The art of the copy: replication and the arts
Weekend-long art history and theory course
15 February 2020 10am - 5pm16 February 2020 10am - 5pm
Wolfson British Academy Room, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
£420. Includes all materials, light refreshments and a wine reception at the end of day one.
Terms and conditions
We are used to thinking of art as 'original' works by artists and craftsmen, when in fact copying was standard practice for many centuries. This course will look at this process of copying works of art from the Renaissance period to the present day.
Since the 20th century art schools have placed great emphasis on students finding an individual style of expression, but other epochs have viewed the training of artists differently. For centuries art students were trained through copying acknowledged ‘great’ works of art, especially paintings and sculpture.
This method was used in the RA Schools to teach students throughout the 19th century. In earlier centuries, the emphasis was on technical accomplishment and knowledge of prevailing styles, and copies were often valued in their own right as desirable works of art.
Beginning with the idea of training the eye and the hand through making copies of artworks, this course will look at how and why copies of Old Master works have been made, with reference to the Royal Academy’s own collections of such material.
It will then go on to consider copying in its wider context, from print culture to the literal replication of specific works of fine and decorative art to the intentional use of copies in historic house restorations, a very twenty-first-century phenomenon. The differences between copies, replicas, pastiches, and revivals will also be considered.
Taught by experts across diverse areas of art, the course will combine the visual with the historical, and an enquiring mind is needed. I also includes visits to the study collections of the RA, as well as the world-renowned collection of plaster casts at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About the course leaders
Dr Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe trained briefly as a paintings conservator, but her utter ignorance of chemistry drove her to the more forgiving embrace of art history. She has worked for 30 years at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and for a number of institutions in London, as a lecturer teaching a wide range of topics within 15th, 16th and 17th-century European art.
Megan Aldrich began her career in the furniture department of the Victoria and Albert Museum, before joining Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, where she taught the history of furniture and interiors for many years and was Academic Director from 2005 to 2014. She has lectured and published widely. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and edits the journals Furniture History and the Decorative Arts Society Journal.
Our courses and classes programme
Our varied programme of short courses and classes provides an opportunity to explore subjects ranging from life drawing to the history of exhibitions and arts management, led by expert tutors and practising artists. These courses introduce traditional art-making processes, as well as perspectives on art history, theory and business.
Give this course as a gift
All of our courses can be purchased as a gift for a friend or family member – giving the gift of education and a remarkable experience. To arrange a personalised Gift Voucher, please contact the Academic Programmes Team, by calling 020 7300 5641 or email academicprogrammes@royalacademy.org.uk