From Realism to Surrealism: a guide to modern art movements
Six-week art history lecture series
20 April 2020 6.30 - 8pm27 April 2020 6.30 - 8pm4 May 2020 6.30 - 8pm11 May 2020 6.30 - 8pm18 May 2020 6.30 - 8pm25 May 2020 6.30 - 8pm
The Life Room, Royal Academy Schools
£340. Includes all materials, light refreshments and a wine reception at the end of the final session.
Gauguin and the Impressionists
Terms and conditions
Trace the development of modern art in a series of lectures focusing on six key movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This course traces the exciting period in European art when new ideas and technological advancements resulted in a fast-paced development of original and revolutionary artistic outputs. The series begins soon after the Industrial Revolution with the development of Realism, which rejected what it saw as the historical and elitist views of the Academy.
Over six weeks, you will learn how and why each of these momentous art movements formed in quick succession and look at the similarities and the radical differences that occur in subject matter, technique, materials and mediums. The course also explores the new values and philosophies that shaped how modernists thought.
This course is inspired by the Royal Academy’s exhibition, Gauguin and the Impressionists, which features work from the Realist painter, Gustave Courbet; Impressionists including Monet, Degas and Morisot; and the Post-Impressionists, Cézanne, Gauguin and Pissarro.
Series Schedule:
Week 1: Realism
Week 2: Impressionism
Week 3: Post-Impressionism
Week 4: Cubism
Week 5: Expressionism (and Symbolism)
Week 6: Surrealism
About the speakers
Director of Learning & Collections, Royal Academy of Arts
Rebecca Lyons is the Director of Learning & Collections at the RA Rebecca has been a Curator for the National Trust and, prior to this, was Director of the Fine & Decorative Art MLitt and MA programmes at Christie’s Education, London / University of Glasgow where she taught for fifteen years.
Board Member & Senior Director, Sotheby's
Philip Hook has been senior paintings expert at Sotheby’s for 25 years. He is the author of five successful novels and three bestselling books on art history, including The Ultimate Trophy: A History of the Impressionist Market, and Breakfast at Sotheby’s: An A-Z of the Art World. His new book on the European Art World, 1905-1914 is due out in 2021.
Art historian, publisher and broadcaster
Jacky Klein is an art historian specialising in 20th-century and contemporary art. She has presented and contributed to a range of radio and television programmes for the BBC, Bloomberg TV, Tate and the Art Fund. Her books include Grayson Perry and What is Contemporary Art? A Children’s Guide.
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 academic.programmes@royalacademy.org.uk