The Traditions of Art
Tuesdays, September 10 – December 17, 1 – 4pm
Giorgio de Chirico. Alexandros (detail), 1935. The Barnes Foundation, BF960. © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
$600; members $540
(14 classes; no class November 26)
About the Class
Art is a visual record of artists’ perceptions throughout time. Held in the Barnes galleries, this course focuses not only on developments in painting and sculpture in Western Europe but also touches on the artistic traditions of Africa and Asia. We’ll have the opportunity to examine how all artists—including modernists working in the 19th and 20th centuries—learn and adapt earlier traditions.
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.
Educators in Pennsylvania can receive 75 Act 48 Credits for The Traditions of Art.
Giorgio de Chirico. Alexandros, 1935. The Barnes Foundation, BF960. © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / SIAE, Rome
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 Art Institute 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
“I learned so much in this class, especially things I would not have considered or did not learn when taking art history classes in college.” Portraiture at the Barnes: From the 15th Century to Modernism with Laura Watts
“Kaelin is an amazing professor and has so much knowledge about the collection and the Barnes Foundation. She makes the content interesting and encourages your ideas and questions.” The Traditions of Art with Kaelin Jewell
“I love Cézanne’s art. I am a neuroscientist and always use Cézanne as an example of an artist when I teach vision and the art of seeing. This class helped me appreciate Cézanne’s work even more [and] was very engaging.” Close-Looking Immersion: Cézanne’s Ginger Jar 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
The Elements of Art
Learn basic aesthetic principles and discover art’s communicative power by studying works in the Barnes collection. Instructor: William Perthes
Close-Looking Immersion: El Greco’s Apparition of the Virgin and Child to Saint Hyacinth
This new series of single-session immersions provides opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
The Elements of Art
Learn basic aesthetic principles and discover art’s communicative power by studying works in the Barnes collection. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell