Early modern world
Art History Courses Online & In London
Would you like to get to grips with the Italian Renaissance, explore the energy of 17th century London or the ‘serenity’ of 18th century Venice? Our courses on the early modern world cover the art, culture, political happenings and artist biographies of the 15th-18th centuries. Join us online, in the classroom, in the gallery or out and about in London.
Online, classroom-based and gallery-based art history courses
Many of our courses are also offered online, giving you the freedom to study from anywhere you need to be. We also offer our classes in-person at our Central London location and at many galleries and museums in and around London. Use the Location filters on this page to choose your preferred delivery method. See our guide to online learning for more information about our live online courses.
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.
- Study day: portrait miniatures - 500 years of intimate art
Course start date: Sun 1 Nov 2026Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sophie RhodesIn this study-day, explore the rich history of portrait miniatures, from the jewel-like works of Hilliard to 18th and 19th century innovations. This study day examines key artists, techniques, and the miniature’s role in love, memory, and identity. It will also include an in-depth look at the role women artists had in shaping this genre.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - The art of the Burgundian Netherlands c. 1360-1480 Course start date: Wed 4 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julia MusgraveExplore how the extravagant lifestyle of the Burgundian court provided opportunities for an opulent Burgundian style to be developed and disseminated across Europe in the late middle ages and into the renaissance.Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £123.00 - Focus on: iconography Course start date: Wed 4 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Leslie PrimoEver wondered whether there’s a hidden meaning behind paintings? Discover why there are signs and symbols in paintings and how to find and interpret their meanings in medieval and Renaissance art.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - The arts of medieval Islam: Fatimids, Turks, Mongols and MamluksCourse start date: Fri 6 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Anita ChowdryA course looking at the role of ideology and patronage under key Islamic dynasties that arose in Egypt and the Middle East during the 10th - 14th century, with important new influences brought by invasions of Turks and Mongols from Central Asia and the Far East.
Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £189.00 - Focus on: the art of Siena Course start date: Thu 12 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Leslie PrimoThe golden panels of the Sienese masters are immediately identifiable but why was their work so different? Today we explore the art of Siena, its world, its symbolism and how it was made.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - Art of the Northern Renaissance at the National GalleryCourse start date: Tue 8 Dec 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresDiscover 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.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Women of the artworld: Renaissance and Baroque eras Course start date: Thu 7 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Elisa StafferiniLearn how women in early modern Italy defied societal constraints to shape art and culture. Explore how female patrons, collectors and artists challenged gender norms, influenced the portrayal of women in visual art and developed new artistic identities. Discover how their contributions helped foster proto-feminist perspectives and redefined women’s roles in the art world.
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - A sense of place: Constable’s Hampstead Course start date: Mon 1 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneExplore Georgian and Regency Hampstead walking in the footsteps of John Constable and seeing places he painted and quotes about his thoughts and feelings on Hampstead and his art.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
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