National Portrait Gallery
This course has now started
- Course Code: VB151
- Dates: 15/04/24 - 20/05/24
- Time: 11:00 - 13:00
- Taught: Mon, Daytime
- Duration: 5 sessions (over 6 weeks)
- Location: Off Site
- Tutor: Leslie Primo
Course Code: VB151
Duration: 5 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?
The National Portrait Gallery houses one of the world's greatest portrait collections. As a collection of British portraits, it is also one of the best places to learn about British history. This course offers an accessible introduction to the Gallery and its collection. Each week we focus on a different aspect of portraiture, and the history of Britain represented by groups of portraits from the same period. What previous students liked most about their course:
Meet on the Ground floor, Ondaatje Wing, at the bottom of the big escalator.
“Excellent teacher. Engaging course.”
“Leslie Primo – brilliant and knowledgeable about subject. Well prepared and experienced.”
“The way the course was taught: friendly, thorough and knowledgeable.”
What will we cover?
The course follows the display of portraits at the NPG which is currently organised into historical periods: Tudors; Stuarts; Georgians and Regency; Victorians; twentieth century and contemporary works. Each class will combine looking at elements of portraiture and thinking about the period of British history under review. Because the NPG is not primarily a collection of art, the course does not focus heavily on art history, however the tutor will present information on the history of art in Britain as part of the background to the study of British portraiture. The course will include a visit to the current temporary exhibitions (ticket price not included in the course fees).
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Recognise different styles and types of portrait
• Describe portraits in the NPG and express an informed personal response
• Demonstrate an understanding of the periods of British history covered by the NPG
• Talk about portraiture with greater confidence.
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, handouts and health and safety information, and will be invited to take part in group discussion.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The course will be taught with a mixture of gallery-based lecture, group discussion and interactive group activities. Handouts will be provided by your tutor, made available digitally on Google Classroom to support your learning on the course. You will be emailed an invitation to the Google Classroom within one week of the course start date.
This course takes place offsite in galleries around London. Offsite courses take place during public access hours. Tutors are not able to control sound levels or behaviours of visitors outside of the course group, gallery closures or fire alarms. Unless you are a wheelchair user, and have confirmed access details with us (as levels of access can vary between buildings), you will need to be able to walk between sites 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 seating offsite.) 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 offsite.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to bring a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books on any reading list given out in class. You might want to invest in a portable gallery stool.
Museum entry is free - we will not be visiting paid exhibitions.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
National Gallery
Introduction to Tate Modern
The Courtauld: An Introduction.
Leslie Primo has spent more than 15 years giving lectures to the general public at the National Gallery for the Information and Education departments. During this time he graduated with a degree in History of Art and an MA in Renaissance Studies from Birkbeck, University College of London. In his studies he specialised in early Medieval and Renaissance studies, including, Italian Renaissance Drawing, Art and Architecture in Europe 1250-1400 Art and Architecture in Europe 1400-1500, Medici and Patronage, Narrative Painting in the Age of Giotto, and the work of Peter Paul Rubens focusing on his paintings of the Judgement of Paris, and Greek Myth in paintings. He is also an accredited Art Society lecturer.
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.
