Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
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.
Please note: The course is not an historical survey of periods and styles. The course covers a wide range of art historical ideas, concepts and critical frameworks without chronology.
Art history is much more than decoding secrets and symbols, it is about critical thinking and empathy, understanding how an artwork not only reflects an artist’s interpretation of their world, but what it says to you about our world now. This course is designed to build your confidence with visual art by demystifying the myths that keep many of us from truly engaging with a work of art. It is designed for both the absolute beginner and those with some art historical knowledge who want to take their practice of art history to new depths.
We will look at a wide range of images, time periods and cultures to explore broad questions like: How is an artwork is made? What is depicted and why? And, who gets to say what it means? The overall goal is to build visual and cultural literacy that can be applied in a variety of art contexts, from the gallery and the museum to the catalogue and the computer screen.
What will we cover?
• What is art history? An introduction to its central methods • The components of an artwork: materials/processes, subject and intention • Art criticism, language and reading an artwork • The context of display and how it affects our understanding of an artwork.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Evaluate art more critically. • Demonstrate an understanding of the range of contexts that impact the viewing experience. • Participate in group discussions about art with more confidence.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels. This course includes the reading of art historical texts, which are academic in nature. This is meant to help students develop an understanding of art historical practice. These texts are required and may be challenging for some students, but we will work together with the information.
For the online version of this course: You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom and uses a Google Classroom to share materials. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please click here.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught with lecture, slide presentations and will be invited to participate in class discussion. There will be homework in this course in the form of reading art historical texts and art criticism and looking at artworks in-depth. There will be three high level art historical texts you will be asked to read. These texts are used for students to explore all aspects of art historical work. Homework is highly recommended to make the most of the course subject matter.
You will be invited to join a Google Classroom to supplement the course where documents will be shared and stored. You will receive an invitation to join this Google Classroom within a week of the course start date.
For the in-person version of this course:one of the sessions will take place at the National Gallery. 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.
For the online version of this course: Students must be willing to use the course's Google Classroom, which is essential for course documents. This is a live lesson course - sessions are not recorded or available on demand for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to have something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list given out in class.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Introduction to Tate Britain A history of art in 100 objects Ways into Islamic Art
Sarah is an art historian, educator, curator and writer based in London. Before her current position as art history tutor coordinator and programme lead at City Lit Sarah was a curator in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum. For six years, she was the lead educator for the Bridget Riley Art Foundation and has also worked at Wellcome Collection exploring the connections of art, medicine and human experience. Sarah has been an art history lecturer since 2003. Her first MA was in art history, her second MA was in cultural studies and her BA (first) was in art history. Sarah's expertise is in late 19th/early 20th century French art, but is also a generalist, teaching on a variety of topics and prefers to place artworks and objects in their wider social and cultural contexts, from the European Renaissance to the contemporary, emphasising new narratives and approaches to Western Art History.
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/introduction-to-art-history135454Introduction to art historyhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/n/introduction-to-art-history-1080.jpg279279GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Introductory & general art history courses/Courses/Top rated courses228511361177113716621228511771136Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it. <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">Art is the expression of the artist, but more importantly, it is the reflection of a time and place, a specific culture and the people it was made for. Studying art history gives us the tools to understand what an artist/artwork is saying and why. This course will empower your looking by bringing you closer to art and the visual culture that surrounds us. <br />
During the course we will look at a wide range of images, time periods and cultures to explore broad questions like how an artwork is made, what is depicted and why and who gets to say what it means. <br />
We will examine how historical context affects our reading of a work, the importance or not of the artist’s intention, the relationship of art to ideas and the role of the artist in society. <br />
Please note: The course is not an historical survey of periods and styles. The course covers a wide range of art historical ideas, concepts and critical frameworks. There will be time for you to bring up points of interest that you wish to address. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>344.93036403Introduction to art history279279https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/i/n/introduction-to-art-history-1080_30.jpgInStockDaytimeMonKeeley StreetNo longer available5-10 weeksWeekday2026-09-28T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experienceSep 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB176279279Introduction to art history223181279Sarah Jaffrayintroduction-to-art-history/vb176-2627Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.0015-FullStillOpen|2026-09-28 00:00:00<p><strong>Please note</strong>: The course is not an historical survey of periods and styles. The course covers a wide range of art historical ideas, concepts and critical frameworks without chronology.<br><br>Art history is much more than decoding secrets and symbols, it is about critical thinking and empathy, understanding how an artwork not only reflects an artist’s interpretation of their world, but what it says to you about our world now. This course is designed to build your confidence with visual art by demystifying the myths that keep many of us from truly engaging with a work of art. It is designed for both the absolute beginner and those with some art historical knowledge who want to take their practice of art history to new depths.<br><br>We will look at a wide range of images, time periods and cultures to explore broad questions like: How is an artwork is made? What is depicted and why? And, who gets to say what it means? The overall goal is to build visual and cultural literacy that can be applied in a variety of art contexts, from the gallery and the museum to the catalogue and the computer screen.