Art Appreciation: Paintings by Botticelli and Piero della Francesca.

This course in art appreciation provides close attentions to works of art from two important artists, Sandro Botticelli in Florence and Piero della Francesca in Arezzo and Milan. The focus will be upon specific paintings, text illuminations and drawings in relation to their elaborate concepts of love developed from the work the writer of Marsilio Ficino and the poet Agnolo Poliziano and the work of Leon Alberti and Piero’s translations of Euclid and Archimedes. The course will also provide a discussion of many aspects of love and measurement in the context of specific works. The course will focus these understandings using a range of work by both artists and each week will select one work for a Close View and detailed attention. Particular attentions will be given to Botticelli’s Primiteva and his work illuminating Dante’s Divine Comedy, and to Piero’s The Virgin with Child, Angels and Saints in Milan and his frescoes Legend of the True Cross in Arezzo. The course would be suitable for those attending to details of the subject for the first time as well as for those with a previous grounding in the subject.

There are no requirements from students prior the beginning of the course. Students would benefit from access to online sources during the course. Papers and images will be made available to students through the WEA Canvas site. You will need to have access to the internet to access the papers for this course. The course uses a secure digital learning portal for all the classes and for communications with the tutor and access to learning materials.

The course would be appropriate for both experienced viewers of art and those new to the subject.