Wednesdays, September 9 – September 30, 6 – 8pm
Georges Seurat. Models (detail), 1886–88. The Barnes Foundation, BF811
$220; members $198
(4 classes)
About the Class
Today, we primarily encounter art in exhibitions and museums, but such displays are a relatively recent invention. Before the 17th century, artworks were typically found in sacred spaces or in the private halls of powerful people. This changed in 1667, when the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture mounted the first public art exhibition, later known as the Paris Salon.
This four-session online course focuses on the emergence of exhibition culture. Beginning in the 17th century with France’s formal salons and the rise of public spectatorship, we’ll examine how artists navigated and challenged institutional tastes and eventually developed exhibition models of their own.
From the impressionists in Paris to avant-garde groups in Germany, Austria, and the United States, we’ll explore how exhibitions became sites of experimentation, debate, and cultural change. We’ll also discuss the role of criticism, commerce, publicity, and display in shaping how modern art was experienced—and who had access to it.
The class is online-only. More about online classes.
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- Sharpen your observational and critical-thinking skills.
- Improve your ability to communicate about art.
- Deepen your appreciation for cultures and histories outside your own.
Instructor
Caterina Y. Pierre
Pierre is a professor of art history at the City University of New York at Kingsborough Community College and visiting associate professor at the Pratt Institute. She has taught about art and crime at CUNY Kingsborough, Pratt, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York. She is currently working on a book about cemetery sculpture as political art in the late 19th century and another on Ernest Durig, a forger of the sculptor Auguste Rodin.
What Students Are Saying
“Joe Tokumasu Field was a wonderful instructor. He’s patient, caring, and skilled at interacting with students’ questions and comments.” —The Japanese American Century with Joseph Tokumasu Field
“This was an exciting course with fascinating and informative lectures and well-chosen pictures. Franits is a brilliant teacher.” —17th-Century Dutch Art’s “Holy Trinity”: Hals, Rembrandt, and Vermeer with Wayne Franits
“The instructor was outstanding in every way—an expert in the subject, enthusiastic about the material, solicitous and supportive of students’ observations, and brilliant in expanding our discussion as warranted. The best Barnes instructor I’ve had, by far.” —The Nabis: Late 19th-Century Prophets of the New with Larissa Bailiff
“I enjoyed the course very much and liked how each week focused on a different topic relevant to the subject. Caterina is an engaging speaker, and you can tell she loves what she is teaching. Her enthusiasm and sense of humor come through.” —Famous Heists: Crimes in the History of Art with Caterina Pierre
“I felt at peace afterward and appreciated the art so much more than before.” —Being Present with Art: Cultivating Balance for Spring with Roksana Filipowska
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Japonisme in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art
Learn how Japanese art transformed modern painting in this online workshop. Instructor: Larissa Bailiff