</p>Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.• What is art history? An introduction to its central methods<br>• The components of an artwork: materials/processes, subject and intention<br>• Art criticism, language and reading an artwork<br>• The context of display and how it affects our understanding of an artwork.• Evaluate art more critically.<br>• Demonstrate an understanding of the range of contexts that impact the viewing experience.<br>• Participate in group discussions about art with more confidence.<p>This course is suitable for all levels. This course includes the reading of art historical texts, which are academic in nature. This is meant to help students develop an understanding of art historical practice. These texts are required and may be challenging for some students, but we will work together with the information.<br><br><strong>For the online version of this course</strong>: You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom and uses a Google Classroom to share materials. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please <a href="https://help.citylit.ac.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/11273523970845-What-is-your-City-Lit-student-IT-account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.</p><p>You will be taught with lecture, slide presentations and will be invited to participate in class discussion. There will be homework in this course in the form of reading art historical texts and art criticism and looking at artworks in-depth. There will be three high level art historical texts you will be asked to read. These texts are used for students to explore all aspects of art historical work. Homework is highly recommended to make the most of the course subject matter.<br><br>You will be invited to join a Google Classroom to supplement the course where documents will be shared and stored. You will receive an invitation to join this Google Classroom within a week of the course start date.</p><p><strong>For the in-person version of this course:</strong>one of the sessions will take place at the National Gallery. 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.<br><br><strong>For the online version of this course</strong>: Students must be willing to use the course's Google Classroom, which is essential for course documents. This is a live lesson course - sessions are not recorded or available on demand for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.</p>You might wish to have something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list given out in class.<p>Introduction to Tate Britain<br>A history of art in 100 objects<br>Ways into Islamic Art</p>Art historyIntroductory & general art history coursesvirtual223279181VB176NONEMon28/09/26 - 14/12/2610:30 - 12:3010:3012:3010 sessions (over 12 weeks)105-10 weeksWeekdayKSKeeley StreetSarah JaffrayBeginners, Some experienceNo longer available2026-09-28T00:00:00+00:00DaytimeSep 2026Culture, history & humanities279279Introduction to art historyintroduction-to-art-history/vb176-2627Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.0015-FullStillOpen|2026-09-28 00:00:00<p><strong>Please note</strong>: The course is not an historical survey of periods and styles. The course covers a wide range of art historical ideas, concepts and critical frameworks without chronology.<br><br>Art history is much more than decoding secrets and symbols, it is about critical thinking and empathy, understanding how an artwork not only reflects an artist’s interpretation of their world, but what it says to you about our world now. This course is designed to build your confidence with visual art by demystifying the myths that keep many of us from truly engaging with a work of art. It is designed for both the absolute beginner and those with some art historical knowledge who want to take their practice of art history to new depths.<br><br>We will look at a wide range of images, time periods and cultures to explore broad questions like: How is an artwork is made? What is depicted and why? And, who gets to say what it means? The overall goal is to build visual and cultural literacy that can be applied in a variety of art contexts, from the gallery and the museum to the catalogue and the computer screen.</p>Are you interested in art and want to get more out of looking at art and exhibitions? Want to know what an art historian does? Develop your interpretative skills by exploring at how art is made and what social and cultural factors construct our understanding of it.• What is art history? An introduction to its central methods<br>• The components of an artwork: materials/processes, subject and intention<br>• Art criticism, language and reading an artwork<br>• The context of display and how it affects our understanding of an artwork.• Evaluate art more critically.<br>• Demonstrate an understanding of the range of contexts that impact the viewing experience.<br>• Participate in group discussions about art with more confidence.<p>This course is suitable for all levels. This course includes the reading of art historical texts, which are academic in nature. This is meant to help students develop an understanding of art historical practice. These texts are required and may be challenging for some students, but we will work together with the information.<br><br><strong>For the online version of this course</strong>: You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom and uses a Google Classroom to share materials. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please <a href="https://help.citylit.ac.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/11273523970845-What-is-your-City-Lit-student-IT-account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.</p><p>You will be taught with lecture, slide presentations and will be invited to participate in class discussion. There will be homework in this course in the form of reading art historical texts and art criticism and looking at artworks in-depth. There will be three high level art historical texts you will be asked to read. These texts are used for students to explore all aspects of art historical work. Homework is highly recommended to make the most of the course subject matter.<br><br>You will be invited to join a Google Classroom to supplement the course where documents will be shared and stored. You will receive an invitation to join this Google Classroom within a week of the course start date.</p><p><strong>For the in-person version of this course:</strong>one of the sessions will take place at the National Gallery. 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.<br><br><strong>For the online version of this course</strong>: Students must be willing to use the course's Google Classroom, which is essential for course documents. This is a live lesson course - sessions are not recorded or available on demand for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.</p>You might wish to have something to write with. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list given out in class.<p>Introduction to Tate Britain<br>A history of art in 100 objects<br>Ways into Islamic Art</p>Art historyIntroductory & general art history coursesconfigurable
11371136Introductory & general art history courseshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/art-history/introductory-general-art-history1/2/285/1177/1136/11371/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Introductory & general art history courses
