How to Look at Art

When you go to a museum, what should you be looking for? This course will provide clues to understanding paintings and sculptures. We will discuss the terminology of art appreciation, the role of images in people’s lives, symbolism and allegory, the materials and techniques of art, the importance of chronology, and the history of taste, among other things. Our examples will be largely drawn from New York collections, especially those of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection, and the Museum of Modern Art. The purpose is to provide a toolkit for extracting maximum enjoyment and meaning from works of art. 
 
 
Continuing Education Units (CEU) : 0

You'll walk away with

• The ability to define and practice art connoisseurship
• An understanding of what makes one artist or painting better than another

Ideal for

• Art enthusiasts
• Professionals working in the arts