The Middle Ages was a time of great innovation in art and architecture with the massive Romanesque style merging with others to create the soaring and elaborate style known as Perpendicular in England and High Gothic on the Continent. Castles, too, grew from simple forts to grand chateaux, capable of sheltering hundreds of people in times of trouble or entertaining royalty as they travelled throughout the country. This study day will also look at some of the artistic elements of the... [More]

For intending tourists and armchair travellers, this course provides an overview of the places, history, art, and architecture of Sicily – a spectacular island where one of the most dramatic and complicated cultures of the Mediterranean has been shaped by invaders and settlers, who include the ancient Greeks, the Arabs, and the Normans. We take illustrated tours of the main towns and tourist sites with in depth, interactive discussion of history and culture, including the ancient Gr... [More]

Since the 19th century, in every area of art – painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, music – Russia was in the forefront, bringing to the world dramatically new concepts of beauty. The names of Russian thinkers, writers, artists, architects, and musicians are known all over the world as the symbols of everything that is daring, beautiful and free. In the 20th century, the tremendous creative surge of experimentation continued. Through discussions, extracts from films and do... [More]

This course is a continuation of ‘Bede and Cultural life in Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Britain.’ It will present a more in-depth study of the world of the the Venerable Bede, the ‘father of English history’ and one of the most prolific and influential writers of the early Middle Ages. It will concentrate on his varied achievements as a writer, studying his work as an educationist, historian of both official history and daily life, and poet. The course will also examine the important sub... [More]

Italy from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries witnessed regular outbreaks of political turmoil and social upheaval; yet it enjoyed successive periods of incredible artistic and cultural innovations. Many of these are integral to ways we understand and see the world today, and continue to inspire our imaginations. In this course we explore this period through the eyes of the artists and patrons who drove these changes. We’ll examine works these artists produced – from palaces and mos... [More]

This day will be devoted to the study of a number of aspects of Australian Aboriginal Art. Included will be discussions on desert art, bark painting and rock art from the Kimberley and Arnhemland. There are a number of new developments taking place in all these areas and the focus of the day will be on the new and emerging trends. For example, Gunybi Ganambarr from Arnhemland is enjoying a burgeoning reputation for his innovative work, while artists from the APY Lands west of Uluru ... [More]

In March 1874, the NSW parliament voted £500 for the purchase of artworks which was the beginning of the Art Gallery of NSW collection. The following month, the first Impressionist exhibition opened in Paris. However the Gallery only acquired its first French impressionist painting in 1935. What happened during the intervening 61 years? Like other galleries in Australia and throughout the world, Sydney’s gallery bought the then ‘mainstream’ paintings produced in Britain and France. ... [More]

Iconic Australian artist and author May Gibbs is best known from her book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie. While her gumnuts are instantly recognisable by all Australians, they only form part of her diverse output, which include portraits, caricatures, cartoons, comic strips, newspaper columns and postcards. From her birth in England to her death in Sydney 92 years later, her life was fascinating as she left her distinctive mark in a wide range of fields. This course will describe how May ... [More]

Renaissance Italy was a vibrant and bustling place, with highly-developed and expanding commercial systems, large urban populations, access to a staggering range of classical works, and a need and appreciation for art – as decoration, as a spiritual offering, and for enjoyment. In this study day, we investigate the origins and development of this productive time and its fascinating artistic and cultural impact, which continue to affect how we understand and view Western art today. T... [More]

The Impressionists and particularly the Post Impressionists changed the way we thought about the visual arts. Monet, Degas, Renoir and others led the way and were eventually overtaken by van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse Lautrec, Seurat and others. There was no going back. Picasso, for example, believed he was greatly indebted to these painters for breaking new ground. We will discuss the lives and works of the painters involved. Each of these sessions will be fully illustrated. Course Co... [More]