Mondays, June 2 – June 23, 2 – 4pm
Unidentified maker, European. Keyhole Escutcheon, 19th century. The Barnes Foundation, 01.22.15. Public Domain.
$220; members $198
(4 classes)
About the Class
As we go about our lives, we rarely stop to consider the seemingly mundane objects that surround us, or the artistic qualities they possess. Items such as tables, chairs, bowls, cups, door handles, and hinges fill our environment but tend to get lost in the visual shuffle. Yet, each of these pieces was intentionally designed by someone and given an inherent aesthetic quality. In this four-session course, we will examine the decorative arts in the Barnes collection as a starting point for appreciating the aesthetics of everyday life. Through lectures, close looking, and group discussions, students will learn to appreciate the beauty and visual delight hidden in plain sight.
The class is online-only. More about online classes.
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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.
Instructors
Katherine Feldkamp
Feldkamp is a research fellow at the Barnes and a graduate student in art history at the University of Delaware. She studied art history and history at Truman State University and has a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of St. Andrews. From 2019 to 2023, Feldkamp was a curatorial research assistant at the Saint Louis Art Museum.
William Perthes
Perthes is the Bernard C. Watson Director of Adult Education at the Barnes. He has taught courses at the Barnes as well as the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and West Chester and Villanova Universities. His scholarship focuses on American modernism and the abstract expressionist painter Robert Motherwell.
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: Gauguin’s Haere Pape
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Naina Saligram
Bosch and Bruegel
Explore works by the Netherlandish painters and the connections between their art. Instructor: Larry Silver
Paul Gauguin: His Art and Legacy
The course delves into Gauguin’s style, subject matter, and problematic legacy. Instructor: Christa DiMarco