Art History courses online and in London

From Edward Hopper to Philip Evergood to Diego Rivera, study American art from the turbulent 1930s, analysing movements and styles, social and political context, materials, and art theory.

This Friday Late art history course spotlights the work of artist Lubaina Himid, one of Britain's most thought provoking artists.

Discover how British design ideas influenced German design schools in the late nineteenth century and how that influence was reversed in the 1930s when artists, designers, writers and architects embraced Bauhaus and Modernist design as a way to revitalise postwar Britain, and Bauhaus teachers were refugees in London. But did they succeed in making Britain modern?

Our cities and green spaces are being reimagined to tackle climate change and bring communities together. This course explores how international landscape architects and artists are transforming urban areas, creating parks, restoring wetlands and building greener neighbourhoods that work for both people and nature. From designing urban parks that absorb rainwater and prevent flooding, to restoring wetlands that shelter wildlife and cool city streets, smart design can make a real difference in building resilient futures.

Do you enjoy looking at art but want to understand it more deeply? This introduction to art history course will help you build confidence in interpreting art by exploring topics such as beauty, the role of the artist, gender, the art market, and global art history-giving you fresh insight into what you see in galleries and museums.

Study the stages of Picasso’s experimentation, including the Blue Period and Cubism, and key works, such as Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guernica, within a variety of contexts - biographic, historic, political and artistic.

In 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.

Discover Covent Garden when it was the centre for artists to live, socialise and practice their profession. From the development of the Piazza in the 1630s to the1730s when William Hogarth established St Martin’s Lane Academy. Many artists involved in this went on to be the founding members of the Royal Academy, which from the 1770s was housed at Somerset House.

Explore the material culture of imperial China and its influence on modern and contemporary visual cultures.

Explore the way painters through history have used colours to create effects and convey meaning and emotions. Looking into the history of pigments, colour theory, and colour symbolism, this course focuses on an essential aspect of the art of painting.