Art Appreciation: Art Appreciation: Art in Churches

Church buildings are important places to see art, and this area provides many excellent examples, Beginning with some of the art dating from the earliest years of Christianity, this extensively illustrated study day with WEA tutor David Brindley traces the history of art in Europe through the works which we find in Churches. Some important Saxon Churches are found in Hampshire, and we look at their distinctive architecture, and the wall paintings which they contain. The distinctive Norman style, especially the astonishing stone work, leads us on to Gothic and the soaring heights of such buildings as Salisbury Cathedral. These buildings are the backdrop for beautiful stained glass and wood carvings such as misericords. The flowering of Renaissance art fills Europe’s churches - the frescos of Giotto and Fra Angelico, the glories of the Sistine Chapel and Leonardo’s last Supper all receive attention. The counter-Reformation styles such as Baroque bring us to the art of Caravaggio and Reubens, and we move into the nineteenth century to consider textiles and metalwork in English Churches. Arriving in the twentieth century we examine some of the art commissioned by cathedrals such as Coventy and Chichester.