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: Art Inspired by East Anglia

The aim of this course is to provide students the opportunity to acquire an appreciation of art inspired by our region. Working thematically from clouds to sea, churches to fields, this course examines artist representations of our beautiful region during the 19th and 20th centuries. Artists include old masters like Constable and Turner alongside more contemporary artists like Maggi Hambling. You will also be introduced to lesser-known but still talented artists such as Anne Valerie Gower, Sylvia St George and Gwen Ravaret. No previous experience of art or the history of East Anglia is necessary- all students are very welcome.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 22/01/2024 -
Mon 25/03/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
YMCA Brightlingsea (Colchester)
High Street
Colchester
CO7 0AQ
Tutor:
Sue Pownall
Course code:
Q00012236
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £63.00

Art Appreciation: Beginners': Art Nouveau

We can see the influence of Art Nouveau is seen all around us but where did this artistic style come from? This course will look at the influences on the founders of this movement, look at some of the more famous exponents including Gaudi, Klimt, Tiffany, Lalique and Beardsley and discuss the social and economic reasons for the decline of this style.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 25/01/2024 -
Thu 29/02/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Tutor:
Kerry Van Der Schraft
Course code:
Q00012468
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: William Hogarth - Artist and Satirist

William Hogarth remains one of the most famous figures in British art, and we will discuss examples of his work from different genres. William Hogarth, a successful painter and engraver, was a key figure in the British art world of the eighteenth century. His work includes portraiture, history painting, and the satirical works for which he is now best remembered, and he contributed significantly to each genre. In this session, you will explore a broad selection of his art, relating it to the vibrant society in which he operated, and considering his significance for the development of British art.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 30/01/2024 -
Tue 30/01/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Prasannajit De Silva
Course code:
Q00009774
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Art Appreciation: Van Gogh - A Journey Into Colour

This course is an introduction to Vincent van Gogh's work and, in particular, hie use of colour. You will examine the evolution in van Gogh's paintings in terms of the way he developed and adopted colour using it then to express his energetic emotions. No previous knowledge of van Gogh's work or experience of art appreciation is necessary. Everyone is welcome to join this fascinating course! Please note that this course will be taught using hybrid-delivery. Students will meet together in a venue whilst the tutor will teach virtually through an in-venue screen and sound system.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 31/01/2024 -
Wed 14/02/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Tutor:
Rachel Holland-Hargreaves
Course code:
Q00012249
How you'll learn:
Online and in venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

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

Art Appreciation: Speaking Stone - Sculpture in the Eighteenth Century

This one-off session is an introduction to the little-known art of eighteenth-century English sculpture. During the session we will discuss some of the great sculptors including Roubilliac and Flaxoman, as well as exploring some of the surviving sculptures from parish churches and great houses. Knowing a little more about this underrated aspect of the fine arts can enhance your travels and explorations.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 03/02/2024 -
Sat 03/02/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Kings Langley Community Centre (Kings La
The Nap
Kings Langley
WD4 8ET
Tutor:
Madeline Edmead
Course code:
Q00011699
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £8.40

Art Appreciation: Raphael, Renaissance Artist Extraordinary

A Study day with Diana Matthews exploring the life and career of Raphael Santi, the ‘Divine’ Raphael. who was not only a major Renaissance painter but also an architect, poet, surveyor, and designer. We shall study his major artistic works but also less well known areas of his career, such the design of a series of ground breaking projects including chapels, palaces, and villas and how he initiated a survey of the archaeology of Rome in order to preserve for the future something of the ancient past. Vasari rightly described him as an uomo universale, and his influence remains important today.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 03/02/2024 -
Sat 03/02/2024
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Reading International Solidarity Centre
35-39 London Street
Reading
RG1 4PS
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00012190
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £36.00

Art Appreciation: Art History - The Art of Ukraine

The Art of Ukraine traces Ukrainian art history within the historical and political contexts of the country, starting from the golden age of Kyvian Rus’, its role within the Russian Empire, and then as a Soviet Socialist Republic part of the USSR until its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 an interest in knowing about Ukrainian art has grown, with Ukrainian art historians, critics, and curators raising the profile of Ukrainian art, artists, and art movements to keep alive the history of Ukrainian Art as distinct from the history of Russian Art.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 03/02/2024 -
Sat 16/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (
Gaysham Avenue
Gants Hill
Ilford
IG2 6TD
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00012130
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

Art Appreciation: Defining Post Impressionism

What makes the works of Cézanne, Gauguin, Seurat and Van Gogh “Post-Impressionist”? We will explore this concept and define what it means based on the study of works of art. This course is ideal for anyone wanting to explore the context behind this movement and why it was important to the artists we will touch upon. Join the class and learn something new whilst socialising with others who share the same interests.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 03/02/2024 -
Sat 03/02/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00009782
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Art Appreciation: The Art of Ukraine

The Art of Ukraine traces Ukrainian art history within the historical and political contexts of the country, starting from the golden age of Kyvian Rus’, its role within the Russian Empire, and then as a Soviet Socialist Republic part of the USSR until its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 an interest in knowing about Ukrainian art has grown, with Ukrainian art historians, critics, and curators raising the profile of Ukrainian art, artists, and art movements to keep alive the history of Ukrainian Art as distinct from the history of Russian Art.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 04/02/2024 -
Sun 10/03/2024
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00012157
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Art Appreciation: An Introduction to the Impressionists

This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority This course 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 use of artificial perspective and proportions to involvement in a world that represents the complexity of thought with feelings and emotions.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 05/02/2024 -
Mon 26/02/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
The Kindle Centre (Hereford)
ASDA
Belmont Road
Hereford
HR2 7JE
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00011683
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60