The art and culture of 17th century London

What is the course about?

The 17th Century was a time of upheaval in Europe; changes of royal fortunes in Britain, inter-continental trade and the religious split between northern and southern Europe manifesting in a wide range of artistic styles.
Each week will focus on a different aspect of seventeenth century art and culture. Key artists, architects and designers will be introduced and their works placed in a cultural and social context. The course will look at a range of collections in a variety of London venues that exemplify the art, architecture and decorative arts of the times, including the flamboyant style of the Baroque in contrast to the Dutch Golden Age, the impact of the east on the decorative arts and the changing architecture of London before and after the Great Fire. Museums visited include: The National Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Museum of London, Tate Britain and others.

A list of meeting points will be emailed to you within a week of the start date. This course does not meet on the 25th of October.

What will we cover?

• The historical, religious and political background to seventeenth century art and design
• The different styles of seventeenth century art and design and their key features
• The main artists of each style
• How the art and design of the seventeenth century relates to its context, place of origin and audience.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Recognise different styles and types of seventeenth-century art and design
• Describe seventeenth-century art and design and express an informed personal response
• Understand key aspects of seventeenth-century history and culture and their relationship with creative practice
• Discuss seventeenth century art with greater confidence.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The course is open to all. No prior knowledge is required other than a general interest in art and design

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

This is an interactive course, with a mixture of tutor-led learning and group discussion, with individual exploration very much encouraged.

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.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

There may be entrance fees for some venues, these fees are not included in the course fee. You will be informed of these costs within a week of the course start date.

Please note we are unable to guarantee seats on gallery visits so you may have to stand and to walk between exhibits. You might like to invest in a lightweight portable seat.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The art and culture of 18th century London
The art and culture of the Victorians.