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Wednesdays, November 4 – December 2, 2 – 4pm

#SeeArtDifferently

Velázquez (Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez). Juan de Pareja (detail), 1650. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Purchase, Fletcher and Rogers Funds, and Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876–1967), by exchange, supplemented by gifts from friends of the museum, 1971

$220; members $198
(4 classes; no class Nov. 25)

Registration opens July 15 at 10am; members can enroll July 13 at 10am. Join now!

Apply for Scholarship Registration Opens Soon

About the Class

The art of 17th-century Baroque painters working in Italy and Spain pulsated with visual and emotional intensity. In this four-session online course, we’ll explore four leading figures of the southern Baroque: Caravaggio (1571–1610), Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–after 1654), Nicolas Poussin (1594–1665), and Diego Velázquez (1599–1660).

Through close looking and a discussion of historical contexts, we’ll explore each artist’s distinctive approach. Alongside questions of style and subject matter, we’ll consider broader cultural issues that shaped the period, including empire, gender, scientific inquiry, and the effects of plague and social upheaval on artistic production.

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

Already registered? Log in to Barnes Learning.

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.

See all classes.

Instructor

Wayne Franits

Franits is a Distinguished Professor of Art History at Syracuse University and a specialist in 17th-century Dutch and Flemish art. His extensive publications have explored a variety of topics within the field, ranging from genre painting and portraiture to the work of the Dutch followers of Caravaggio.

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