20th-Century American Painting

About the Class

How did American painting go from Robert Henri to Jackson Pollock to Andy Warhol in only a half-century? Thinking more broadly, what are the best ways to identify each of the styles of 20th-century painting in America? What makes precisionism precisionism? How do artworks associated with that style reflect the industrial zeitgeist of the time? From the Ashcan School to great contemporary painters like Brice Marden and Jordan Casteel, we’ll explore these and other questions in a one-day roundup of some of the most compelling treasures of American painting.

Capacity: 100

Barnes classes will:

• Increase your understanding of art-related concepts.
• Increase the ways you think critically about art.
• Improve your ability to communicate about art.
• Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.

Recent Barnes Class Testimonials

“[The] professor was highly engaging, facilitated excellent discussions, and [was] very knowledgeable. I learned a lot about teaching art history from watching her.” Matisse and Picasso with Martha Lucy

“The instructor [was] very empathetic and knowledgeable [and] created moments of sharing across students who participated actively in discussion.” Art and Literature of the Harlem Renaissance with Michael Williamson

“I am not an artist and prior to this course I had not thought about what an artist might be 'thinking,' as opposed to 'feeling.' I loved this course and plan to immerse myself in color theory.” Visualizing Memory with Lucas Kelly

“The instructor was exceptionally well prepared and challenged us with profound questions. This was a graduate degree caliber course.” The Queer 1890s with Ty Vanover