Close-Looking Immersion: Persian Manuscript Rustam Lifts Qanun from His Horse

About the Class

Spend an entire hour looking slowly and carefully at a richly detailed Persian manuscript from the Barnes collection. Using the Barnes Method, participants will explore the relationship between color, line, composition, and narrative in this 16th-century miniature to better understand its visual language and how it communicates meaning. The hour encourages mindful observation and discussion, offering space to appreciate visual nuance often missed at first glance. Whether you’re new to manuscript art or a seasoned viewer, this immersive session opens new ways of seeing.

The class is online-only. More about online classes.

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Barnes classes will:

• Sharpen your observational and critical thinking skills.
• Improve your ability to communicate about art.
• Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.

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Barnes Method

Barnes Method courses follow the teachings of Albert Barnes and Violette de Mazia. Classes focus on rigorous formal analysis and direct visual engagement with works of art. In this method, close looking at art helps build critical-thinking skills that can be carried beyond the gallery walls.