Collection Concentration: Medieval Modern
Tuesdays, January 21 – April 22, 1 – 4pm
Left: Vincent van Gogh. The Postman (detail), 1889. BF37. Right: Unidentified artist, Greek. St. Nicholas (detail), 17th century. BF2055. Public Domain.
$600; members $540
(14 classes)
About the Class
Painted in the South of France in 1889, Vincent van Gogh’s The Postman presents its subject—a local mail sorter—with the rigid pose and penetrating gaze of a saint or other religious figure. The painting might even be understood as a modern version of a medieval icon. In this class, we will explore medieval art (c. 300–1400), with all of its distortions and exaggerations, to better understand its surprisingly profound influence on some of the best-loved modern artists in the Barnes collection, including Van Gogh, Giorgio de Chirico, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse.
Capacity: 18
Barnes classes will:
- Sharpen your observational and critical thinking skills.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Kaelin Jewell
Jewell is a senior instructor in adult education at the Barnes and has been teaching art history for nearly 15 years. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in photography and art history from the University of Louisville’s Hite Institute of Art and Design and earned her PhD in ancient and medieval art history from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art. In addition to her work at the Barnes, Jewell is trained as an archaeologist and has worked on archaeological projects in the American Midwest and on the island of Sicily.
Barnes Method
Barnes Method courses follow the teachings of Albert Barnes and Violette de Mazia. Classes focus on rigorous formal analysis and direct visual engagement with works of art. In this method, close looking at art helps build critical-thinking skills that can be carried beyond the gallery walls.
Recent Barnes Class Testimonials
“Naina Saligram is the professor everyone hopes to have. She is knowledgeable and open to listening to her students.” The Classical Tradition in Modern Art with Naina Saligram
“Joe Tokumasu Field was a wonderful instructor—very patient, caring, and skilled at interacting with students’ questions and comments.” The Japanese American Century with Joseph Tokumasu Field
“Kaelin got us involved in the conversation in a way that made it engaging and fun. I learned so much and didn’t feel like I was just being lectured at the whole time. The class was well paced and covered the basics without oversimplification.” The Language of Painting with Kaelin Jewell
“I love these close-looking classes; [it’s great] to see the details of each painting and to have an instructor lead our eyes in how best to look at a work of art.” Close-Looking Immersion: Glackens’s The Raft with William Perthes
“The instructor was amazing! She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and open to questions. She brought in outside resources and made herself available via email for questions between classes. I would take anything she teaches.” The Impressionists: Friends and Family with Caterina Pierre
Go Further
Close-Looking Immersion: Van Gogh’s The Postman
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Afternoon with an Ensemble: Room 13
Examine one of Dr. Barnes’s carefully crafted displays of paintings. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
The Traditions of Art
Learn how modern artists adapted earlier traditions in developing new visual languages. Instructor: William Perthes