Understanding Art: Western Art from Classicism to Impressionism
At a Glance
- Classroom course
- 20 weeks: October to March
- Wednesdays 18:00 - 20:00
- Fees from £270
- Tutor: Leslie Primo
Enrolment deadline
Courses starting in October 2023
- 8 October 2023
Modern Art Video Paraskos
Visiting art museums and galleries is one of the most enjoyable activities in life, but it can be made even more rewarding by discovering some of the stories behind the great works of art, and the ideas that inspired artists in their studios.
On this course we will explore a wide variety of Western European art works, from early Byzantine through to late Victorian art and Impressionism. The tutor will encourage us to participate in discussions on the different varieties of art we will look at, while guiding us to greater understanding of the lives of different artists, their cultural background and their influence on later developments in art.
The programme is broadly chronological, with forays into different geographical regions of Europe, and we will discover some of the key movements in art, the characteristics of different styles and information on specific artists, such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and others.
At the start of the course we will think about how to look at paintings and sculpture, and consider concepts such as compositon and iconography, exploring the way saints and ancient Greek and Roman gods were decpicted, as well as the clues artists give us to understanding their works through various forms of symbolism.
The course is aimed at complete beginners and so no previous knowledge of art or art history is necessary. It is also suitable for those who have some background in art and design history or practice.
Class Recordings
These classes are not recorded
Attendance Certificate
Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an Imperial College attendance certificate
Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment
Course Information
Course Programme
Course Programme (may be subject to modification)
- Term 1 (9 weeks): Wednesday 18th October 2023 until Wednesday 13th December 2023 (inclusive)
- Term 2 (11 weeks): Wednesday 10th January 2024 until Saturday 23rd March 2024 (inclusive)
Session Titles - Autumn Term
- Session 1 - Iconography of Venus, Cupid & Mars
- Session 2 - Iconography of Adorations & Annunciations
- Session 3 - Iconography: Saints & Sinners
- Session 4 - Byzantine & Gothic
- Session 5 - Medieval & Gothic
- Session 6 - Florentine Renaissance
- Session 7 - Art & Reformation in Northern Renaissance Europe
- Session 8 - Botticelli & Florence
- Session 9 - Leonardo, Projects, Patrons & Peregrinations
Session Titles - Spring Term
- Session 10 - Raphael and the End of the Renaissance
- Session 11 - The Rise of the Divine Michelangelo
- Session 12 - Titian and the Venetian Masters
- Session 13 - Baroque, Carracci to Bernini - A New Direction
- Session 14 - Northern Baroque in England - Mytens - Van Dyck
- Session 15 - Art in Spain - Velázquez to Murillo
- No class on Wednesday 21st February 2024
- Session 16 - Art in France - Poussin to Claude
- Session 17 - Neo-Classicism - The Re-emergence of the Antique
- Session 18 - The Dutch Golden Age - Rembrandt to Vermeer
- Session 19 - From the Victorian Age to the Modern Age
- Session 20 - Visit to the National Gallery (Saturday 23rd March 2024 from 11:00 – 13:00)
Your Tutor
Your tutor for this course will be Leslie Primo. Leslie is a highly experienced and well-known art historian who has appeared on television & radio and who has also lectured at organisations including the National Gallery in London and Wallace Collection.
His new book, The Foreign Invention of British Art: From Renaissance to Enlightenment, is due to be published later this year by Thames and Hudson.
You can read more about your tutor at: Leslie Primo's website
Twitter: artfirstprimo
Blog: artfirstprimo
Course Fees and Discounts
| Weeks | Standard Rate | Internal Rate | Associate Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Early Bird: £453 Full price: £503 |
Early Bird: £270 Full price: £300 |
Early Bird: £356 Full price: £396 |
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| All fee rates quoted are for the whole 2-term course. Early Bird rates available 1 August to 30 September 2023 only. Part-payments are not possible. | |||||
Rate Categories and Discounts
Standard Rate
- Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.
Internal Rate
- Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
- People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
- Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
- Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
- Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School
Associate Rate
- Austrian Cultural Forum staff
- Co-operative College members
- Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
- Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
- Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
- Friends of the Royal College of Music
- Harrods staff
- Historic Royal Palaces staff
- Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
- Members of the Friends of Imperial College
- Members of the Kennel Club
- Members of the London Zoological Society
- Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
- Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- National Health Service (NHS) employees
- Natural History Museum staff
- Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
- Royal Geographical Society staff
- Science Museum staff
- Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
- Students (non-Imperial College)
- Teachers and other staff of UK schools
- Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
- Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
- Victoria and Albert Museum staff
Late enrolment
It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.
Friends and Family Scheme
This course is eligible for allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.
Term Dates 2023-2024
| Weeks | Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Week commencing 16 October to week ending 16 December 2023 (9 weeks) | Week commencing 8 January to week ending 23 March 2024 (11 weeks) | n/a | |
| Term 1 and 2 are separated by the Christmas break | ||||
Enrolment Process
Web enrolment starts 1 August 2023. Early bird discounts are available from 1 August to 30 September 2023
Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:
- Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
- If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.
When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:
| What is sent | When is it sent | What does it contain | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Payment confirmation | Is sent straight away following submission of your online application |
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| 2. Enrolment confirmation | Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received |
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| 3. Programme information | Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts |
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Any Questions?
If you have any questions about the academic content or teaching of this course please contact the Course Tutor, Leslie Primo, artfirstprimo@gmail.com
If you have any questions about your enrolment or payment processes please contact the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk