The Traditions of Art
Wednesdays, January 22 – April 23, 6 – 9pm
Unidentified artist, Upper Rhenish. Madonna and Child (detail), 15th century. The Barnes Foundation, BF852. Public Domain.
$550; members $495
(14 classes)
About the Class
Art is a visual record of artists’ perceptions throughout time. This online course focuses on the developments in painting and sculpture in Western Europe but also touches on the artistic traditions of Africa and Asia. With our state-of-the-art visual experience platform (VXP), you’ll have the opportunity to explore the Barnes galleries and view works of art in unprecedented detail. This will allow you to examine how all artists—including modernists working in the 19th and 20th centuries—learn and adapt earlier traditions.
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.
Educators in Pennsylvania can receive 75 Act 48 credits for The Traditions of Art.
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
Pillars of the Collection
Spend time in the galleries examining some of the most important and best-loved art and artists in the collection. Instructors: Kaelin Jewell, William Perthes
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