Appreciate art through learning

Our Art History courses will give you a deeper understanding of what you're looking at. When it comes to art, everyone's has their own opinion on which artist is better than the other, and what their most famous work signifies.

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Through exploring the world of art history, you'll be learning about why pieces are made in the first place and what the pieces mean. You will also examine how that’s changed over a period of time, as well as the impact it’s had on society. 

You’ll be taught about many of the aspects from the art creation process, such as the materials used in artworks, and how different kinds of artists contribute differently in expressing their ideas through freehand drawing or digital media. 

Whether you're a seasoned art appreciator or a newbie, there's something here for everyone. From exploring art painted by Salvador Dali or learning all about the history of Nordic Art from the Viking era, we have a selection of online and in-person art history courses from different decades to choose from.  

Attend an Art History course near you  

Whether you choose to learn from the comfort of your own home, or opt for a space in your local community, you’ll be taught by a talented tutor who is an expert in their field. 

The support you’ll receive on our Art History courses

Your tutor will encourage you to develop an understanding of Art History that goes beyond what's on the surface, motivating you to truly immerse yourself in the subject. It’s our learning experience that sets us apart too, with an encouraging environment that ensures you attend each session with the excitement to learn.   

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Art Appreciation: The Blue Rider, German Expressionism

Part of the Free Taster Courses for All; this course is an Introduction to the Expressionist Movement and the Blue Rider Art Group. Expressionism is a key art movement of the early 20th century, which developed from 1905 in Germany and Austria. In this session, you will learn about one of the Expressionist groups, The Blue Rider. Centred around Munich and Murnau, the artists of this group developed a colourful and free style of painting. Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Gabriele Munter, Alexei von Jawlensky, Marianne von Werefkin, August Macke and Paul Klee used strong colours and boldly simplified forms to express themselves. If you have ever wondered what is Expressionism, how it started and developed, and why these artists painted in such a way, this course is for you!

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 05/07/2024 -
Fri 05/07/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00016974
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Fee:
Free

Art Appreciation: Elizabeth Thompson (aka Lady Butler), and other Victorian Women Artists

Part of the Free Taster Courses to All. This course looks at Painter Elizabeth Thompson. As Tate Britain puts on an exhibition about British women artists this summer, it is the perfect occasion to present a significant Victorian painter, who was famous for her battle paintings. As we do so, we will also highlight other Victorian women who became successful professional painters such as Emily Mary Osborn and Evelyn De Morgan. They lived in a society that globally remained hostile to independent career women. We will see how they trained, and how Thompson, and others, balanced the pressure of social norms and their personal ambition.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 10/07/2024 -
Wed 10/07/2024
Times:
12:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00016971
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Fee:
Free

Art Appreciation: How to Look at Art?

Part of the free Taster courses to All; this Art Appreciation course will show you how to look at Art. Have you ever wondered how to look at a painting or a sculpture, and how to figure out what it means? This session will give you some keys to develop your understanding and appreciation of works of art. This should make your next visits to art galleries even more enjoyable!

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 12/07/2024 -
Fri 12/07/2024
Times:
12:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00016975
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Fee:
Free

Art Appreciation: Art and About: Soho and its Heritage

Part of the WEA Art and About Festival 2024! As part of the WEA London Festival Art and About : A heritage walk through the heart of Soho meeting at Criterion Théâtre near Piccadilly Circus on Thursday July 18th meet at 11am ending near Tottenham Court Road Tube station Come and explore the Soho area famously known for its culture , yet their other interesting features institutions that exist in the area such as Churches , Old Hospitals and much more. We will explore how the area developed and why these are still important buildings today

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 18/07/2024 -
Thu 18/07/2024
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting Point: Criterion Theatre
218-223 Piccadilly
St. James's
London
London
W1J 9HR
Tutor:
Selina Rice
Course code:
Q00014454
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.50

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: Art and the Arts in 1920s

The course will explore the enriching links between stories, art and music, concentrating of works from 1920s. From the surrealistic art in France and expressionist art in Germany to the many operas, ballets and symphonies which characterise that tumultuous period. In America, it is frequently referred to as the "Roaring Twenties" or the "Jazz Age", while in Europe the period is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Twenties" because of the economic boom following World War I (1914–1918). French speakers refer to the period as the "Années folles" ("crazy years") emphasizing the era's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 12/09/2024 -
Thu 17/10/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Colin Lomas
Course code:
Q00017290
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £72.00

Art Appreciation: How to See and Interpret Paintings

Have you ever wondered how to look at a painting and how to figure out what it means? This course will give you keys to develop your understanding and appreciation of paintings and their history. Based on the study of many concrete examples, taken from a variety of historical periods and styles, we will study all the aspects of a painting, from its format and technique, to its subject matter. As we do so, you will have many occasions to apply this knowledge and techniques for yourself.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 12/09/2024 -
Thu 28/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Ripley Arts Centre (Bromley)
24 Sundridge Avenue
Bromley
BR1 2PX
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00017435
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £120.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: Royal Portraits (1395 - 1658)

During this five week course we will explore a number of portraits of British Monarchs. We will discover the anonymous Wilton Diptych, Holbein’s portrayal of Henry VIII, the evolving portraits of Elizabeth I throughout her life; the paintings of Charles I by Anthony Van Dyck, and several portraits of the de-facto monarch Oliver Cromwell. The course will introduce the lives of the artists, the historical and socio-political contexts of the paintings, and discuss the changing perceptions of the monarchy as shown in this 250 year long history. Images of the portraits will be available for you online. Come along and tap into your inner art-critic.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 15/10/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017463
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: Picasso: Myth and Reality

Picasso is one of the 20th-century most well-known artists, a household name. In this course, we will learn about his personal life and his artistic career. As we do so, we will try and deconstruct the myth that exists around him both as a man and artist. Our approach will be chronological, starting in Spain, developing in Paris, and ending in Southern France, from 1881 to 1973. We will also address transversal themes, such as sculpture, Picasso’s family and lovers, the issue of collaboration, myth-making. Beyond developing your knowledge and understanding of Picasso’s art and life, this course will provide many opportunities to deepen your ability to analyse works of art (visual analysis and iconography).

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 03/12/2024
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
St John's United Reform Church Orpington
Lynwood Grove
Orpington
BR6 0BG
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00017294
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £120.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: The Century that changed the World-Renaissance and Reformation

A new way of seeing human beings and their environment; the end of the middle ages and the birth of modern Europe, the discovery of the ‘New World’; fresh insights into faith and the upheaval that created; and a new way of doing art. This study day investigates Renaissance art in Southern and Northern Europe and traces the birth and development of the Reformation. The art of Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael and van Eyck and the thought of Luther and Calvin together with the reforms of Henry VIII all feature in this extensively illustrated study day.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/09/2024 -
Fri 20/09/2024
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Lawrence Parish Rooms (Winchester)
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LH
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00016855
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £23.10

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: Being Seen: British Women Artists 1900-1970

In art, the 16th century saw Venice become the centre of the Late Renaissance in Italy. Legendary artists such as Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese introduced heightened colour, emotion and drama. Then, in the 18th century, Venice again led European art through the cityscapes of such as Canaletto and Bellotto.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/10/2024 -
Tue 26/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Bedhampton Community Centre (Havant)
21 Bedhampton Road
Bedhampton
Havant
PO9 3ES
Tutor:
Michaela Cranmer
Course code:
Q00016861
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £67.20