The National Gallery of Ireland is hosting an online art appreciation course The Art of Light. It will run from 4 October to 22 November, 2022.
These 8-week evening courses are the perfect way to learn more about art; to discover little-known works from the Gallery’s collection; get to know old favourites in more depth, and explore other great collections of the world with expert art historians and guest speakers.
Course dates/times:
Tuesdays, from 6pm–7.15pm.
Classes held: 4, 11, 18, 25 October, 1, 8, 15, 22, November
Course topic:
For centuries, light has been a key element in some of the most powerful and enigmatic works in the history of art. Light was used to establish narratives, manipulate compositions, and electrify atmospheres. Tantalising generations of artists, light moved beyond its function as a tool to become an allegory and subject in its own right.
In this course, Dr Sarah Wilson will explore the artistic efforts to capture and translate the effects of light. Dr Wilson is an art historian specialising in Roman antiquity and religious identity. She will consider the motivations of artists who utilised light, and the effects of such experimentation on wider movements.
The tuition will cover a range of topics from Caravaggio’s dramatically lit compositions to the central role of light in Impressionistic paintings, Turner’s worship of the sun, and Harry Clarke’s ethereal stained glass windows. Invited experts will also contribute to the course, and further details will be available closer to the time.
Course format:
Each class takes place online using Zoom webinar, and includes time for questions and answers.
Each session will be recorded and made available to participants for one week afterwards to allow one to catch up, or watch again.
Each class will be closed captioned live.
Tickets:
€150 per course. Book tickets online.