Take a Class
Study art history at the Barnes, a leader in art education since 1925. Come learn in our galleries, or take classes online using our immersive, state-of-the-art platform that brings you closer to the work than ever before.
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
Looking and Listening: Picasso and the Art of Composing
This new series explores the relationship between visual art and music. Today’s session looks at works by Picasso that have been called “visual music.” 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
Close-Looking Immersion: Van Gogh’s The Postman
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Picasso in Focus: New Discoveries at the Barnes
Learn more about Picasso works in the collection with our conservation and research team. Instructors: Christine Romano, Naina Saligram
Afternoon with an Ensemble: Room 13
Examine one of Dr. Barnes’s carefully crafted displays of paintings. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Collection Concentration: Medieval Modern
Explore the influence of medieval art on Van Gogh, Matisse, and other modern artists. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
The Traditions of Art
Learn how modern artists adapted earlier traditions in developing new visual languages. Instructor: William Perthes
The Traditions of Art
Learn how modern artists adapted earlier traditions in developing new visual languages. 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: William Perthes
Matisse in the Studio
This course offers a deep dive into Matisse’s creative process. Instructor: Ellen McBreen
Art Crime and the FBI: How Masterpieces Are Stolen and Recovered
Join a famous art detective for a look at notorious art heists and daring recovery operations. Instructor: Robert Wittman
Horace Pippin’s Modernism
Reexamine Pippin’s art and legacy in the context of the galleries in which he once studied. Instructor: Alison Boyd
The Modernists of Montparnasse: The Barnes and Beyond
Explore early 20th-century Paris and the circle of artists—including Picasso, Modigliani, De Chirico, and Matisse—who shaped the course of modern art. Instructor: Joseph Tokumasu Field
Close-Looking Immersion: Cézanne’s Still Life with Skull
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: William Perthes
Errand into the Maze: The Masterpiece and the Ensemble
Consider the connections between works within Barnes ensembles while seeking a deeper understanding of the collection as a whole. Instructor: Rika Burnham
Looking and Listening: The Art of Atmospheric Sound
This new series explores the relationship between visual art and sound. Instructor: Roksana Filipowska
The Art and Life of Toulouse-Lautrec
Explore the gritty underworld of 19th-century Paris through the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Instructor: Martha Lucy
At Bloom in the Barnes: The Painted Garden
This workshop includes time in the Barnes galleries and an art-making session focused on gardens and flowers. Instructor: Christine Stoughton
Andrew Wyeth in Context: Art, Place, and Practice
Consider the creative legacy of the American artist, with special insights from his granddaughter. Instructors: William L. Coleman, Victoria Browning Wyeth
African Art in the Barnes: Context and Meanings
Learn the traditional meanings and uses of the African sculpture collected by Dr. Barnes while considering the impact of colonialism and imperialism. Instructor: Dwaune Latimer
Close-Looking Immersion: Picasso’s Violin, Sheet Music, and Bottle
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Naina Saligram
Contemporary Art and the Canon: Emulation, Pastiche, Parody
Explore the complex relationship between modern artists and the art of the past. Instructor: Paul Galvez
About Faces: A History of the Art of Portraiture
Explore the incredible diversity of portraiture in the collection—from Hals to Van Gogh, Matisse, and Renoir. Instructor: Brian Seymour
Close-Looking Immersion: Memling’s Portrait of a Man
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: William Perthes
Preparing for From Paris to Provence
Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the organization and launch of an exhibition at the Barnes. Instructor: Cindy Kang
The Garden in Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
Learn how 19th-century French garden design—especially the approach to texture and color theory—influenced the impressionists. Instructors: Andrew Bunting, Martha Lucy
Rendez-vous au Café: Café Culture in 19th-Century Art
Cafés hold a special place in the history of modern art. Learn how and why they inspired some of the most famous paintings of the time. Instructor: Caterina Y. Pierre
The Art of Color: Exploring Palettes from the Renaissance to the Fauves
Journey through the vibrant world of artists’ palettes and learn how evolving materials and color theories shaped European painting over the past 400 years. Instructor: Al Gury
Bars, Brawls, and Backstreets: Art of the Ashcan School
Examine this uniquely American period of modern art that focused on the shifting urban landscape of the early 20th century. Instructor: William Perthes
Workshop: Art, Well-Being, and Medicine
Learn how engaging with works of art can strengthen your skills as a healthcare provider. Instructor: William Perthes
Close-Looking Immersion: Matisse’s Blue Still Life
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Aesthetics of Everyday Life
This course uses the decorative arts collection at the Barnes as a jumping-off point to explore the artistic qualities of common objects. Instructors: Katherine Feldkamp, William Perthes
Heaven on Earth: The Art of the Byzantine Empire
Dive into the visual culture of the Byzantine Empire, which was influenced by nearly a millennium of religious, social, and political upheaval. Instructor: Kaelin Jewell
Art and the First “Homosexuals”
This course surveys artistic representations of homosexual identity, from the early 1900s through the first decades of the 20th century. Instructor: Jonathan D. Katz
Close-Looking Immersion: Van Goyen’s The Square Watch-Tower
Our 90-minute immersions provide opportunities to study and discuss individual works. Instructor: William Perthes
Art, Well-Being, and Medicine
New program! Our group workshops help medical students and healthcare professionals develop a more empathetic, humanistic approach to patient care.
The Barnes–de Mazia Certificate Program
This special track offers an immersion in the Barnes Method and an introduction to other interpretive approaches.
Gift a Barnes Class
Give the gift of lifelong learning with art history classes taught by Barnes experts.
Saint Joseph’s University Museum Education Graduate Program
A collaboration between the Barnes and SJU, this new online program prepares museum educators to work in public and private institutions, including art, history, and science museums.
Horticulture Certificate Program
Our two-year certificate program covers horticultural science, methods, and design.