Interwar period: the printmaking processes they used, and the ways they variously responded to tradition and modernity.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Friday lates: the art of zinesCourse start date: Fri 3 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christopher CollierUnderground passions and radical imagery have defined so-called fanzines for over 80 years. From the earliest examples to today, we explore their content, technique and the relation of DIY culture to wider artistic practices.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Cutting it fine: collage in modern & contemporary artCourse start date: Sun 5 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Chantal CondronImmerse yourself in an exploration of the history of collage going as far back as ancient China to international contemporary art today. This engaging study day will enhance your knowledge of the roots of this fascinating media, and illustrate how collage techniques have been pivotal to major modern and contemporary art movements, from Cubism, Dada and Surrealism to photomontage and digital art.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Lunchtime lecture: rethinking Mary CassattCourse start date: Thu 9 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayJoin us for an exploration of the art of Mary Cassatt: feminist, independent, painter of women in the world.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £8.00 Concession £7.00 - Friday lates: Paula Rego – fairy tales and forbidden thingsCourse start date: Fri 10 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronDiscover the work of one of Britain’s best loved artists, whose paintings of vivid interior and private drama draw on her early years growing up in Portugal under the repressive Catholic dictatorship of General Salazar.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Friday lates: poster art: print, pop and propagandaCourse start date: Fri 24 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christopher CollierGet a snapshot of the eye-catching and colourful world of poster art, from Belle Époque decadence to Avant-Garde dynamism; from Art Nouveau to Atelier Populaire, and the everyday glamour of Pop.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
- Friday lates: the art of the frameCourse start date: Fri 31 Mar 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Julia MusgraveEvery picture tells a story, but what about the frame around it? Find out how picture frames can tell us more about the artworks they surround.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Lunchtime lecture: Botticelli's nature - vernal roses and frothing seasCourse start date: Mon 24 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Online
Explore the nature and evironment within and beyond Botticell's most iconic paintings, La Primavera and The Birth of Venus. Learn how closely the artist studied nature and what it can teach about the changing climate we live in today.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £8.00 Concession £7.00 - Friday lates: Lubaina Himid – longing and belongingCourse start date: Fri 28 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronThis Friday evening art history course spotlights the work of artist Lubaina Himid, one of Britain's most thought provoking artists.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Focus on: fashion in 16th century artCourse start date: Fri 28 Apr 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julie BarlowDo you know your codpiece from your farthingale? Why did the ruff become so fashionable? How do we identify figures in narrative and religious art? This short course explores the fascinating world of costume in 16th century European painting. Explore the socio-political context behind portraiture, how fashion was employed to convey status, and the impact of developments in textiles and trade.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
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