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: Women in Renaissance

This course will cover a discussion of the importance of the social and sexual mores of the times in history. There will be four weeks to look at the life and work of these remarkable women, Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana. We will cover the problems that faced them because of their place that their sex ensured they were kept in. Then at the ways they employed to get round these societal problems. Then we shall study their body of work under the context of the moment of history that they lived in.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 03/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Phillips
Course code:
Q00018049
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Art Appreciation: Painting in the later 20th Century.

This course views painting produced in the twentieth century. The course will include developments of figurative and abstract painting. There will be views of artists already prominent in the early twentieth century and artists who set out after 1945 from a wide range of attentions. From those born in the nineteenth century to those born in the 1960s. The course will attend to direct visual experience of reproduction of the works involved linked to elements of comprehension and understanding through a considerable range of exciting encounters and engagements. 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.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 11/02/2025 -
Tue 01/04/2025
Times:
11:15am - 1:15pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00016588
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Art Appreciation: The Art of Easter

Are you fascinated by art and how it developed, and would like to know more? The story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus has been at the forefront of western art for 2,000 years - from early inscriptions in the catacombs, medieval altarpieces and Leonardo’s Last Supper, to the twentieth century works of artists such as Marc Chagall and Graham Sutherland. This lavishly illustrated six week course takes you through the Easter story through the eyes of the major artists.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009348
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.00

Art Appreciation: Spanish painters from Velazquez to Miro

An introduction to the rich history of painting in Spain, which had produced some of the most important and influential artists in art history - from Baroque masters Velázquez, El Greco, and Murillo to romantic figurehead Goya and impressionist Sorolla to the vital role Spanish painters like Dalí, Picasso and Miró played in the development of 20th Century Art.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/03/2025 -
Thu 10/04/2025
Times:
2:45pm - 4:45pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017449
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £44.40

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:
£15

Art Appreciation: Painting in the 21st Century

This course views painting produced in the twenty-first century. The course will include developments of figurative and abstract painting. There will be views of artists already prominent in the twentieth century and newly emerging artists from a wide range of attentions. From those born in the 1930s to those born in the 1980s. The course will attend to direct visual experience of reproduction of the works involved linked to elements of comprehension and understanding through a considerable range of exciting encounters and engagements. This course will put an emphasis on developments of figurative and abstract painting in the twenty-first century. There will be views of artists already prominent in the twentieth century and newly emerging artists from a wide range of attentions. From those born in the 1930's to those born in the 1980's.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 08/04/2025 -
Tue 27/05/2025
Times:
11:15am - 1:15pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00016750
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Art Appreciation:Five Centuries of Women Sculptors

American art historian Linda Nochlin in 1971 posed the question as to “Why have there been no great women artists?”. Since then the field of art history has increased its focus on women artists. Yet women sculptors have been the most overlooked, overshadowed by their male counterparts, and under-represented in sculptural histories. This course will write them back into art history by focusing on the talented and accomplished women sculptors from the 17th Century to their transition through the centuries into the installation artists of the 21st Century.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 11/05/2025 -
Sun 15/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00017477
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: Art of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Modern Art’ arouses strong feelings - like it or loathe it! Explore Constable and Turner, understand the Pre- Raphaelites and the Impressionists. Trace the development of ‘Modern Art’ from the beginnings with Cezanne, through the revolutions of Picasso and Mondrian, to the British artists such as Tracy Emin and Antony Gormley. Discuss whether ‘found art’ such as Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’ or Tracy Emin’s ‘My Bed’ are really art at all. Examine the importance of modern art galleries. Understand the contexts and the development which have influenced art in the twentieth century.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 12/05/2025 -
Mon 23/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009349
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.50