Tots to teenagers: representations of childhood in Western Art
Two-day art history and theory course
16 February 2019 10am - 5pm17 February 2019 10am - 5pm
Wolfson British Academy Room, 6 Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts
£420. Includes all materials, light refreshments at the beginning of each day and wine reception at the end of day one.
Terms and conditions
This unconventional art history course led by expert Sophie Oosterwijk offers unique insights into the history of childhood through its presentation in Western art.
Is childhood a natural phenomenon or a definition invented by society? This question is still fiercely debated among historians. In our modern society we have different ways of defining a child – be it the age of legal responsibility, of consent, the right to vote or to drink alcohol. Depictions of childhood in art have also affected its many definitions, whether portraits, genre scenes, book illustrations, commemorative art or other objects of material culture.
Researchers into the history of childhood draw on a wide variety of sources in order to reconstruct and understand the past. While relying heavily on documents, they also draw on visual sources, especially art and material culture from toys to tombstones. Combining and comparing information from these various sources lead us towards a more comprehensive picture of childhood throughout history.
This course focuses on the presentation of childhood in art, which can tell us things that a written document might not. A deathbed portrait, for example, can illustrate parental grief over a deceased child, and challenge the view that, when child mortality was high, people had many children expecting just a few to survive.
Participants will consider how modern views of childhood may cloud our judgement of representations of the past. By putting the art of childhood back into its historical context, surprises emerge. We easily fall into the trap of misreading images of childhood because of our inevitable emotional response: an image of a swaddled infant might evoke pity or horror in a modern viewer, while a formal portrait of a very young child in court dress might make us think of 'miniature adults'.
In this course participants will be offered a multidisciplinary approach, looking at and debating works of art alongside other forms of material culture and historical evidence to obtain a better understanding of childhood in the past – and perhaps also the present.
About the course
During this two-day course, Dr Sophie Oosterwijk will consider the evolving representations of children and childhood in art. This course provides a unique opportunity to learn about the way the concept of childhood was understood and represented at different points in history.
Lectures will be combined with the opportunity for Q&A sessions, debate and discussion.
The course is held in the historic setting of the newly restored Wolfson British Academy Room.
What will you get out of this course?
• An introduction to the concept of childhood in European culture from antiquity to contemporary art
• A deeper understanding of the debates about the history and ‘discovery’ of childhood
• An opportunity to address questions of portraiture and representation, the construction of gender and traditional gender roles, and debates about innocence vs. sexuality
• The opportunity to learn and reflect within a peer group, with discussions facilitated by an expert in the field
This course is suitable for those with no prior knowledge of this field as well as those with previous experience who would like to develop their understanding further in a small group setting.
This course is for you if:
• You have a general interest in art history and would like to explore this interest in a new way
• You have a specific interest in the history of childhood, portraiture and/or art interpretation
• You have a personal or professional interest in how children were perceived by artists in the past and how the concept of childhood can be interpreted by different audiences
• You would like to deepen your knowledge and have the chance to pose your questions to an expert in the field
Minimum age 18
£420
Registration from 9.30am
10:00am - 5:00pm
This course provides:
• A rich combination of lectures, discussion and the opportunity for expert-led analysis by leading experts in the field
• An exploration of the history of art from a new perspective
• Skills and knowledge relevant to those with art-historical and curatorial interests
• The opportunity to learn from art-world experts
• The opportunity to socialise and network in a friendly environment
• Light refreshments throughout the weekend
• A drinks reception on Saturday following the day’s session
• A certificate of participation upon course completion
Dr Sophie Oosterwijk
Dr Sophie Oosterwijk studied English Literature at Leiden University and Medieval Studies at York before obtaining her PhD in Art History at Leicester with a thesis on the representation of the infant in medieval culture, followed by a second PhD at Leiden on the subject of the Dance of Death. She has lectured and published widely on the image of the child in western art. Co-editor of the journal Church Monuments, she is particularly interested in the commemoration of children in tomb monuments and posthumous paintings, drawings and photographs. Sophie is an internationally acknowledged expert in the field and a contributor to the recently published Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology of Childhood (2018).
Our courses and classes programme
Our programme of short courses and classes offers the opportunity to explore a range of subjects, led by expert tutors and practising artists.
Give this course as a gift
This course can be purchased as a gift for a friend or family member. To arrange a gift voucher please contact Anna Pojer, Academic Programmes Manager, by calling 020 7300 5684 or emailing anna.pojer@royalacademy.org.uk