Art Appreciation: An Introduction to the Impressionists

This is an introduction to Impressionist painting in France in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The course uses a selected number of paintings from the late nineteenth; these will provide a basis for the beginnings of an appreciation and understanding of some of the seminal ideas in aesthetics and philosophy of the period. The selection will encourage a focus on the paintings with themes and attentions implied in the course title; from the early drive in realism in artists’ studios to the development of naturalism and painting in the open air. In the process we will recognise new involvements with a world that represents the complexity of thought with feelings.

The course will include a study of the work by Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Cézanne. The emphasis will be upon knowledge from enjoyment.

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.