History of Art

The following themes and topics are explored in this course:

Year 1:

Visual Analysis – this involves learning the vocabulary to analyse paintings, sculpture and architecture.

Themes – here we focus on Identities (including gender and ethnicity) and War and we study painting, sculpture and architecture from Ancient Greece to present the day.

Year 2:

Periods – we opt for the Invention and Illusion in the Italian Renaissance and Rebellion and Revival in the latter half of the 19^th Century with the arrival of the Avant-Garde. In both we study how the context of the times really affects the art work and we focus on a number of topics from religious art to mythological in the Renaissance and the female figure and contemporary life in the 19^th century.

At the end of the two years, you will be assessed by two 3-hour papers.

Throughout the course you will be writing essays and undertaking quick assessment every week.

Our students often have a leaning towards Art and History of Art at degree level, so as a course it’s a great grounding for either. Another related course is conservation and restoration. Students also apply for architecture.

The analytical requirements of the subject make it ideal for Law, English Literature, Classics and virtually any Humanities degree subject.

If you love Art then this is a great course to study alongside. It also goes really well with Classics, as we begin our studies with Ancient Greece and Rome, Philosophy and, of course, History.